What’s the best way of chasing up “warm leads”? At what point does a warm lead become a stone cold dead one, or should you just keep badgering away until you can convince them?
I will start this response with a personal story.
At the very start of building my Pola direct selling business, I approached a woman to see if she was interested in trying the Pola range.
“Definitely not,” she said. “I have never heard of this product and am perfectly happy with my Dior.”
Fourteen years later I met up with her at a function and she said to me, “I have just bought some Pola through one of your consultants and love it.”
By this stage, of course, Pola had become well-known and she felt more confident about it. I am pleased I was not hanging out for that sale but I am not sure that dead is ever dead – just sometimes comatose!
I feel the best way to follow up with leads is to invite them to a function that could be of interest or call every now and then with some information pertinent to them or, if the interest seems very low, simply email.
The best warm lead is through a referral or personal contact. It’s always great to say “so and so suggested I call you”.
It can be very time wasting to spend too much time on the same old leads that are going nowhere.
If you feel that your phone call is being met with a complete lack of interest, stop calling and simply leave them (with their permission) on the email list.
I would prioritise my leads rating them from warm to cold and work with them accordingly.
As email flyers are the least time consuming, use these for your coldest leads and keep functions and meetings for your warmest leads.
The phone can be used to determine which category you put your effort into. Simply by asking how interested they could be in your product or service in the future and how would they like to be contacted?
I feel that you have to treat everyone as if one day they could be a client. Treat them with respect so that they will be open-minded when you do have something they want.
We show respect by asking people who they might like to be kept informed and we respond to that request accordingly.
