How to Evaluate Sales Leads and Avoid Wasting Time

Online sales leads can produce significant earnings and help you develop lasting relationships with new customers. On the other hand, many website form submissions come from spammers or people who have little interest in making purchases. You can raise conversion rates by enhancing your forms and prioritizing the most promising leads.

Form Design Tips

1. Stop automated spam software by including a question with only one correct answer. For example, it might ask “What does 5 plus 4 equal?” or “What’s the opposite of cold?” You could even screen potential clients by asking a question that any genuinely interested customer would know how to answer. Avoid making people type hard-to-read words from “Captcha” images; this often frustrates legitimate users.

2. Ask for some details about people who contact you, such as their cities and states of residence or how they found your company. This will help you determine if they’re serious and truly interested in the product or service. You can easily discard leads from geographic regions you don’t serve.

3. At the same time, avoid asking too many questions. A prospective customer might not be ready to supply full contact details. Companies sell about 5 percent fewer products when they ask for telephone numbers, according to Unbounce. Lengthy forms may also deter people who use mobile Internet devices or don’t have much extra time.

Prioritization Tips

1. Be sure to respond quickly when a lead comes from a person capable of making a purchasing decision. If you offer a service to other businesses, this individual might work as a director, president or executive. Prioritize consumer leads from adults who aren’t asking questions for someone else.

2. If possible, find out where the lead came from. HubSpot’s chief marketing officer said, “Our customer research showed that traffic from LinkedIn generated the highest visitor to lead conversion rate.” Specialized referrers normally provide better leads than general-interest websites like Facebook or Google.

3. Prioritize sales leads from people who have contacted you or bought items in the past. This indicates they’re more serious about conducting business. Prior contact by phone suggests greater interest than previous online communications. It’s best to have an automated system that allows you to easily evaluate the history of any individual who contacts you.

4. Look for sales leads with phrases asking you to respond in a specific way. For instance, someone might suggest a certain communication method or request a reply within 24 hours. This indicates that the person truly wants to purchase a product and may have an urgent need to do so. You could miss the opportunity if you don’t respond soon.

5. Assign a higher priority to a lead if a potential customer expresses interest in a high-value product or service. For example, an auto dealer might reply to a person who wants to buy a new car before someone who seeks a used vehicle. Keep in mind that some people start by purchasing inexpensive items and eventually spend more; always respond to every legitimate lead.

6. Conduct some brief research about a person or company before you reply. Consider performing a credit check, searching the Web and/or viewing a firm’s BBB profile. This will help you prioritize sales leads from trustworthy buyers who will probably pay on time.

• Read any relevant news reports
• Do they often post negative reviews?
• When did they move to the area?

Optimal form design and careful screening will save time while boosting sales. Numerous companies trust Tech Support of Minnesota to keep them aware of today’s important IT news and strategies. Please contact [email protected] or call (952) 758--7272 to learn more.