The companies that are most successful at collecting leads have a deliberate and systematic approach to nurturing their customers. Take note of their process, remembering that throughout the process, timing is important.
For example, when a new prospect calls in, they should be addressed immediately. The conversion ratio for customers shifts dramatically if you approach a customer within five minutes, five hours, or five days of their first ping on your website.
Your first instinct might be to protest – “Do I really have to call the person back in five minutes?” The answer is unequivocally yes. Quite a bit can happen in a busy professional’s life between the time they declare themselves a lead and the time you respond. People’s priorities change at a moment’s notice. They become disinterested. They talk about the concept with someone else who suggests another vendor. They read an article that makes them rethink whether they should do the project in the first place. If you get wait too long to get back to them, they may have already made a decision, and you may no longer be a party to the conversation.
Once you get in touch with your lead, you should have a process in place so you know what will happen next. This is also essential to streamlining the process. Have a variety of options and ways you can move forward, individually tailored for each type of customer you’ve helped in the past.
Once you connect with your prospect, the impression you make extends beyond good timing... it’s also about your professionalism, demeanor, and the actual quality of your service, all of which give your prospect an early indication of what they can expect from you once they become a customer. As noted above, rock stars nourish their customers throughout the sales process, giving them what they need before leading them to the finish line.
