Confessions of a Salesman

More on getting the most out of an Internet lead...

Just about everyone agrees that generating leads is not getting any less expensive. Indeed, in most industries the cost of lead acquisition is going up.

So why do so many sales people - and their companies for that matter – WASTE LEADS?

It shocks me when I see how many companies, particularly in the home improvement industry, distribute leads to their sales force.

Too many companies do not have a reporting system for the leads they give to their sales people. It’s true that, if the lead does not sell, a few days later someone may ask ‘How did you get on with that lead?’. The sales person will rattle off some story or another about how the lead was not qualified, was not really in the market, etc. Indeed on some occasions the sales person will not even have contacted that lead.

I know this for a fact because far too many times potential customers who had visited one of my lead generation websites would contact us to complain that no-one had been in touch.

So what can be done about this?

Well, first make sure that your sales people understand they are responsible for every lead you give them; have a reporting structure - a lead sheet that they must return to the office.

Basic stuff, I know, but so many companies don’t do it.

So what if the lead does not sell or your sales people fail to make an appointment at this time?

Again, basic stuff, but you must have a structure to follow up on those leads at a later date, depending on the feedback from your initial contact.

By the way, it is always good practice to get your potential customers’ permission to follow-up at a later date if NOW is not appropriate for some reason or another. Use an approach such as saying: ‘You know, Mr Smith, we occasionally have special offers or end of season deals – would it be OK to contact you when these are available?’

Never waste a lead (follow-up, follow-up, follow-up)

Personally I would never hand over a raw un-appointed lead to a sales person. I hate to say it, but sales people in the main will try to ‘over qualify’ a lead before making a sales visit, rather than realising that the point of their telephone call is to sell the appointment – not to sell the product!

My experience is that the right staff - typically good telephone sales people (telemarketer) - are better than your sales force at confirming / appointing leads.

In summary:

» Hold sales people accountable for all leads you supply them. (Have a lead report form.

» Use the information from the lead report form to follow up at a later date.

» Even with leads that a sales person failed to convert on a sales visit, continue to follow-up/be in contact until such times as they have either bought from you, from someone else or told you to stop contacting them.

• Never waste a lead (follow-up, follow-up, follow-up)

» Remember, there is no such thing as a bad sales lead – only bad sales people.

Winning With Internet leads

The Pros and Cons