Remington Begg
The rise of the internet has made huge changes in how people buy the products and services they want. Today, consumers are going through nearly 60% of the buyer’s journey before they even talk to a rep from the company. How? A relatively easy Google search can help people gather all the answers they need, skipping the traditional sales process nearly all together. It’s important to respect that this is the new normal, not push against it. Your business should give people the information they need, while collecting important information on them, which turns them from a stranger into a Lead. But the process doesn’t stop there. If you’re following this process and reaching out to your Leads without much success, you could still be making a few mistakes.
#1 They Don’t Know Who You Are
The chances that your Lead is going to feel comfortable opening and responding to an email from a person they don’t know are low. A growing number of people, especially young people, won’t even answer a phone call from a number they don’t recognize. According to a poll from CBS News and The New York Times, just 30% of Americans say people are trustworthy. If someone doesn’t recognize your name, you have a difficult road ahead of you breaking in. That’s why your initial subject line or voicemail is so important to introduce yourself.
#2 They Don’t Know What You Want
Unclear messaging is a death sentence for Sales emails and calls. If you’re unable to clearly explain who you are and what you want in one sentence, odds are you’ll lose Leads, and probably never get them back. To avoid this, don’t reach out without a strategy in place. Before you contact them, define one thing you want to get across, then convey it to them. This makes your reason to contact them very blatant and gives them a concrete reason to respond to your message.
#3 Your Instructions Aren’t Clear
Without including clear instructions on what you want your Lead to do next, an email is pointless. Just like with a blog or other piece of content, don’t leave them guessing at the end. You could include a calendar invite to set up a meeting, a question to answer, or simply seeking feedback on the resource they downloaded from your website.
#4 Your Subject Line Doesn’t Entice Them
We discussed before how important your email subject line is. Convince and Convert published a study that said 33% of emails are opened on subject line alone. That means one-third of your emails aren’t getting opened simply because you didn’t word yourself correctly and missed your opportunity. Keep the subject short, relevant and specific. Be sure to use enticing language like “Don’t Wait Too Long!”
#5 They Don’t Think They Need Your Product or Service
If you’re doing your Lead Scoring correctly and avoiding cold calls, you shouldn’t be trying to sell to people who don’t have a need your product or company. While you shouldn’t be contacting people who don’t want to hear from you, it’s possible that they do need your product or service, they just don’t know it yet. These people still at the top of the funnel could just need a little help moving forward, but be sure to do it without being too pushy.
#6 You Are Bothering Them
People do not want to be contacted over and over if they don’t reciprocate. Each person goes through their own individual journey to transition from Lead to Customer. Instead of trying to get prospects to buy on your timeline, respect their process and only reach out when you have something of value to provide. If you’ve reached out two, three, four times without a response, it’s probably time to send one last “Are You Still interested?” email and then leave it at that.
#7 They Simply Aren’t Ready
It’s possible that you haven’t done anything wrong, they simply aren’t ready to make a purchase yet. Don’t push them away by not respecting that! The final and most important part of the sales process is the decision. While some Leads can quickly and easily move through the funnel, others take their time and move slowly. Rest assured, if you’ve done your job effectively when they do move into the decision stage, your brand’s name will be at the top of their list.
Following the inbound methodology brings in plenty of Leads, but those Leads don’t magically convert without a little effort from you or your sales team. It may seem time-consuming, but scoring each Lead through these criterias will only serve to benefit you in the long run. This way, you’ll have a much better chance of only reaching out to those who want to hear from you, and not wasting your time bothering others who never respond. Download our free eBook Lead Scoring: The Smarketer’s Guide for tips on how to get started and best apply this strategy for your company.
