It came up in conversation the other day - the question
about how you qualify your prospects. And since not
everyone in the room knew what that meant, we'll explain
briefly here:
To qualify is to make sure a prospect actually fits in your
target market, and has a need that you can fill with
whatever you're offering.
Usually, when the sales gurus talk about qualifying, they
mean you should be asking the right set of questions to
determine whether the person in front of you is a
legitimate prospect.
But what about your website? Since you can't physically be
there 24/7, your content has to step in and do the
qualifying for you, right?
Well, the "Aha moment" we had about websites is that web
surfers - unlike the people you meet face-to-face - are
waaaay more willing to meet you halfway.
After all, if they're online:
1. They're searching for information
2. They have something specific in mind
3. They want to know whether you can meet their needs
In other words, your online prospects are actively trying
to qualify themselves for you.
Web searchers don't want to be wasting their time when
they're on the prowl for a solution. They're actively
trying to figure out whether they belong in your market.
And that's huge! They're making it so much easier on you
than if you were speaking to them in person, sending direct
mail, et cetera, et cetera.
And if you don't have a strong, informative, thoughtful,
and content rich online presence - or even a simple
one-page website! - already? Oh boy, are you missing out.
Earlier this year, we wanted to paint our new office. As
more and more time-pressed folks do these days, Lani went
online to find a local painter. She said, "I'll give my
business to the first Lakes Region painter I can find
online."
She couldn't find a single one, so we painted the office
ourselves. Lani's brother nearly fell 15 feet off a ladder
during the process, but that's another story.
Please, please, if you're not online, then get there as
fast as you can, and make sure anyone who reads your
website comes away knowing whether they're supposed to be
buying from you. Or better than just "buying," investing
their time, attention, and resources in you and the value
you have to offer. Even if they decide not to, that's okay
- that's a separate issue.
Your #1 job is to get 'em there - and make it as easy as
possible for them to do the qualifying themselves.
----------------------------------------------------
(c) 2007 Epiphanies, Inc. As the "Content Lovers" of
Epiphanies Inc., Lani & Allen Voivod help lifestyle
entrepreneurs "A-Ha Themselves" in fun and profitable ways.
For FREE articles, marketing tips, and content strategies
designed to fire up your passion and profit-ize your niche,
sign up for their "Inciter" ezine at
http://www.EpiphaniesInc.com !
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