Nurturing the Sales Lead

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

I am still trying to meet Frank for lunch. I have spoken with him directly by phone twice in the past five years, but we have never met. I did some work through the firm, but not through him, about 10 years ago. Yes, it’s one of those neglected Good Contacts.

I called one of my mentors, Rick Shea of Optiv8 and he built up my knowledge.

Remember that I feel I’m good at establishing first-contact by asking strangers out to lunch, but am having problems bridging the gap to clinch a sale.

Rick calls it “Nurturing the sales lead”.

Rick says all the people in the world can be divided into “those who do know you” and “those who do NOT know you”. I am good at moving people from the second group to the first group.

The people who know me, however they know me, are not ready to buy yet, and when they buy it will be on their schedule.

In the meantime I can educate them, increase their knowledge, by sending short emails about a product or service that they may not buy – yet – but that will educate and inform them about what I do, what sort of a guy I am.

In that way I stay in their mind as someone who can benefit them down the road, and down the road when they need help they are more likely to call me than someone else.

I have seen this happen in crude form when I mail out 300 flyers for a training course. No-one subscribes for training, but a couple of recipients phone me and ask me to develop an application for them.

Nurturing the sales lead.

I can improve in that direction.

And of course, Rick Shea is a wonderful guy!

Talk to Me !

Search