As entrepreneurs, one of our main goals we have for our business is to attract new leads that we can convert into paying clients.
Sometimes we can get so hung up on our desire to get new business, that we often don’t give much consideration to the path we need to take when we are actually face-to-face with that potential client, BEFORE we are actually able to convert them into a paying client.
Let’s face it, discovery calls, introductory calls, chats, meet-and-greets, (or whatever other name you may have for an initial meeting with a potential client), can be a bit nerve-wracking.
What will you talk about to “break the ice” during your first interaction with them? What information do you need to know to determine if you are a good fit to work together?
I like to compare meetings with new leads to job interviews. The last time you applied for a new job, think about the preparation process you followed PRIOR TO the interview probably from the minute you received the invitation to interview. You likely did some research on the company you applied for, the specific position you are interviewing for, and you more than likely jotted down specific questions you may have wanted answered that may not have been listed in the job description to help you determine if the job would be a good fit for you.
Now I have never met anyone yet who has told me that they absolutely love interviewing for new positions, but I can tell you that when I prepare, I find that the interview goes much smoother; my thoughts are clear and concise, I am more poised and professional, and overall I have more confidence.
How to Prepare for New Leads
Let’s apply that same concept to initial meetings with a potential client. Instead of showing up for the meeting filled with uncertainty. feeling unprepared, and unsure of the unknown, wouldn’t it be nice to show up prepared and with a little bit of confidence to help take the edge off?
It’s important to have a game plan of what you’ll discuss during your first interaction with a new lead to ensure a successful initial meeting.
Just think, instead of showing up to a discovery call with Ms. Smith, where all you know is her name, business name, and email address, what if you could show up to the call knowing this client is a great fit for your business, AND to already be prepared with the product or service you plan to offer? Sounds great doesn’t it?
So, what is the key to being prepared for your first meeting with a new lead? All you need to do is capture some key information to pre-qualify in advance!
Well the simple way to pre-qualify all of your potential leads and get ahead of the game before you actually meet them is to do a little prep work ahead of time.
Here are a few things to do to qualify new leads:
#1 Create a form to capture key information from potential leads.
Now before you say, “I don’t need a form, I have a contact button on my website that links directly to my email address,” hold that thought and keep reading for just a second.
Don’t get me wrong, email is a great communication method, but even the person with the cleanest, most tidiest email inbox can sometimes lose track of emails. Also, emails can go into your spam or junk folders never to be found. Seeing as to how each lead potentially equates to an increase in revenue, it’s much better to keep all of your leads organized in one place (not your inbox) to ensure no leads get lost or missed. I recommend you sign up for a Client Relationship Management(CRM) tool (I recommend Dubsado) to create your lead capture form.
#2 What do you need to know about new leads?
Now that you’ve created your lead capture form in your shiny new CRM, it’s time to put a little thought into the information you’re going to request from each new lead. You’ll probably start populating your lead capture form asking for the obvious information such as their name, business information, contact information, social media, and website. That’s the basic information you need to know to be able to connect with your lead. That’s a good start!
Now, ask yourself, “What information do I need to know from this new lead in addition to the general information?”
A few extra details that may be good to know about your new leads are:
- Which of your products or services are they interested in?
- What is their budget?
- When do they plan to start working with you?
- How did they hear about you?
- What is their current situation (why are they hiring you?)?
- Insert additional detail you need to know specific to your business/industry
Next, imagine you are on the discovery call with them. Think about what additional information you may need to ask them to get a complete picture of their needs.
- Are there any follow up questions to the list above that you need to ask them?
- Are there any prerequisites or requirements that they have to meet before working with you?
- Assuming the lead is a fit for your services, what services will you pitch to them?
Once you’ve collected the information above that will allow you to get a better picture of who they are and how you can help them. You’ll have an advantage that will allow you to possibly create a custom proposal or offer for them and be prepared to present it on the call!
#3 Why does Preparing for a call with your leads matter?
I am a firm believer that the first impression is a lasting impression. Therefore, the more prepared you are for potential leads, the more of an impression you’ll provide for them. They will see firsthand the way you show up for your consultation with them, and they will directly relate that experience to the type of experience they will get when working with you.
With just a little preparation beforehand, you will now be more prepared for your first interaction with them so that you can hopefully convert them from a new lead to a paying client!
Need support with setting up a process for capturing new leads?
Wishing you well as you implement your lead capture process for your online business! Need a little help getting started? I’d love to help. Let’s chat!
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