1) Have the right attitude
Sales is a lot more like dating than most people are willing to admit. Having this attitude can help you re-consider how you approach the sales process. After all some clients you could end up spending more time with than your spouse or significant other. Contrary to the notion of “soul mates” a healthier approach to dating is less about finding “the one” and more about eliminating the ones that don’t work.
An old joke about qualifying involved an old man and his grandson going into a saloon in the old west. Who were the honest folks to play poker with? The old man took out his shotgun and cocked it under the table. About one third of the men at the tables quickly turned their heads towards them. The old man then turned to his grandson and said: “Those are the ones you can’t trust.”
Disqualifying leads usually takes a bit more work, but having a method can make it quicker and easier. It can save your sales team valuable time to focus on prospects that are much more likely to close.
2) Set Criteria
There is a difference between a marketing qualified lead (MQL) and a sales qualified lead (SQL). We will be focusing on SQL. There are a number of acronyms out there that focus on the qualities you need to identify within a lead. It’s probably easiest to remember BANT.
Budget – Is there sufficient budget for you product?
Authority – Is this person a person within the organization able to make the decision?
Need – Why would they buy? Do they have a need for your product?
Timing – Are there any factors that will require further nurturing or waiting?
3) Ask Questions & Listen
What are they currently using? Do they like it? What don’t they like about it? How long have they been using it? Are they in a contract to continue using it?
If someone asks you a question about your product, ask them why they’re asking. Sometimes people ask more out of curiosity than a need for a feature.
4) Record Contact Status
It is critical to record the contact, their company, and their status in your CRM to ensure that others in your sales team do not end up with overlap. It also helps if you’ve got a system where a lead can be passed on to someone else on the team to further nurture them. The key to qualifying is consistent follow up.
Qualifying is one of the most important parts of the sales process. Increasing efficiency in qualifying will help the entire sales cycle.
POSTED BY Aaron Harburg , to contact click here.
