You have ramped up your marketing efforts, hit the
streets both offline and online and prospects are
starting to show up. Now it's your chance to turn
those prospects into clients
You can turn prospects into clients by understanding the 3 phases
(and a bonus 4th) that your business must be set up to successfully
take them through.
Prospect: This is where I don't know you at all.
I have no idea who you are or what you sell. But you, the
business owner, have my contact information. In this phase,
I'm considered your "prospect." In this phase, it's your job
to turn me into a lead. So you market to me by making me an
offer (a brochure, flyer, free something, newsletter, something to
see if I'll say "yes.").
Question: The big question for you in this phase is:
Are you going after prospects? Because only when you go after
leads will you find leads.
Lead: This is where I raise my hand an indicate in
some way that I'm actually interested in what you have to sell.
I signed up to get what you offered. I may have responded to
your postcard, flyer, brochure, signed up for your newsletter or
free teleseminar etc.) I raised my hand, said "yes" and gave
you my information (name, email, etc) In this critical phase,
it's your job to convince me to actually buy from you.
Question: The big question for you in this phase is:
Are you making your offer attractive enough to turn prospects into
leads? And when they become a lead, are you tracking their
contact information somewhere?
Client: Contact information is pure gold to any
business owner. Your list of leads is your #1 asset. As
a lead, you can make me more offers and I may then choose to become
your client. The client phase is where I pull out my
wallet and give you ca$h or credit card information. I'm sold
and I trust you enough to give you money for what you have.
And it doesn't matter how much money. If I give you money for
something you have, I'm in the client phase.
Question: The big question for you in this phase is:
Are you providing what your potential clients really want so that
they pull out their wallets to buy from you?
Bonus phase - Raving Fan: I've already bought
something from you so I'm indeed your client. I may have even
bought from you more than once. But am I a raving fan?
In the champion phase, I'm not only buying from you but I'm telling
other people about you, how great your products and services are,
and also encouraging them to buy. What's even better is that
you have no idea I'm actually doing this. But by my referral
behavior, I am in fact, your raving fan. And you'll know you
have champions when people start showing up saying that they heard
about you from someone else. Referrals are happening.
Question: Are your products and services SO good that it
not only encourages repeat buyers but creates raving fans that bring
in even more clients and customers?
To turn prospects into the customers, your business must be set
up to transition prospects into leads, turn leads into clients, turn
clients into raving fans which creates even more customers.
