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How do you qualify a prospect?

by PurplePeopleEater
5 replies
What benchamarks do you personally use to qualify a prospect as in or out?
#prospect #qualify
  • Profile picture of the author David Miller
    I don't want to sound rude but this is far to generic a question to ask. It's the most basic of sales questions as well.

    If I were to answer you in respect to the question you asked, I could only say, "if they have enough money to pay for what you're selling", beyond that, it's pretty near impossible to answer.

    I've learned not to waste my words on posts that are likely made to increase post count, I fear this may be one.
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    The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
    -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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  • Profile picture of the author PurplePeopleEater
    Thanks for helping me refocus my question...

    I guess my real question is BEFORE you contact a business, are there certain requirements they must meet before you will bother sending a sales letter or cold calling? or do you literally just call EVERY BODY?

    I'm asking this as a person who is very wet behind the ears to offline marketing. I started out reaching out to everyone locally but I started to see very fast it was a futile effort. I first approached a local pizzeria who hasn't advertised EVER in this market. They don't even have a website and the owner refused to take me up on an offer for a $50 website (I wanted to use it as a basic loss leader to up-sell him on other stuff).

    I've had 0 luck in offline marketing thus far so I've been trying to see if it is something I am doing wrong when it comes to my valur prop or am I just not targeting effectively? I've recently discovered a pattern that I have been targeting companies that do not advertise. It makes sense with hindsight, but it clearly states to me that NO ONE had been able to sell them on advertising... why the hell would I be able to?

    My only take away from this has been to look at companies who DO have an advetising budget, and I base this on the fact that they either advertise on radio, tv, newspaper etc. that is how I plan to "pre-qualify" prospects before I reach out... I'm just looking for insight into what you folks use to qualify a company before you make out.

    I apologize for the vague original post, I was driving in the car at the time and it was a question that struck me as I was browsing this forum.
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  • Profile picture of the author creditcard333
    I bill by the hour. If meetings are involved I do charge for them. I don't charge extra for pretending to be awake. That's what shades are for.
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    • Profile picture of the author David Miller
      @PurplePeopleEater - You seem to have gotten a grasp of a few things that many so called experienced people never seem to get a handle on. That is that "advertisers buy advertising" and the fact that you sell "advertising" not websites.

      You may not think so right now, but that put you lightyears ahead of many people here and elsewhere.

      Another trait you're displaying is a lack of patience and that's good too!

      Prospecting is another matter. You can find a lot of information about prospecting right here in this sub-forum. Search it out before you buy any WSO because you'll learn more here.

      But, for a new person selling advertising in the form of websites here's what I would suggest. Find a market segment (niche) that you want to sell to. You've already identified pizza shops as a niche that doesn't advertise beyond their local pennysaver, and you're right about that.

      You cannot qualify a business from the outside looking in. You've got to get the opportunity to have a conversation with a prospect that either qualifies them in or out.

      Prospecting is an integral part of the sales process and I have a feeling that you may not get that. However, if you start out by identifying one area of the market you want to work with, the prospecting and qualifying will become easier over time.
      Signature
      The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
      -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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