Converting leads to sales does not just happen. It requires dedication, hard work, and persistence to craft a personalized sales strategy that effectively guides the lead through the conversion process.
However, small business marketing can be intimidating because, in the reality of it all, not all leads convert into customers. Often, small business owners handle marketing efforts on their own. As such, some leads may slip through the cracks, hence, low conversion rates. Here are a few ways to effectively turn your leads into sales.
Know and Understand What Your Customers Want
It is vital to identify and comprehend the needs of your target customers. Who are your target customers? How do your customers want to engage with you? What do they require from your business? How do they communicate with you? Answer these questions with your target customers’ desires in mind. Take note of everything your leads are interested in, in relation to your small business, and provide them with it.
Consequently, you need to create a flexible and customized conversion strategy to cater to the needs of the various leads you may encounter. This also helps your marketing team in having a common understanding of the relevant conversion formula of leads. A good sales funnel considers the needs of potential clients, builds relationships and captures their interest in your products and services.
Related: Business.gov.au
Be Fast
A common conversion mistake made by almost all businesses is making leads wait. Research shows the speed at which you respond to a lead directly impacts your sale conversion rate. Research has revealed that contacting leads within the first five minutes increases their chances of entering the sales process 21 times faster versus reaching them 30 minutes later. If this is a bit too quick for your liking, just stick to the general rule of not letting your lead sit for more than a day or two.
Therefore, ensure your sales team is quick and flexible in contacting leads and offering them a remarkable service to keep them coming back. Set up a timeframe in which your team responds to clients and stick to it. Late or failure to communicate with leads potentially damages your reputation and prevents other future leads from contacting you.
Related: Bear Fox Marketing
Engage Your Leads
Not many leads enter the sales process immediately. However, do not let this stop you!. Keep your leads warm by either asking them for their email address or via a simple call. Ensure you keep them informed of your products and services to help nurture them for when they are ready to purchase. A simple, consistent and quality follow-up once they show interest often gets them back to purchase mode.
Therefore, as a small business owner, you need to track everything and ensure all your leads receive outstanding services from your marketing team. Similarly, ensure your emails capture the interest of your leads and do not sound too promotional. An overly aggressive and pushy email diverts the attention of your leads.
Related: ROI Call Center Solutions
Track Everything
Consistently check the impact of your metrics to monitor and assess the results you receive. Measuring your efforts aids in identifying where in the sales process the leads are and the activities that are done. Once you track everything, you are sure to have a unique overview of the progress you make in the conversion process, and you can point out and focus on where the problem lies.
Related: Forbes
Remove Obstacles
As a small business owner, assess the sales process your salespeople are currently using. You may even opt to analyze the process as a consumer and find out which part works well and which one does not. Compare your sales strategy with those of your competitors and make any necessary changes. Remove any barriers your sales team may have during the sales process. Technology is a vital resource in alleviating many common pain points in the conversion process. From finding marketing materials for products to improving business communications, you can equip your salespeople with the tools they need to break through barriers and close sales.
Related: SoloFire
Conclusion
Small business owners need to be proactive and keep track of everything to achieve the best results possible. However, not many of them are willing to take a step out of their day-to-day running of the business to set up a winning sales strategy. Implementing an effective sales process is crucial in converting leads to sales. Keep these helpful tips in mind when dealing with leads, and you are sure to win them over.
Similarly, keep creating great offers, CTAs, landing pages, soliciting customer reviews, and forms. Also, remember to use social media platforms effectively. Last but not least, never stop testing. The more you tweak and test every step of your inbound lead generation process, the more you’ll improve lead quality and increase revenue for your small business.