|
Author: Paul Kaplan Article source: http://www.buaya.com/. Used with author's permission.
Your website exists either to sell products or generate leads that can be later converted into paying customers. In the former case, unless you sell inexpensive commoditized widgets, it takes several interactions with a prospective customer before you can close the sale. Therefore, a top priority of almost every online business is to gather, organize, and convert website leads to sales.
1. Gather leads
Most of website visitors who are interested in your products or services aren't ready to buy just yet, but they sure have some questions and would like additional information (if it's not too hard to obtain). Don't make them search for it -- put your contact information right in front of them. Every page of your website must have call for action and contact options that are impossible to miss. Some examples include:
- Ask a question via email
- Call your sales phone number
- Request an instant call-back
- Sign up for special offers
- Contact for a price quote
- Download product brochure
- Submit an inquiry form
- Chat live with a sales representative
- Subscribe for a newsletter
When gathering leads, stick to the KISS principle. Don't ask for more information than absolutely necessary. For example, if you only need to know your potential customer's state of residence, don't ask for a full mailing address. If you do all your sales via email, don't require a phone number, or at least make it optional.
Be sure to provide a clear, concise statement about how the information you collect will be used. Assure your prospects that their contact data will not be shared with other parties and they can stop receiving communications from you at any time.
2. Organize leads and prospects
Leads are useless unless they are properly organized. First, you must establish the systems and processes for recording all pertinent information for leads collected via different channels, such as website, incoming phone calls, trade shows and so on. Aside from the contact information, each prospective customer record should date and source, products and services of interest, subscription and contact preferences, and any other relevant data.
Your lead management system must also be able to record the history of all communications with a lead, such as incoming and outgoing emails, phone calls, voice mails, faxes, and items sent via postal mail. Each lead must be assigned to a sales representative, and categorized by the level of interest, size of opportunity, and sales pipeline status (more on that later). Sales reps should also be able to enter internal notes and comments about the prospect, and set reminders for the future follow ups.
Last, but not least, your lead system must be centralized. Every person involved in a sales process should have the ability to instantly access and update the information, without the need to upload, download, and synchronize the data. This is especially critical if members of your team are geographically dispersed or telecommuting.
3. Convert leads to prospects to customers
This is where the rubber hits the road. There is a number of distinct steps in any sales process. Below is a typical example of a sales process. You can easily adopt its stages and definitions to your situation:
Lead - a contact that has expressed an interest in your product or fits the target profile of a potential customer.
Prospect - a lead that continues to express interest in your product or service after a two-way information exchange.
Qualified prospect - a prospect that has participated in a discussion with a sales representative and confirmed their need.
Confirmed prospect - a qualified prospect who has the info they need to make a decision and budget to go with it.
Committed prospect - a qualified prospect who has reviewed your price quote or proposal and has indicated that she is ready to move forward with you - but haven't yet.
Customer - ka-ching!
You can use your sales pipeline status report to not only organize and monitor the effectiveness of your overall sales process and individual sales representatives, but to forecast sales as well. To estimate the dollar value of your entire prospect base, multiple the average probability of closing the sale at every stage of the pipeline by the number of prospects currently assigned to that stage.
Establishing and managing your lead conversion process is all but impossible without proper customer relationship management (CRM) tools. You will need a system that captures lead information from your website and other channels, and integrates it with email, contact manager, calendar, and sales force automation software.
The companies that have established the systems and processes for converting leads to sales are already reaping the rewards. Relenta is a web-based CRM, email marketing, contact manager, calendar, and sales force automation software for small business.
Affordable Life Insurance!
So, you've decided to purchase life insurance. Well then, you have made a good decision! If you have dependents, you know that you must provide for them long af...
Knowledge Processing E-Business
Today's knowledge economy CEO's wanted companies all information on fingertips. Computer based reports are now become very old fashion. Companies wanted to acce...
The Compliance Officers Killer Application
How by using online surveys the Compliance Officer can win the internal Compliance Awareness battle to disseminate information throughout the organisation and a...
Finding Peace: A Taste of Mindfulness
When we are ill and don't know it, we are in a state of ignorance or delusion. We don't view ourselves as sick, so we don't believe it's necessary to go to a do...
Spain´s Flag - A Red And Yellow Beauty
Perhaps whilst holidaying in Spain you have seen their colorful national flag flying in the sun? Or observed Spanish nationals at a soccer match clutching one?...
Parenting Your Teenager: Are Sleep Overs with the Opposite Sex OK?
Learn how to apply a healthy dose of Vitamin NO in the face of manipulation.
Multiple Affiliate Sites Means Multiple Revenue Streams
Substantially grow and diversify your income by building multiple affiliate sites.
10 Steps to a Magazine Query
A query letter is a sales pitch: your goal is to convince the editor that your article idea is of interest to her readers and that you are the best person to wr...
What is a Repayment Mortgage?
A repayment mortgage is the type of mortgage that most people think about.
Saved From Religion
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the "good news" that man-made religious systems are not required in order to have a relationship with God. All men have been freed...
Three Card Poker Basics
Three card Poker is a fast paced game which is easy to learn for the novice card player. This game is played with a 52 card deck and is played between a dealer ...
Online Credit Card Processing - How to Accept Credit Cards - Ecommerce 101
Hi Nick, I saw that you have a company offering e-commerce that allows me to accept credit-cards... how does your company (or any company offering e-commerce so...
Dont be a Square - 5 Strategies to Get Circular With Those Links
One Way Back Links from High Page Rank Link Partners is your Ticket to Search Engine Traffic Heaven. Circular Links is a Win:Win Link Where where everyone gets...
Official Wedding Photos
Do you dislike getting your photo taken and dread your wedding photos? Why not make your official wedding photos unofficial wedding photos and really enjoy the ...
Success Trading: Yet More Basic Terminology for New Traders
Learn to manage your market positions using stops. Find out about two great tools that will protect your account!
The Christmas Temptation - Department Store Credit Cards
Christmas is a festive time with lots of fun to be had by all. It is also a time for overspending and succumbing to temptations. One of those temptations to spe...
The Other F Word - How Failure Can Be The Key To Your Success
Thomas Edison has done it. Naomi Watts often jokes about it. Sylvester Stallone mastered it. Billy Joel did it with his piano. Even Abraham Lincoln earned a nam...
Halloween Safety Tips
Halloween is an exciting night for children and a busy time for their parents. With such excitement, it's easy for children to forget basic safety rules. When...
Grow Your Business with a Newsletter
Regularly connect with customers through an email newsletter. It's a great way to trigger their memories, give them something for nothing, and build relationshi...
Bad Credit Debt Consolidation Loan
Debt Consolidation Loan for people with bad credit
Finding and Applying for the Right Credit Card Offer Online
We are bombarded daily with ads for credit cards and loans of all types. How do you sift through the garbage to the real deal? This article sorts through the va...
Credit Cards for Home Business
It is wise for you to have a company credit card like a VISA card. How can you find the least expensive bank card for your business? You may decide to use a V...
Russian Brides - Who Are They?
In recent years, thousands of young Russian and Ukrainian women have come to the USA and European countries by means of marriage and were unkindly labeled "Russ...
Rise of the Stored Value Card Industry
Since their emergence as the newest product of the financial industry in the early '90s, stored value cards (SVCs) have become the fastest growing financial pro...
|
Print this page