Mastering the First Conversation with Your Internet Lead
By Rao Wu
You might have heard the saying, “Everyone loves to buy, but no one likes to be sold.” And from working in the Internet sales leads space for nearly a decade, I’ve seen the truth of this statement played out again and again.
Take a moment and think about the last deal you sold. Did you really sell it? Or did your prospect decide to buy it? Now juxtapose that thought with the last product you purchased. Was it sold to you, or did you decide to buy it? The answer is rarely black and white, and more importantly, it’s really a matter of whose perspective you’re coming from in the sales transaction – the buyer’s or the seller’s. When you’re first beginning a conversation with a prospect who’s come to you from the Internet, it’s essential to understand their perspective and approach that first conversation appropriately.
Shopping Online for a Porsche vs. a Business Phone of Video Conferencing System
To begin – who is your Internet prospect? Consumers and business product buyers who shop online are different, and where they are in the purchase funnel when they fill out that form can vary. Consumers are beholden to their own whims. Business buyers cannot afford to be. For example, there’s the dreamer who truly believes he should have a Porsche, and fills out an online form for more information on that Porsche, and want to talk to a dealer about the option he can get. But the truth is – he really can’t afford to buy that Porsche. Compare that to the business product buyer. Does a business person submit a lead because they’re fantasizing about taking a phone system or video conferencing system out for a joy ride? Probably not! In virtually every case, business buyers need to be circumspect about requesting information on business products online. Business buyers are beholden to the interests of their company and their colleagues. In short, business product buyers most likely are not submitting leads for fun!
The problem is – and there’s that statement again – everyone likes to buy, but no one likes to be sold – even business buyers who need specific solutions. In our culture, we have an innate suspicion and are automatically put on guard when a sales person calls. Yes, even if we just submitted an online request for more information on a much needed product to move our business forward!
An Internet Lead Is Golden Opportunity, but Don’t Treat It Like a Purchase Order
Business product buyers who take the time to submit an online request are very likely in market buyers. The problem is many sales people assume an Internet lead is a purchase order. So, they rush in, focused on setting that first appointment with their lead so they can close the deal. Yes, an Internet lead (from a good provider) is a qualified piece of low hanging fruit – a bona fide hand raiser. But as a sales person, you still need to be very measured in your approach - because your prospect is already on guard and you don’t want to blow a golden opportunity.
This reminds me of another saying: “If you ask people for money, they’ll give you advice, but if you ask for advice, they’ll give you money.” This is just another way of saying – use the right approach when first contacting your prospect.
For example, here’s the wrong way to open the conversation with your lead:
“Hi Allison, I received your lead today and I see that you’re in the market for a phone system.”
First of all, no one, absolutely no one, wants to be called a “lead.” Never call your prospect a lead to their face! Come to think of it, don’t call them a “prospect” to their face either. Second, even though you know they submitted a lead and you know this means they’re “in the market,” you should assume their knee jerk response is going to be “No” when you call. This is a reflexive reaction to deflect sales pressure, and in our market-driven, consumer-oriented culture, it has become human nature to resist anything that’s perceived as sales pressure – even if you need the product!
Instead, go into your call with the attitude that your Internet lead has a problem and you’re the person with the perfect solution. Focus on having your prospect articulate their problem, for example:
“Hi Allison, this is Rao from Acme Phone Systems. I understand you requested some additional information on phone systems on CompareBusinessProducts.com. Why are you researching today?”
By asking “Why are you researching?” you’re taking the buy pressure off your prospect and focusing on their needs and gathering information, which is far less threatening. “Why?” is the quintessential open-ended sales question.
Finding out “why” they are researching phone systems in the first place is the golden key to opening the sale – and the magic ticket to getting your sales appointment. All too often, a sales person will call their prospect and try to force an appointment, only to have the prospect state they aren’t in the market; they’re “just browsing.” The disillusioned sales person then hangs up, dejected and in despair, and forgets to find out why their prospect was researching in the first place.
Fighting for T&A - Time and Attention
Unlike leads from consumers, with leads from business people, you are simply fighting for their time and attention (“T&A”). Sales T&A is the first thing you need to earn if you’re ever going to cultivate the sale. Your business buyer has already submitted the lead – assume they’re in the market. But just because they’re in the market, it doesn’t mean you’re not going to have to win their T&A. Most importantly – most sales people need to realize that just because the prospect is in the market doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to tell you that they are – hence the old saying: “Buyers are liars.” Earning a business person’s T&A is especially important because they most likely filled out their request at work and they’ll most likely be at work when you call – where they have a million other deliverables they’re juggling.
It’s Not About You
Keep in mind that just because an initial conversation doesn’t go well with your prospect, it doesn’t mean the lead is bad and it doesn’t mean you don’t have a golden opportunity in front of you. If your prospect is short with you on the phone, don’t get upset. It’s really not about you. You need to take the emotions out of the equation. As a sales professional, you must remember that you’re dealing with a person who’s already carrying negative sales baggage left over from all the bad salespeople who came before you. Your rapport building skills will often be necessary in earning the coveted T&A to engage your prospect’s interest.
As with any other sales prospect, you need to build the relationship with your Internet lead before you can think of selling them, and even asking them for the appointment. Good Internet leads are high quality in-market prospects – but you still need to use all of your relationship-building skills in order to close the deal.
“WiSIC”: Why Should I Care?
When you’re competing against unknown forces for a business person’s time and attention, you’re really being forced to address the age old question (that they are not directly asking): “Why should I care?” Or, more specifically, “Why should I care more about this than the 50 other things I need to get done before I leave the office today?”
Going into your call, be prepared to address this unasked question with solutions. For example:
You: “Hi Allison, this is Rao from Acme Phone Systems. I understand you requested some additional information on phone systems on CompareBusinessProducts.com. May I ask why you are researching today?”
Allison: “Well, we are expanding our sales team and call center, so I’m just checking out some options right now. But I’ve got to jump into a meeting, so I really can’t talk right now.”
You: “That’s great news to hear in this environment. I understand you’re busy, so we can set up some time another day when your schedule is free? Just to let you know, Acme Phone Systems was just rated the #1 call center provider by Telecom Magazine and we are providing a promotional rate this month.”
Allison: “Really? That’s great, but I really need to go now.”
You: “No problem. I respect how busy you are. Let me send you some literature on why we were rated #1. Then, how about I check in with you later this week, just to make sure you got it." (Notice that I didn’t use the typical sales pitch: “Are you free Thursday at 2 or 4?”)
LLBB: Like, Listen, Believe, Buy
There’s an old acronym from one of my sales books that reads: “LLBB,” which stands for Like, Listen, Believe, and Buy. Coupled with Zig Zigler’s statement: “People don’t necessarily buy from people they like, they buy from people they trust,” you can see why relationship building is essential when it comes to B2B product buyers whom come to you as Internet leads. Relationships take time; they are almost never instant. A great lead source will deliver quality prospects to you, but don’t treat your Internet leads like line of customers coming through the check-out line at the grocery store, ready to be rung up. A quality Internet lead is the foundational building block to begin your relationship with a great opportunity.