There are many ways to find potential prospects for your company. Attending industry events like sales conventions or trade shows is the first. You will be able to meet many potential clients and also have the opportunity to follow up later. Consumer shows are also a good place to find potential clients. These shows are often open to the general population and feature many different products and/or services. These events draw a large crowd, which is another reason they are great.
Qualified
It is crucial to identify qualified prospects early in the sales process. First, the salesperson must determine the prospect's problem. Then, they must engage them. The salesperson must also determine the prospect's involvement in the decision-making. The prospect's title does not automatically mean that they are the one who can make decisions. Each company has a different purchasing process. The salesperson must be able to communicate effectively with the prospect.
Many salespeople make the fatal mistake of jumping straight into the pitch. Salespeople should spend time understanding the prospect's needs before pitching. This step is critical to the sales process because qualified prospects are more likely to make purchases than unqualified ones.
Unqualified
Unqualified prospects are those who do not meet the qualifications to be your customers. Although these prospects are often well-intentioned, their credit history can be a red flag. While most unqualified prospects can be helped, you may want to consider hiring an expert who can help you qualify them. They are usually just looking for time. Some people may need some guidance, especially if they are not qualified. Although most of them are well-intentioned, the damage they do to your credit report is temporary and can be repaired.
Many marketing departments devote a lot of their time to identifying the right customer avatars for marketing. A well-designed process for identifying qualified prospects can help your company save time and effort. First, develop your own company's customer avatar and set some standards. Consider your ideal client, document their values, and make a checklist to identify unqualified leads. Once you have all this information, use your CRM data to analyze where your leads are in the sales funnel. This process can help you learn the worst spots, as well as the best solutions.
Sitting ducks
If you're selling to a prospect new to you, it is important to be aggressive with them than you would be with a customer who has been there for a while. This is especially true with "low hanging fruit" prospects. These people are typically close friends and family, or casual contacts in your industry. These people can be great prospects for building momentum and gaining valuable work experience. Spending too much time with these people could mean you miss out on even more lucrative deals.
Tire kickers
Prospects who tire kickers want to know if your service or product is right for their needs are known as tire kickers. They are an important part of the sales and marketing process. In fact, 67% of tire kickers end up becoming paying customers. So what can you do now? Understanding their motivations is the first step to identifying these prospects.
Tire kickers are people who want to purchase your product or service, but don't have the money. They fear making a poor decision. They're great for brand awareness and short-run sales.