Icon_CoverHere we are at the second to the last installation of this series on bucketing your leads. Previously, we discussed the first set of leads for whom you only have contact information and the second set who have shown some level of interest in your business. This week, we’re diving into the leads who are right at the precipice of the sale, willing to dip their toes in, but still not 100 percent confident. These are the leads you need to show the most attention and give the most love in order to nudge them over the line.

I like to call these leads the “On the Fence”-ers.

What Do They Look Like?

These are people who are right on the verge of a purchase, and have made their intentions known. Your highest sales priorities lie with this group as they are on the precipice of a purchase. You should have systems in place to make sure they jump towards the big “Purchase Now” button.

Leads in this category are usually:

  • Filling out a shopping cart (Make sure to track how many people abandon their carts)
  • Receiving quotes for your products of services
  • Requesting in-depth RFP (request for proposal)

Whether you have an analytics platform to monitor where you leads are within your shopping cart or you’re preparing multiple RFPs, these leads need to be at the top of your priority list.

Record how these leads first came into your bucket. Then, factor how much they are willing to spend for the services you’re offering by looking at either their shopping cart total or the final value of your quote for services. If the lead looks profitable, spend your time nurturing their decision accordingly by allocating extra time in your day to communicate with them and answer their questions.

Action Items

Expect to get super personal with the leads in this bucket in order to guide them to the sale. Be punctual, answer questions, field phone calls and meet specific needs as they arise to convert these leads. A personal touch can make all the difference between someone who finishes checking out or accepts your business proposal and someone who leaves you to hire a competitor.

Be Punctual and Useful

Have you ever had a client email you about a bug in your online purchasing system, but you weren’t able to respond because you didn’t know the answer? Unfortunately, operating your customer service under this kind of system can be more detrimental than helpful. I understand you only want to provide the best answer for your customers, but leaving them hanging for a week will only cause them to seek out a competitor.

Have a plan of action to immediately follow up with customers who have unique requests of your products or services. For example, instead of sending back a quick email that says “We’re working on it,” ask for a phone number and offer to call. During this phone call, work through the problem with the client step by step. This gives a voice to your brand and builds loyalty with the customer who will likely use your services again.

Ask Questions, Answer Questions

Some of your “On the Fence”-ers will inevitably reject your RFP, quotes or abandon their shopping cart. It’s just a part of business. However, you can still salvage a percentage of these “abandoned leads” with some simple follow-ups. Ask clients who reject your quotes if they had any problems with your pricing structure, communications, punctuality or website navigability.

Take the chance to turn responses to these questions into actions. Address any areas where you have failed to meet a client’s needs (if reasonable) and continue asking questions to see if you’ve adequately improved. You can also turn this response data into a robust FAQ, which you can offer up in an automated email to leads who may abandon their shopping carts. Track how many of these visitors return and complete their transactions.

Now you’re all set to make a sale! In the next and final installment of this series, we’ll dive into identifying and eliminating any barriers to the final sale that may arise once you have the leads on the hook. Do you have any tips or stories about dealing with “On the Fence”-ers? Let us know and leave a comment.