The Real Secret to Qualifying Leads

OK, now I want you to pay very careful attention... I'm going to give you, right now, the Real Secret to what it takes to really qualify a lead. Before I do, though, let me back up just a minute. Here's how all this came about. Right now I'm involved with a company whereby I'm listening to and critiquing cold calls. These are qualifying calls. We've written the scripts for these reps, put in all the qualifying questions, and now I'm listening and seeing how good a job they are doing. Here's what I'm finding (and by the way, this is the same thing that I find with ALL of my other clients as well - i.e., that means I'd find it with you, too!).

1. The first thing these reps are doing is defaulting back to how they've been doing it for the last several months (or years). In other words, they haven't yet begun using the new scripts and new proven techniques word for word yet. And that's OK. It's a process. The good news is that once they do, they will immediately begin qualifying better, understanding true buying motives, and they'll begin understanding who isn't likely to be a buyer. That will save them A LOT of time.
2. But here's the real secret: After they begin getting comfortable with the scripts and begin asking the key qualifying questions, what will come next are the REAL SECRETS to qualifying the leads. And here's what it is: While I'm listening to these calls, what I'm dying for the reps to ask are the things that I would be asking that would tell me if I'm dealing with a prospect who might actually buy in the future, or if I'm dealing with someone who is likely not to buy on the follow up calls. And here are the things they (and YOU) should be asking of all of your prospects (Not in any particular order): "How often do you check (prices, rates, suppliers, services, etc.) with other companies like mine?" "Have you found that you can get better (service, pricing, rates, etc.) from another company?" If so: "Did you go with that other company (or - "Did you give them a try?")?" And if not: "Oh, why was that?" "What would you need to see from our (company, information, service, etc.) that would motivate you to actually try someone different?" "What part of the decision process are you involved in?" "What happens next after I give you a (competitive quote, price, service analysis, etc.)?" "If you like what you see, what would be our next step?" And then my favorite - a trail close! You absolutely MUST say this at the end of ALL Qualified calls! "_________, let me ask you, if you like what (we can offer you, pricing, service, availability, whatever is appropriate for your product or service), can you see anything that might stand in the way of us doing business together?" (Note: You can use many different trial closes here - just pick one that matches your product or service the best).

These are the Real Secrets to qualifying a lead. Yes you need to ask the other important qualifying questions that I list in my blog, books and CDs but after you do, you need to find out if you're really dealing with a buyer, and asking these types of Real Questions is the way to do just that. Compare these questions (and the kinds of answers you'll get from them) with the kinds of questions you or your team is currently asking. If you're far off from them (in other words, you don't ask them at all), then you need to incorporate them TODAY. Not tomorrow or next week, but TODAY. I guarantee that when you do, and when you begin getting the Real Answers to these Real Qualifying Questions, and your sales career will begin to dramatically change (and so will your company). This is how you move from the bottom 80% into the Top 20%. But like everything I give you, don't take my word for it. Try it and see for yourself. If it works, all you have to gain is hundreds to thousands of extra dollars a month. How good will that feel?