This is How You Turn Leads Into Sales

Nothing is more disappointing to us at Marketing 360® than to work with a business where we generate a decent flow of business leads only to see them falter because they struggle to turn those leads into sales. A lead by itself, of course, does not generate revenue.  They’re only potential customers.  Marketing provides leads, but it’s up to the business itself to close the deals. Here are 6 top tips you should follow if you feel your closing skills aren’t always up to speed.  Remember that lead-generation is an investment that only pays off if you close the deal and turn them into paying customers.

#1.  Make your lead investment worth it.

Many businesses (particularly home contractors) buy leads from lead-generation services, particularly when they’re just getting started and have less referral business.  Also, platforms like HomeAdvisor and even Google Local Service Ads are pay for lead systems. Likewise, when you run paid ads on Google, Facebook or Bing and pay to optimize SEO content, you’re investing in lead generation. So you get a website inquiry or a voice mail.  That’s your money sitting on the table.  It’s your priority to respond in a fast and accurate manner. Remember that if you are in a pay-per-lead program, you’re in a race with the competition.  You may get into a bidding war.  These platforms tend to be a race to the bottom, so unless you have no other choice (because you need immediate business) we suggest building out your own campaigns or using Local Service Ads. Learn more about the ins and outs of buying leads. 

#2.  Respond Fast

Leads are not wine.  They don’t get better with age; they turn to vinegar fast. You need a system to respond to leads as quickly as possible, particularly call-ins.  If you don’t get back to them, you’ll lose your chance to the competition. Try to get back to all leads within 15 minutes, and make this a rule with voice mail.  No more than 24 hours with website forms. Better yet, have someone available who can answer the phone during business hours and respond right away to website forms. The single biggest reason that businesses lose leads is that they’re unresponsive.  Don’t do lead generation unless you have a strategy in place for how you’ll respond quickly.

#3.  Be Friendly and Professional

Today, lead-generation is too competitive for businesses to take for granted being professional and polite.  There may have been a time when you could get away with being the gruff contractor or the plumber who didn’t care if his crack showed, but today that attitude will cost you leads and damage your reputation. If you’re answering the phone and doing onsite estimates, paint a smile on your face and come prepared.  You don’t have to fake gleefulness, but remember that you’re working as a salesperson, and people tend to buy from people they like.  Being on-time and communicating yourself clearly will also go a long way towards earning trust.  Ask leads clarifying questions to make sure they understand the details of your estimates.  People appreciate clarity and accuracy the most, and if you can throw a joke in and get them to smile, all the better.

#4.  Ask for the Business

This is a simple yet effective tip.  Literally ask the client for the business with questions like:

• So are you ready to get started today?
• Can I put you on my schedule for next week?
• I’m ready to get started tomorrow, does that work for you?
• If you don’t have any concerns, why do we get this done?
• You’re gonna love this product.  How many can I put you down for?

Ask a question where their response (if affirmative) is to schedule the work or buy the product.  This has the psychologocial effect of getting the lead to act. Often, the lead may be all but ready to buy, with only a hint of hesitation left.  If you don’t ask for the business, they may let that hesitation linger.  When you ask, it forces them to say to themselves “yes, let’s get this done”. It’s a great closing technique.

#5.  Do what you say and say what you do.

This is all about follow-through.  Show up on time.  Call people back promptly.  Get your estimates back on schedule. Keep your promises. Even before you’re hired, the lead is judging you as if you worked for them.  If you’re late with communication or inaccurate with information, you’ll erode their trust.  Next thing you know they’re online trying to dig up any negative review they can find about you – they’re looking for reasons not to hire you. As soon as a website visitor or online searcher engages you and becomes a lead, they’re judging your work.  Earn their trust by doing what you say and saying what you do.

#6.  Earn Excellent Reviews

There is a cycle at work here. A lead becomes a customer and you do excellent work for them.  They leave you a positive online review that a new lead reads.  That review convinces them that your right for the job and they hire you.  You do excellent work for them and they leave you a review… We talk about this a lot at Marketing 360®.  One of the most important aspects of your marketing and lead generation is the work you actually do for customers because it results in online reviews that impact your ongoing lead generation. Expect leads to check your online reviews, and expect those reviews to have as much of an impact as anything else we’ve discussed here.  Make sure you’re earning positive reviews, and make sure your best customers are posting reviews on your behalf. Follow these tips and get the positive cycle going, and you’ll get more referrals and win the trust of more leads.  It’s the cycle of long-term success. Read a case study on the impact of positive reviews.