7 ways to help prospects sign up quicker

If someone could wave a magic wand, one of my three wishes would be that potential clients would turn up cheque book in hand asking me where to sign and when to start.

Back to the real world!

Wouldn’t it be nice if more clients said yes sooner in the sales process? Here are 8 ways in which you can make that happen:

1. Warm referrals

I know, I’ve cheated a little with this one as you have to rely more on others to help you with this one. However, people who have been sent your way by a strong recommendation or glowing trusted testimonial are far more likely to buy quicker from you. Have a look through your client list. Who, on this list, is always very vocal in their praise for you and your services? How about next time you speak to them, you ask for some personal recommendations to people they know who could use your services?

2. What’s their motivation and agenda

We are often too wrapped up in our agenda that we don’t listen to what the potential client is really telling us. We think we know what they require, and why they need this. Very often, we are wrong and making assumptions. If you know your potential client’s agenda – and what ‘hits’ they are taking personally by not solving their problems, you have a far easier job of uncovering your potential clients real motivation to buy.

3. Develop a reputation as a specialist

When prospective clients decide to buy from you they are normally placing a large amount of trust in your hands. Consequently, they don’t just want ‘anyone’ to work on their financial affairs; they want someone who they trust is an expert at what they do. I am in a very privileged position as the writer of the award-winning ‘The Financial Times Guide To Business Networking’. As an industry acknowledged expert in joined up networking, due to this book, I very often get prospects ringing me up wanting to work with me because I wrote the book. You don’t need to write a book to generate a reputation as a specialist, however, regularly blogging about your subject, getting good testimonials from clients published will all help you.

4. Follow up

Very often the act of following up with a prospective client helps you to flush out any unstated objections to buying your services. The sooner you can find out what are the barriers or hurdles to buying your services, the sooner you can remove these in the mind of your client. Make sure you have permission to follow up with your potential client.

5. Ask them why they have called

Every time a prospective client picks up the telephone to speak to you – or sends you an e-mail, they have a reason to do this. In the fact find stage of the sales process, you need to uncover what this reason is. Not just what this reason is, but what’s the cost to them personally of not using yourself or someone like you to help you with this. For example, if a potential client rang you asking you to review their VAT status, what’s prompted this call? There is normally a good reason. Prospective clients don’t normally suddenly wake up in the morning and think, I know, I’ll change my accountant.

6. Find out who the ultimate decision maker is

Very often the person who you are communicating too is not the person who is going to be the person who decides whether or not to use your services. I remember, very early on in my career as a business owner, spending time with a partner in a two partner local practice. He was making all the right buying signals, but couldn’t get his other partner to make the time to meet me. You’ve guessed it, I never managed to seal the deal. Early in your conversations with your potential client ask who needs to approve the spend, and what needs to be proved or disproved before the spend can be approved.

What would be your 7th way?