Qualifying Clients

14If your prospective client doesn’t want to buy your product from anyone, then the client has not been correctly qualified. How can you retrieve the situation? What are the four steps in qualifying a lead or prospect? Have the influencers in the buying process been identified and qualified? You have probably seen those TV shopping channels selling things you didn’t know you needed until you saw the amazing product and the difference it would make to your life after you have the product. Can you do that – build a case from the ground upwards for your product? We will give you the tools to do that.




In some companies you will be given qualified leads, in others you will have to find and qualify your own leads.

What happens if your prospective client doesn’t want to buy your product? Not just from you, from anyone? This means that the client has not been correctly qualified by whoever produces your leads. What has gone wrong?

Once a lead has been identified as someone who needs or wants to buy your product or service, then it must be established they have the authority to buy and the ability to pay. This is important otherwise you will waste time preparing for, and presenting to people who will not buy no matter how compelling a presentation you have put together.

So four steps in qualifying a lead or prospect are:

  • Finding the people who need or want your product or service.
  • Establishing they have the ability to pay for your product or service.
  • Ensuring the prospect has the authority to make the purchase.
  • Getting an appointment.


You will inevitably come up against unqualified leads, whether you are in front of a professional buyer who has finally agreed to see you to get rid of your pestering phone calls, or a couple who have given in to a telemarketer in a moment of weakness, but have now decided they don’t want whatever you are selling.

How can you retrieve the situation? You need to build a case from the ground upwards for your product. So you must always have in your armory the tools to do that.

You have probably seen those TV shopping channels selling things you didn’t know you needed until you saw the amazing product and the difference it would make to your life after you have the product. This is easy to do when you have a camera crew and a team of presenters, runners and researchers at your disposal.

Trickier for you to replicate just you on your own. But this is what you must do if you are to win the sale.

First you must establish a need for the product before you start your presentation. Can you produce some research or figures from a reliable independent source that demonstrate a need for your product?

e.g.” x% of adults don’t have a Will in place so there is a danger their assets may go to the Crown”

“Y% of the population do not have adequate pension arrangements “

You must be able to quote an authoritative source, and ideally have something to physically show them to back up the claim.

Note that people often buy to avoid pain not to seek pleasure. People do not make a will for enjoyment; they make one to avoid leaving a problem for their heirs. Smokers quit to avoid paying for cigarettes more often than to improve their health.


So what kind of facts will help you prove the need for your product? This depends on the product.

Perhaps it is weather related, a legal issue, business trends, the economy, health matters.

You need to collate some facts –try a Professional Institute or Body if there is one, or Chambers of Commerce, research organisations, and professional websites. Keep an eye on newspapers, magazines and journals for relevant articles to cut out and put in your presenter.

Be aware there may be influencers in the buying process who are not necessarily in front of you when you are pitching your product. You need to take account of them in your qualifying process and handling of the potential sale, involving them if possible and appropriate.

For example in a B2C situation, if you are quoting for a kitchen installation there may be other family members who’s opinion will have a bearing-perhaps an adult son or daughter who’s opinion will be sought before any substantial purchase is made, or someone who has recently undertaken a similar project, or who has some specialist knowledge.

In a B2B situation, many sales organisations will have a “Guardian Angel “ within an organization they are selling into. For example it could be someone who has a close working relationship, and some influence over the Buyer-perhaps their Manager or Director, -who in exchange for say, information about front line product news, will be prepared to champion your product above others.

These influencers should be identified and qualified if possible.


Exercise

Research some useful facts that establish a need for your product and put them in your presenter.

Consider how you would qualify leads for your clients.