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Set appointment first: Qualify second
If we want to increase our sales, the most important thing we need to do is increase the number of face-to-face visits we have with qualified prospects. When consultants come in to companies and assess why they have low sales, insufficient sales activity is usually the root cause.
I have a client who is a business consultant and she is actively involved in a strategy and action plan designed to increase the number of meetings with qualified prospects. In order to qualify the prospects, she must ask them some questions to determine if they are genuine prospects. A true prospect has the need, the authority to make a decision, and can afford it. Here’s how she decided to approach this challenge:
Step one. Make the appointment. The first thing we do is get the appointment.
Step two. Qualify. Once the appointment is set she asks qualifying questions. She frames it this way: “In order for me to prepare properly for this meeting, I have some background questions I would like to ask. It will take about 10 minutes. Is now a good time, or would you rather schedule a conference call?”
Step three. Asking the questions. She designs her questions so that they lead to the questions pertaining to their budget. With her natural professional demeanor, she uses gentle persistence to determine if they can afford her services.
Step four. “Fish or cut bait”. If her questions uncover that the person does not have enough money, she then graciously backs out of the appointment while gently letting the other person save face. She says, “Based on what you have shared, I am not sure this is the best time to talk. It sounds like you have a threshold you need to get to first. How about…
To maximize our efforts in generating more sales, we need to
- Set the appointment
- Qualify the prospect by asking questions
- Be prepared to postpone the appointment if we learn that the other person does not qualify as a prospect