The 7 Secrets of Converting Leads

(Please bookmark this page and read often)

What your industry colleagues don't want you to know...

"The 7 secrets of how top sellers convert their leads" are designed to help you make more money. It's in our interest to help you, we naturally want you to come back for more leads.

The most successful advisers use proven techniques when converting their valuable prospects to business.

We know that our leads work, as our clients return month after month, but will they work for you?

We obviously have no control over your sales skills, the quality of service you provide or your administration processes - however, what we can do is help to ensure your success by revealing these very simple industry tips.

This will help you maximise your return on investment and therefore encourage you to regularly buy leads from us.

1 - Time is money

Speed of response is crucial to conversion - another hour older, another hour colder.

Have you ever said to yourself "I can't be bothered right now, I'll contact that lead tomorrow"? You may as well throw that lead straight out of the window!

It has been proven beyond doubt that the quicker that you contact your prospect, the more likely they will proceed. Also, the quicker you contact them, the more likely they are to still be at home. If they aren't at home, if possible, make sure you leave a message which includes your name and telephone number. Repeat your name and number clearly and slowly. If they prove difficult to contact, you'll have much more success if you try phoning them between 5pm and 7.30pm.

Additionally, many advisers stay one step ahead of the competition by immediately contacting leads that come in during the weekend.

By receiving a prompt response, your prospect realises that you provide a high level of service and their business is important to you. Additionally, because their enquiry is still fresh in their mind, they're often in the right frame of mind to talk straight away.

Your conversion rates will increase significantly if you make contact as quickly as possible. Increasing the speed at which you make contact will increase the money you will make from your leads. Simple!

To help keep your lead warm, we send a personalised confirmation email that the prospect receives as soon as they press the submit button. Your lead therefore doesn't get cold if you cannot deal with it straight away. Your prospect is usually delighted with a fast speed of response.

Did you know? Conversion rates drop by about 50 percent for every 24 hours that you don't contact your leads and if you wait for 48 hours to contact your prospect, only a tiny percentage of contacts will take your business seriously. Two thirds of Internet users say it's unreasonable to wait for over 4 hours for a response.

2. Sound friendly, be professional

Be prepared and have basic materials and information readily available for reference. Have a standard script of questions that you stick to rigidly to ensure that you don't forget to ask a question.

Always introduce yourself both by your name and company name. Tell them your job title and explain you are contacting them in regard to their request from the named website.

Talk slowly and clearly, lowering your voice if you normally speak loud. Make sure there is no background noise such as music playing or other phones ringing. Keep the phone two-finger widths away from your mouth for clarity.

The best sales people listen twice as much as they talk; remember that this relationship is all about them not you!

Speak with a smile in your voice - it shows, even through the phone lines. Also sound as if you're prepared to make a real effort to offer them help.

Try to avoid putting your prospect on hold, but if necessary, always ask permission and tell them why, i.e. "Would you mind holding briefly while I get your file?". When you return always thank them for holding.

3. Don't get the prospect's name wrong

Always use the prospectâ??s name in conversation; the sweetest sound to anyone is their own name. Make sure you use their name more than once.

If unsure how to pronounce their name, ask them. If they have a name that is regularly mispronounced, they will greatly appreciate this question.

4. Close the conversation with reassurances

10 important things to remember:

Give them examples of people in their situation that you have already helped. Tell them the time frame. Reiterate the conversation, i.e. summarise. Check all of their contact details with them. Ask if they have another contact phone number. Ask if they have any further questions. Let them know that you'll welcome their future calls. Don't make them think you are in a hurry to end the conversation. Always end with a pleasantry such as "Thanks for your time, it was nice speaking to you." Don't be the first to hang up the phone.

5. Style and substance matter

When contacting your prospect by email, use standard fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial or Verdana as the font has to be easy to read. The size of the text should be between 10 and 12 - any smaller will strain the eye and any larger looks unprofessional.

Look for mistakes in your email. Read it thoroughly and then read it again. Then check your spelling and check it again. If you make a mistake or misspell, it is likely that you will be taken less seriously as an adviser. Some will think that if you cannot take care at this early stage, you may not be proficient at fulfilling your duties and look elsewhere.

Additionally, complete as much of the paperwork for them as possible; this alone will help speed up your prospect's decision to sign and return the forms.

6. The personal visit

A rapidly increasing number of advisers never visit their clients. Thanks to the Internet, they do everything using email, over the phone and by post. This remote approach produces very acceptable conversion rates and a reduction in costs. However, we do recognise that some advisers like to visit their more local, higher value prospects and we also recognise that this can lead to even higher conversions.

10 important things to remember: Ensure you don't ask for an appointment straight away. You should be someway through the sales process and have established a rapport with the prospect before they become comfortable with inviting you into their home. You could suggest that you pay them a quick visit to complete the forms for them so they don't have to. First impressions DO matter. If you're smartly dressed for business with clean, polished shoes your prospect will take what you say more seriously. This is especially true of older generation clients, many of whom will see scruffiness as a personal lack of respect towards them. Remember that there are few things worse in life than running late for an important appointment. Arrive in your prospect's neighbourhood a little early so you'll have time to collect your thoughts, but don't call at the house earlier than the stated time. Know what you are going to say to them and try to anticipate the questions they might ask you. Make eye contact, smile and shake hands firmly and with confidence. Wait until you're asked to sit down. Don't slouch in your chair, fidget, swear or smoke. Keep car keys in your pocket or bag - held car keys may give the impression that you are in a hurry. Don't cross your arms, keep them on your lap. Look and be professional. Don't keep looking down or away from the prospect - maintain eye contact. Nod occasionally when the prospect is talking, to show that you are paying attention. Sound enthusiastic about what they are saying. Don't mumble and don't interrupt the prospect. Answer questions honestly in a clear and confident voice, but don't sound overconfident or too jokey. Ask the prospect for clarification if you don't understand something they say, it could be crucial. Thank them, smile and shake their hand on the way out.

7. The follow up

Make sure your leads are highly organized so you know exactly what stage you are at with each prospect. Diarising follow ups is the most effective way of maintaining the momentum of the sale.

Following up after a few days will greatly increase your chances of success. Don't just communicate by phone, but make use of email as well, especially to establish first contact if phone contact proves difficult.

After initial phone contact has been made, sending an email confirming what was said is also a very useful tool to aid memory and a way to reduce misunderstandings.

If you follow up by phone, say something like: "I just called to check that you received the paperwork I sent." or "I just called to see if you had considered our conversation or had any further questions".

If following up by email write something like: "I hope you don't mind a quick follow up to check that you received my email and to ask whether you have any questions."

If you have any further positive information that you are able to relay to the prospect, include this in your follow up. Good news will always put your prospect in a more receptive frame of mind.

Following up by a letter or brochure pack with a business card in the post, proves that you clearly take their business very seriously and that your company goes that extra mile.

If the first follow up doesn't work, then follow up again.

It's important to maintain momentum throughout the sales process by keeping in touch with "good news" progress reports as often as possible. This will help ensure that another adviser doesn't walk away with your client.

You will of course have the opportunity to retain your exclusive customer for life and up-sell and cross-sell financial services to your heart's content. You can create streams of business for years to come from loyal clients who not only return to you time and time again for financial advice, but also supply you with a good network of referrals.

As soon as you convert your prospect, ask them for referrals from their families and friends, the results should pleasantly surprise you! You could start the process by asking for feedback about your services. This highlights the particular customers who are delighted with your service and therefore identifies those who are most likely to provide referrals.

Asking for feedback will also let you know what you're doing wrong or why you didn't turn that lead into a sale. It gives you the opportunity to prove to a dissatisfied customer that, by eliciting their feedback, you've made the effort to put things right and, hopefully, turn them into a sale or referrer in the process. More importantly, you'll be able to avoid making the same mistake again.

© Robert Brady



Please visit Buy To Let Mortgage Leads, Life Insurance Leads, Annuity Leads or PPI Claim Leads for further information about our leads.