Remember the ABC’s of sales? Always. Be. Closing. (Glengarry Glen Ross, anyone?).
Well there’s a new acronym in town. It’s called BAM FAM.
It stands for Book A Meeting, From A Meeting. And this simple follow-up tactic is guaranteed to increase your close rates.
So what is BAM FAM?
BAM FAM is the act of securing a follow-up meeting before ending the call you’re on. Yes, it’s that simple.
It’s all about not letting Mr. Prospect off the hook. You must keep tension on the line, always.
Because let’s be honest, C-level executives are busy and juggling a million priorities. So if you give them an out, they will take it every time.
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The Big Mistake
Here’s what I see all the time. At the end of a call, the salesperson says, “Great, I’ll send you an email.” Seems innocent enough, right? Wrong.
This misstep always leads to weeks and sometimes months of email tag, and more often than not, a missed opportunity.
How to Implement BAM FAM
So now you know what BAM FAM is and what not to do at the end of your sales calls. Now here’s how you implement BAM FAM in the most effective way.
As you close out the meeting, remind the prospect of his/her pain points and how your product solves their problems. Recap how it’s a great fit and the timing couldn’t be better. (You did qualify them with B.A.N.T., yes?). Assume the next meeting, and, here’s mission critical: put it on the calendar… while you’re talking to them!
That will look something like this…
“Mr. Prospect, with everything we talked about today, this sounds like a really good fit.”
“Yes, it might be. But could you just send the proposal over?”
“Sure, I’ll send it today. How long do you think you’ll need to review it?”
“Two days or so.”
“Great, then let’s schedule our next call for Thursday at 3pm. I’m opening my calendar now. Does that time work for you? Or is 4pm better?”
“Yes, 3pm works for me.”
“Great, invite sent. Did you get it?”
“Yes, I got it. Invite accepted.”
That right there is BAM FAM. And it WORKS.
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The Power of BAM FAM
Builds Momentum in the Sales Process
Alex Hormozi talks about the “no-man’s land” where sales go to die. And this is what happens when you don’t use BAM FAM. If you end a call without scheduling a follow-up call, chances are you won’t connect with that prospect again. The prospect goes to “no-man’s land.”
Gets the Prospect’s Buy-In
You want your prospect engaged throughout the sales process. You want them locked-in and committed to the mission: solving their problem. And BAM FAM pretty much requires them to take ownership and engage in the process. You are literally getting their buy-in by asking if 3pm or 4pm Thursday works best. When the prospect has agency, they are far more likely to show up to the sales appointment and remain active on the call.
It’s Respectful
BAM FAM is respectful of your time and your prospect’s time. Again, it eliminates the dreaded follow-up phone tag, and it puts a premium on your time. It’s also a more efficient way of doing business. And efficiency is always welcome in the C-suite.
Increases Chances of Winning the Sale
By deploying BAM FAM, your prospect is less likely to get swayed by your competition and/or fall out of the sales funnel. By my estimations, you make them at least 20-30% more likely to convert into a buyer.
It’s Common Sense
It really is just common sense. So much so that even dentists know the drill and have their receptionists schedule the patient’s next appointment as they check out at the front desk. (Dentists are salespeople too!). Not just dentists, but the same for the barber/hairdresser, oil change shop, and basically every service provider out there (if they’re smart!).
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Why Most Salespeople Avoid BAM FAM… And What to Do About It
Seeing that only 20% of salespeople employ BAM FAM on a consistent basis, there’s MASSIVE room for improvement. Unfortunately, salespeople shy away from it for the following reasons:
- Fear of rejection – Get over it! Or find a different career. Sales isn’t for the faint of heart. But on a practical note, to overcome the fear, just remember that rejection is necessary to make a sale. In other words, every “No” is one step closer to a “Yes.”
- The call went terrible – If the call went poorly, you might shy away from asking for another meeting and just hope for this call to end. But chances are, the prospect didn’t think the call went nearly as terrible as you did. You are your own worst critic. Take a deep breath and put the next meeting on the calendar.
- You forget or are too lazy – I get it, your mind is in a million places, especially if you’re on a call with a high-profile executive at an enterprise company. In this case, write it on your call agenda in big bold letters BOOK NEXT MEETING NOW. That way you simply can’t forget to BAM FAM. And if you’re just too lazy to do it, then you aren’t cut out for sales (I trust this isn’t you).
- You are overconfident – Don’t think you have it “in the bag” and your prospect will play the schedule-follow-up-meeting-via-email game. They likely won’t. If the call went really well, and you’re brimming with confidence, then leverage that energy to put the next one on the books!
- They never even thought to do it – This one is forgivable. After all, sales is a game of lifelong learning. Now you know! So from here on out, there are no excuses. You know what BAM FAM is and exactly how to implement for sales success.
Final Words
BAM FAM isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. It’s the only way to create a seamless and efficient follow-up, and keep the sales process moving along. So keep your calendar open and easily accessible. I also recommend making it a rule — you aren’t allowed to hang up the phone without booking that next meeting, or at least trying to book that next meeting.
And BAM FAM isn’t just a sales tactic, it’s a paradigm shift, a new way of thinking. Do whatever it takes to keep the sales momentum moving and your prospect on the hook to make a decision… one way or another. Book a meeting, from a meeting. I promise it will drive RESULTS. You’ve got this.
Until next time…
Johnny-Lee Reinoso