When you set out to convert leads into sales, it would be nice to wave a magic wand, and have it happened without maximum effort. A sale is not going to go through without a bit of effort. Whatever method you choose to use, it helps to have several tricks up your sleeve so you can diversify your impact and maximize lead conversion.
Ask Up Front
One of the things people shy away from lately is being up front and honest. End of the day, the client is interested in what you sell because they need what you have. Let go of the fear of confronting failure or losing a sale by being direct. Simply ask, ‘are you ready to buy?’ The person you are talking to become a lead out of interest in the business. Other competitors are chomping at the bit to get your potential sale. Don’t let them have the final word (unless the client says ‘no’).
Incentivize
Whether it is free stuff, buy one, get one offers, or sample deals, everyone loves to bargain. Offering discounts or time-sensitive opportunities can push a lead into a sale. Think about what you have to offer, how to dangle the carrot, and get them to grab it to finalize the sale. The average person will most likely not pass up an offer for a discount or freebie. Consider what you know to be true about your potential sales or past sales and think about offering something that will benefit them enough to close a sale.
Mind Your FAQs
Great FAQs don’t just show up on your website. They must be cultivated and curated by expert web designers and copywriters who put them together and draw in potential sales. Many leads fail to convert because their questions cannot be answered online. People cannot be bothered emailing and waiting for responses, calling an answering service, or not getting an answer right away. They will simply take their sale elsewhere. Make sure the FAQs are prominent, right up front, and make sure all the sales and customer service people have input. A live chat feature is great if there is staffing to support it. They know best what people have been asking.
Drop Dead(lines)
Don’t be afraid to impose deadlines on people in your sales pipeline. You cannot waste valuable time having people clog up your newsletter communication list or sales callback list if they are not ready to close the deal. Express in email about how you will send out a final communication because you haven’t heard from them recently and if they want to talk more about it, they can reach out. Sometimes that is all the impetus people need to get back on the horse and finally close a sale. If not, then you and your team saved valuable time and energy for other sales leads.
Respond Quickly
Prompt responses to questions will get immediate attention from the potential buyer. If you check back in with them a week after a meeting, ask how they are doing and whether they are ready to close. See what questions they have and be open-minded. Ask what may be stopping them from finalizing the deal because maybe you have just the answer, they have been waiting for to make the decision stick. Apply pressure while also opening dialogue to discover questions or concerns the lead might have. Try to answer without being pushy, but make sure they know your time is valuable and you would love to help them achieve their goal (and make the sale in the end).
People love knowing they are being chased after and desired. They may not realize it, but sales leads are all about the chase and follow-up. If you follow up, most people will be honest about where they land and what their plan is going forward. Don’t hesitate to check in with potential sales, clear up the pipeline, and continue converting those leads to sales.
Read more relevant blog post: Business Development vs Sales vs Lead Generation