As a business owner, it can be a frustrating experience to spend time and resources on leads who ultimately aren’t a right fit for your services. This was the predicament I found myself in when my sales process wasn’t yielding the qualified leads I needed. I had to take a step back and evaluate what wasn’t working and come up with a plan to change it. Here are the steps I took to revamp my sales process and attract the right clients.
The Problem: Underqualified Leads
The first indication that my sales process needed a change was the quality of leads coming in. They were underqualified and didn’t have a good grasp of the level of investment my services required. This made it difficult to have productive consultations as they weren’t ready to make the investment needed. Consequently, I realized that I wasn’t qualifying these leads well before getting on a call with them.
I had to create a process to ensure that potential clients knew beforehand that my services came at a premium price. This would save us both time as I didn’t want to waste my time or theirs during consultations. I also wanted to ensure that people knew that they could afford my services before we set up a call. To do this, I updated my website to provide more information, including pricing, my qualifications, and what to expect when working with me. This helped to educate potential clients and created a better user experience.
The Solution: Qualifying potential Leads
I incorporated a qualification process to save time and improve the quality of leads. This helped me determine if potential clients had the investment capacity and if we were a good match. I did this by providing more information upfront on my website and social media profiles. This included my rates, services, and client testimonials.
I also initiated a 30-minute consultation that I called a “vibe check.” This was to ensure that the client and I were a good fit for each other. During the check, I asked questions about their business, goals, and budget. This helped me ascertain if they were ready to make the investment, and if I could meet their needs. It also gave them a chance to ask me any questions upfront so that they could decide if I was the right choice for them.
Addressing Lead Lifecycle
Another issue that I faced was the length of time it took for potential clients to make a decision. I found that leads were taking longer than usual to commit as they wanted to be sure they were making the right decision with their money. This meant that my lead life cycle was becoming longer.
To combat this, I incorporated a “know, like, and trust” factor into my sales process. I spent more time educating leads through social media posts, email marketing campaigns, and other content. This helped them become familiar with my work and services and create a sense of trust, which ultimately led to more committed leads and a shorter lead life cycle.
Improving Client Experience
Lastly, my sales process needed to deliver a better client experience. As I shifted my focus to a higher-end clientele, I knew that I had to provide a luxury experience that matched the level of investment they were making. I revamped my sales process with this in mind, providing potential clients with all the information they needed upfront. This created a better consultation experience with more engaged leads who were more likely to commit to a project.
In conclusion, revamping my sales process proved to be a necessary step in attracting better-quality clients. By qualifying leads, addressing lead life cycle and improving the client experience, my sales process became more effective in securing committed clients. By making these changes, I was able to deliver a better sales experience to potential clients, ensuring that whether they decided to work with me or not, they left with the knowledge and information they needed to make an informed decision.
