A lot of people in sales think an insurance sales lead can be a name from a list. That’s not correct. A name from a list will not be a sales lead--it’s a suspect, a total stranger and it does not make any difference if he or she meet some standards (e.g. age, employment status,income level). A real sales lead meets your standards AS WELL as expressed interest in what you offer. Specifically, the lead has responded to an email, a print ad, a piece of direct mail, etc. A real marketer and sales professional only contacts potential customers that have first expressed interest.
Since you have a qualified lead, how do you turn it into a sale? Here is what we educate the financial advisor who uses Brokerville.
You don’t call the prospect and say, “I’m following up…..” Each salesperson says this and the phrase has now turned out to be synonymous with “get ready for my sales pitch.” Your prospect instantly gets defensive (no one likes to become sold) as well as your chance of a sale is close to zero. Rather, phone the lead and say “Bob, you returned a card indicating your interest in getting more…..better…(fill in the blank); what motivated you to complete that?” The only words that should come out of your mouth would be the added benefits your lead needs. Your first task is usually to engage your lead, not to talk about your product.
Next, you really do not say “we have” or “my business offers” as these phrases are synonymous with “get ready for my pitch.” Once more, these can make your lead defensive. You do say, “I really don't know if I might help you…may I ask you a few questions about your (investments, fill in the blank)?” You mitigate the defensiveness of the potential customer by proclaiming you really don't know if you can help.
Next, you ask smart questions about what’s essential to HIM. The best thing you can do here is forget about features and benefits of your product because your lead will not care. He cares only about what’s vital to him. So to really pay attention, you have to forget your pitch. As your prospect reveals answers to your inquiries, you ask deeper questions to uncover their emotional needs. Questions like: do you feel that your current process will reach your goals in 12 months? The only big difference between how great sales people ask questions and make inquiries over what therapists are paid to do is that they ask superior questions and motivate people to action and consequently get paid a great deal better. Here are sample concerns to ask:
Why is important for you?
In case you could have that, how would it influence you?
Should you not fix this issue, what’s the cost to you over the next 2 years?
How does that make you feel?
Are you happy with that?
Considering that people today purchase emotionally, you need to get them to reveal what motivates them emotionally. Until you do, don't proceed for your next phase (to set a meeting, ask for the credit card, close the deal) as you will fail. The addition problems is that too many sellers ask the prospect for the purchase far too early in the dialogue resulting in needless objections. Initially, get your prospect to reveal what motivates him emotionally then you ask if he would be enthusiastic about a solution to that problem/opportunity. Only when he says sure, do you proceed to the subsequent stage.
“Bob, if there were a solution to that issue, what would that be truly worth for you? So in the event you could possess the option for only 10% of that cost, you would desire to know about it? Great, then (set an appointment, inquire for that credit card, consummate the deal).”
Sellers tell me they are client focused or customer focused but it’s not true. They are product focused and my-agenda focused. If your personal mission or company mission is to really help someone, then it becomes easy to turn leads into sales. Simply because your objective converts from “getting” prospects to but your product to “finding” potential customers who want what your merchandise offers. You'll be able to only determine when you have the right prospect by asking queries. And whenever you encounter someone that does not have an interest with your product, you move on .
The true secret to turning a lead into a sale is always to depart from your aim (to make the sale) and get your lead to disclose his emotional goal as early in the conversation as possible. Once you do, you have the simple task of displaying to your prospect how your item fits his agenda (rather than convincing the prospect why they should have interest in your agenda).