Formerly WebStrategies Inc
Neal Lappe
Sep 24, 2013
People don’t like to be sold – they do like to buy. Consequently, I never recommend selling something to someone who either doesn’t need it and/or won’t get value from it. One of my sales and marketing theories is this – someone sells something when the need intersects with awareness. That is, when the need develops and the prospect is aware that your product or service might satisfy that need, you have a chance to make a sale. Conversely, if there’s no legitimate need, there’s no sale; and if the prospect with the need is not aware of your product or service, you won’t make the sale.
One of the most important elements in sales is managing your “sales funnel” so that when the prospect’s need arises, he/she is aware of your product or service and a conversation can ensue.
Your sales funnel contains information about qualified prospects with which you’ve had some interaction. Before going further, let’s define a qualified prospect. A few weeks ago in Work It-Richmond I wrote about my method of qualifying customers – the BRATS method. The “T” in BRATS asks – “is the timing right for the prospect to implement my solution?”
As mentioned before, if it’s not the right time, you won’t make the sale. Generally you can’t control the prospect’s timing. But, you can control the extent to which he/she is aware of your product or service. That’s why managing your sales funnel is important.
Now that you have a solid sales funnel full of qualified prospects, how do you make sure they are aware of you on an ongoing basis so when the need arises, you are there? Here are some guidelines for managing awareness with your sales funnel…
[Check out Why Is Email Marketing So Effective? to find out if email marketing should play a role in your marketing mix.
“Touches” represent any type of interaction with a prospect. It could be an email, a phone call, a written note, a stop-in to say hello, an article, etc. – really any interaction. Make your “touches” added value. Don’t just call up and say “are you ready to buy yet?” A better call could be “I thought about (one of your objections) and figured a way to solve it.” I often send articles that are pertinent to the business or to a personal interest of the prospect. Whatever you do, be credible and don’t waste the prospect’s time.
Enter every meaningful interaction with a potential prospect in your sales funnel. Rate each one based on when you think he/she will be ready to buy. Based on timing, “touch” them with value added interactions. You do this and no doubt your sales will increase from it.
To learn more about sales funnel management specific to your business, contact WebStrategies, Inc. online or by phone at 804-200-4545.
Let's build something measurable together.