By Barbara Bix
It will come as no surprise that clients want it their way (to paraphrase Burger King). Yet many companies don't have processes for figuring out what that means.
Take this quiz to assess your client "IQ" (or "Insight Quotient") and determine the necessary next steps for shortening your sales cycle.
The Questions
- Can you describe your firm's most promising prospects?
- Can you identify the most important problem you solve for them?
- Do they recognize they have this problem?
- Do you know what events trigger a need for your services?
- Can you rank their top three "buying criteria"?
- Is it easy for prospects to identify your firm as a possible provider?
- Do they know you can help them?
- Do you know where they turn for information?
- Do you know how they learned about your firm?
- Do they remember you when it comes time to buy?
The Scoring
If you've answered eight or more with a "yes"—congratulations: you probably have a line outside your door! If you've answered four to seven with a "yes," check out the tips below to increase your client IQ. If you've answered fewer than three in the affirmative, consider spending more time with your clients.
Client insights drive sales. To win, you need to give clients what they want, make it easy for them to buy, and ensure that they know you exist and can meet their needs. Each of these requires deep client knowledge, because everyone buys differently. The person who buys a Cadillac shops differently from the person who drives a Honda Civic.
Examine Your Past Successes
Which clients were the easiest to attract? The most profitable? The easiest to contact? Offered repeat business? Those are the successes that you want to replicate.
Look for clues that will help you and others identify these prospects. Do they have any common characteristics such as location, size, industry or services purchased? Was there a particular event that caused them to purchase when they did? Did they hear about you from a particular source?
The more specifically that you can describe your ideal prospects, the easier it will be to find and reach these individuals. Concentrating your firepower on those accounts will dramatically improve your sales effectiveness.
Ask, Don't Guess
People buy for a variety of reasons. Yet, to capture their attention, you need to communicate a simple, clear, consistent message.
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