Qualifying, What Is It?
Topics: qualify, selling, sales, prospect, closing, persuasion, influence
It’s Tuesday and I’m meeting with an executive for a large equipment organization. It’s an interesting conversation, as it’s indicated the sales force is very busy with customers wanting equipment, managers are even asking for more bodies to handle the volume of calls and customers. Sound like a dream?
Then the question comes, “What volume of business are they doing or how many are they closing on?”
“That’s the problem, I’m guessing the actual closing ratio is only 15-20%!” and we start wondering who is in the driver’s seat.
“What?” I ask, “I would expect 30-50% or maybe more, what is not happening here?”
“Obviously they are not qualifying the customers and are functioning as order takers and information clerks!”
The issue of effectively qualifying a customer seems to be more prevalent today in many industries. This similar conversation happens at least a couple times a month.
If this is true then let’s take a look at what this idea of qualifying is all about.
First let’s understand what a qualified customer is:
1. Has a need or want your product will address
2. Has the means by which to purchase the solution
3. Has the authority to purchase the solution
4. Will make the choice in a reasonable time.
If the criteria listed above is not present, they are not a customer. It becomes a valid question as to whether they should be pursued at all as a customer! Yet many salespeople will invest days and weeks chasing what we call CBFR’s (call back for rejection).
Why would this happen? Here might be a few reasons:
* Fear of losing a sale or relationship if they pressed or asked the questions.
* Confusing activity as being the same as productivity.
* Not knowing how to qualify.
* Poor questioning skills when trying to qualify.
* Managements focus is on quantity versus quality activity.
* Confidence levels causing reluctance in doing what they know they should.
* Plus more
This can be a full day or two of training to cover all of this, so we will give you a few quick ideas that you and your team can apply.
The quickest way to qualify is to ask. A few well phrased questions can quickly indicate if the potential customer meets the four qualifiers. Some examples are:
* Tell me about your situation that causes you to call?
* If you found the right equipment and value, how soon would you want to take delivery?
* How will you be using this equipment in your operation?
* If you found the right equipment and value, what are your plans for financing?
* In addition to yourself, who else would need to be involved in the decision?
* What circumstances are causing you to consider purchasing now?
* What type of research have you done on this equipment so far?
* How open are you to alternative solutions if they provide a better value?
* In addition to overall value, what other questions or concerns might you have?
* Who else’s input would you like to have in making this decision?
This should give you a good start on creating your own qualifying questions to help sort out who is ready and why as well as who is not ready to make an equipment commitment.
The key is to keep the questions open and focused on the four qualifiers.
Another neat tool in qualifying a call in is the “Delivery Day Picture”. This is a modified use of the word picture. The customer calls in and the sales person says:
* “Mr. Customer let’S just look ahead a bit. You’re waiting for the delivery truck to bring your new equipment to you. What is the date? What are you going to do with it once it’s unloaded? Who is taking care of the final paperwork and check? What are you telling others about the new purchase?”
The power of this tool gets them into the future taking possession and having made all the decisions. It can very quickly determine how well they have thought through the potential purchase. This adaptation of the process above came from a franchise sales group that needed to qualify potential new investors very quickly. A very effective method.
One can see this is going to take a level of self-confidence, some planning and even some role play to make it smooth. Some may resist this because of fear, yet it is in theirs, the companies and the customer’s best interest to qualify quickly and early!
The salesperson will have more time, more control and better sales because of better qualifying. The company will have profitable sales from quality customers and the customer will get the proper attention rather than being shortcut by an overloaded salesperson.
Our suggestion, every salesperson should have a page full of qualifying questions they can use every time they talk to a potential customer.
Want more on qualifying and effective selling skills? Check out our websites at:
International sales expert, Harlan Goerger has 25 years leading client companies to explosive growth. Author of “The Sales Gap,” Harlan’s proven reverse engineering strategy has generate sales growth to levels as high as 400%. www.HGoergerAssoc.com
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Truth About Search Engine Submission (1)
Don't be the next scam victim. Their business is around a dream. A dream of getting tons of traffic from thousands of search engines, plus getting your website indexed in a snap.
4 Benefits Of Buying From A Gift Shop Online (2)
Certainly go out to buy is influenced by such things as traffic, the prices of gas, the crowds and other things. However, these are not the reasons why people are using online purchase when they have to buy a gift.
Affiliate Marketers Have Mixed Results With Internet Travel Business Sites (3)
In some cases the company may be a part owner of a resort, have an in with the time share industry, or simply is a portal site that ferrets out the best travel deals currently available on the Internet.
Keyword Research Tool: A Tool Towards Good Keyword Research (4)
A keyword research tool can help you do this. This tool can provide details about a particular keyword, like how often it is used and searched for everyday. With a good keyword tool, it can also show a comprehensive statistical data on the searches for a keyword, whether they are daily, weekly or monthly.
How To Advertise Your Website Online (5)
By building links with other websites, you can get what search engines consider "votes", ultimately improving your rating in the search engine results. This process, however, focuses on quality rather than quantity, so you'll need to choose the most credible, strongest sites you can find, instead of just slapping links up all over the place.
Good Protocol For Business Audio Conferencing (6)
By following a few simple steps you can do your bit to ensuring that your audio conference runs smoothly with minimal interruption or interference. On particularly busy conference calls with 25 or more users it is greatly appreciated if all users can do their best to stick to the protocol as issues are generally increased with greater numbers.
4 Ways To Advertise Online (7)
To advertise online, you don't necessarily have to be a professional in the advertising and marketing field, but it won't hurt. The four main types of internet marketing that most businesses use to get the word out about their website include: SEO, PPC, link building, and banner advertising.
Are You Making These Critical Mistakes When Building Your List? (8)
Let's review these points and see if we can fine-tune our list building techniques. To begin, most unsuccessful beginners don't have an opt-in or squeeze page at their website.
Guide To Making Money On The Internet (9)
You also need to have a resource to help you continue to learn and move with the ever growing internet marketing industry. Indeed successful web site requires good design, useful content, proper description and keywords in metatags, registration with major search engines and marketing.
Writing Effective Search Engine Optimised Copy For The Web (10)
Web audiences need relevant information quickly. Assume that your audience has a limited amount of time to hear what you have to say. Remember, once your site is up and running, it is important to monitor and analyse its performance, so that you can make improvements where necessary.
Work From Home In Affiliate Marketing- Making The Right Choice? (11)
Relationships, golf, weight loss, and earning money on the internet are always in demand online. But your options are not limited to those listed. There are many popular niches online and by doing some market research on Clickbank, Google Trends and even eBay you can find out what people are investing their time and money in.
How To Become An Unique Affiliate (12)
It could be articles, videos etc. In that way, visitors will stay and hopefully buy the products. The domain You really should buy your own domain name. It is so much easier to market your own website with your own name and customer will see you as serious.
The Advantages Of Hiring An Internet Marketing Coach (13)
Coaches are incredibly successful marketers who have been there, done that. The advantages to having a coach far outweigh the disadvantages because you'll avoid risking a lot of your own money by making profit draining mistakes.
New Jersey SEO For Search Engines And Internet Marketing Services (14)
If you have the knack to do this yourself, it would be more cost and labor effective to do it yourself. However to get optimal results swiftly, you should consider hiring an seo/marketing company to provide the services that will enable your company to lure locals into doing business with your company.
Search Engine Optimization & Internet Marketing, Phoenix Arizona (15)
Look through a directory of Phoenix Arizona businesses to find seo and internet marketing firms to consider contacting with your questions about how they can help your company achieve more through professionally developed internet marketing campaigns and a dynamic website.
Economy Growing In Time Of Recession - Get Your Site Ready! (16)
Topics: web design, web site design, increase sales, user friendly web site I read an interesting article the other day about this strange economy we're in. According to one Indiana business newspaper, this is the first time ever that the economy actually grew in a time of recession.
Attention Attorneys: Enhance Your Client Experience With Your Firm's Legal Website (17)
Do not use legal jargon to communicate with prospects. Some law firms make the critical mistake of concentrating their legal marketing efforts on getting prospects to visit - just once.
How To Buy Banner Ads (18)
Companies like this offer plenty of information on their websites about the cost of banner ads as well as the various factors that will influence that cost. Many offer guarantees on their services, but not all do.
New York SEO, Search Engine Optimization And Internet Marketing (19)
In the second case, promoting a product imposes a narrower focus. You feature the product how it's manufactured, how it can benefit users and sellers payment options. Since selling a product is more concentrated, the target audience is defined and sales objectives are more clearly established.
Landing Pages- An Aid For Conversion (20)
The elements and lay out of the website need to have a valuable purpose, which is to motivate visitors to buy. However, since every page of your website is optimized and may contain essential keywords for a certain search subject, visitors may often land on them rather than on your homepage.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Various Forms Of Internet Based Marketing (1)
As long as you see the results of your efforts that is what counts. You also have ways to track how your efforts are doing and adjust them so they are doing better such as with the use of Google Analytics.
Marketing Affiliate Programs: Life After The Sign Up Form (2)
Topics: marketing affiliate programs What happens after you sign up for an affiliate program? After you make the decision to promote a particular merchant? Believe it or not, for most affiliates, nothing happens.
How To Create Powerful Headlines (3)
Probably something brief, yet substantial. It can be either delivered as a question or a statement, although a question type would probably stand out more in a page filled with phrases and announcements.
8 Steps To Fantastic Niche EBook Marketing (4)
Now imagine putting those blogs on automatic and hiring a ghost writer to write your eBooks material. Kim Dion is a member of the Maverick Money Secrets Did You Find This Article Helpful?
What Is Niche Marketing? And How Will Niche Blogging Make Me Money? (5)
In turn, a product or service is being sold to the people who are most interested in that particular product or service. More often than not businesses use niche marketing.
Reasons To Have A Disaster Recovery Plan In Place (6)
Statistics Statistics have shown that businesses with a disaster recovery plan are amongst those that recover better. Those who have experienced some sort of disaster that lasts for more than 10 days will never recover financially.
Can Leaflet Distribution Really Keep The Economy Afloat (7)
This has two stages; firstly, the consignment of leaflets that have been printed need delivering to a distribution centre to then be split up into smaller units and taken to the relevant areas.
Follow The Rules With Email Etiquette (8)
2. Avoid the "Reply All" button, there are most likely people who are on your contact list that really don't care to see every email you've sent out. So just reply to one person, or pick the certain people, but don't do a reply to all.
How To Find Competitors By Using A Keyword Spy Tool! (9)
I've tried selling on eBay a few times but, I was never really good at "merchandising" anything to start out with! If you are one of the many individuals that uses eBay as a means to make money online from home either full-time or part-time then you in all probability have used a tool of some variety on the website.
Viral Marketing Involves More Than E-Mail (10)
These forums have a captive audience for your product. Engage in intelligent discourse on one of these forums, with your appropriate links, and you can build your business faster.
7 Secrets To Marketing On The Internet For Fast Profits (11)
How regularly you write is an individual decision, but you should create a consistent stream of articles going out. Sporadic submission will still work for you, but regular submission will get you even better results.
Online Biz For Internet Marketing Beginners (12)
The more traffic your website receives the potential of sales increases. The second thing to consider when exploring home based business opportunities is find a review of the business before joining.
Survey Your Customers: Recession Proof Your Online Business (13)
The goal is to build trust so they will continue to use your services over and over again, or recommend you to others. This is the only way your business has any chance of surviving this economic state.
Keyword Tool: A Way To Boost Online Marketing Profits (14)
Of course, in using keywords there are a lot of factors that you need to consider before selecting the one that you think would garner most people to your website.
Website Optimization And Website Promotion Are Both Needed For Top Search Rankings (15)
You must also find out how to implement strong link building campaign that uses good keywords pointing to the appropriate content. Link building needs to be researched and planned out on paper prior to implementing a strategy.
Common Website Design Mistakes Made By Professionals (16)
Though there are innumerable tools that can guide you effectively in designing a website, mistakes are commonly made by all of us alike. Let us look at few of these mistakes that are more likely to happen.
Photoshop Is A Must Have Software Package (17)
My first experience with a digital camera had me hooked. And then I discovered Photoshop, a software package that essentially replaced all my darkroom equipment and chemicals with computer-based film processing, enlarging and special effects.
Copywriting Tip: Do Your Client A Favor And Ask For The Order (18)
With a little prodding from their friendly copywriters, they quickly recognize their features and benefits. But the toughest website marketing challege for most professionals comes when they have to come up with an answer to the question, "What do you want your website visitors to do?
How To Lower Website Design Costs (19)
After purchasing your domain name you'll need to consider who will physically host your website. Many domain name companies will also host your site. Make sure the company has a good reputation and that they make it easy to set up hosting.
Offline Marketing Mistakes - Common Mistakes With Offline Marketing (20)
If you avoid these mistakes of offline marketing, you will be able to use offline marketing to your business' advantage. Make sure that you do your research and prepare your marketing before you take the leap into the offline marketing world.