How much is enough?
I'm surprised at the number of sales people I run into who give up too soon. I've seen this for years, and it continues to amaze me. A great example is this: someone wants to sell me something, so they send me a letter or call me out of the blue. I'm actually interested in what they're offering, but I get busy and so I don't return their call right away. In a couple of days I've forgotten all about it, or lost the phone message, or something. Weeks go by and I don't hear from them, then one day I remember the message or letter and think, “What ever happened to that guy? Why didn't he/she call back? Now I'll never find his/her company.”
Don't be too quick to give up. Every rep should make a reasonable effort to follow up with all their leads, until it's clear the prospect isn't interested. The worst case of this is when the lead comes in unsolicited to the company, and no one follows up on it. Hello? Someone wants your product and you don't call them back right away? Look in the mirror and repeat after me: “I see a dead man.”
