Learning Center Resource

Mistakes to Avoid When Selling to Sales Qualified Leads

Sales Mistakes To Avoid

Not getting the right leads? Feel like you’re doing everything right but not seeing any results? You’re not alone. Gaining leads isn’t an easy business, but avoiding certain lead mistakes can result in a boost in your lead generation efforts.

Learn how to recognize and avoid 5 of the most common mistakes we see business leaders and managers making that are costing them valuable leads.

No Call Attempts

Waiting To Call

Not Calling Enough

Not Tracking Leads

Giving Up Early

The biggest mistake we see dealers commit is not picking up the phone to call their leads. While we strongly suggest automating text messages and emails to ensure a quick point of contact, this should not replace a call, but instead, add value to the call. Sending a brochure over email will not close the deal, and it’s a costly mistake to assume it will. You can never really know the value of a prospect until you speak to them about their needs over the phone.

Common disastrous sales processes that kill ROI:

  • Sending pricing and/or brochures of products or services over email.
  • Researching every lead and disqualifying before making the initial call.
  • Determining the lead value or profitability based on lead contact details.

Solution: Call Fast

Suppliers that follow the “call first method,” illustrated above, have a 6X higher close rate compared to those that send an email with their pricing and quote range rather than calling.  

"Call First" Method

Lead Received

Call First

Quote Second

(via phone)

"Quote First" Method

Lead Received

Quote First

(via email)

Call Second

Email Template

Should you have called and got a voicemail here is an example of an email template that you can customize to reflect your company’s value propositions. Some keys tips on emails:

  • Keep emails short
  • Always offer a clear next step for a phone call
  • Never include pricing or brochure in an email
  • Always include your contact details

Mistake #2: Waiting to Call

Simply picking up the phone isn’t good enough. You need to make sure your calls are timely. Leads will often pick the supplier that calls them first, and that’s who you want to be. Even calling the next day may be too late and can negatively impact your experience with the lead. In the hours it took you to call, your competitor already beat you to the lead. 

Why call fast? You’ll close more business.

  • Leads often choose the first Supplier that calls them. 
  • Leads are more receptive to the first sales call that assists in meeting their product or service needs.
  • The first caller helps frame the buying process by promoting company strengths, teaching them the purchase expectations, and builds trust/reliability.
  • Calling late can negatively impact the sales process. Leads may have spoken with competitors and have limited interest in other options

Solution: Call Often

We recommend calling the lead within 5 minutes or less. As you can see in the chart below, the contact rate plummets even after 10 minutes. The longer you wait to call, the lower the chance you have of reaching the lead. In conclusion, suppliers who call fast will have a higher contact rate than those that wait to call. 

Calling often is crucial. We recommend calling the lead 6 times within 3 business days. 

Don’t Be Your Own Bottleneck

Speed is vital to your success, and being set up to ensure leads are followed up with is crucial. A mistake we often see is leads being sent to sales managers, vice presidents of sales, and the vice president of marketing. While they are great assets and can likely close a sale, they’re also some of the busiest people within the organization and likely won’t get to the lead promptly due to meetings and other obligations

The best way to ensure the lead is reached promptly is by using a CRM system. A CRM system allows you to create rules within your database to automate emails, texts, and voicemails as soon as a lead comes in. But don’t forget mistake number 1, make sure to follow up with a real phone call.

Mistake #3: Not Calling Enough

Persistence is key when it comes to the sales process. You should call a lead a MINIMUM of 6 times. In fact, you have a 93 percent chance of contact probability after the 6th call attempt. By calling 6 times you are increasing your probability of speaking to the lead which will allow you to move the lead through the sales funnel.

Solution: Call Every Lead

If you are not sure how to get the six call attempts without overwhelming a lead. We designed the 3-2-1 method to make it easier.

On the first day, you should call three times. On the second day, two call attempts. And finally, on the third day make the sixth call. The goal of this method is to call the lead multiple times while simultaneously leaving voicemails and emails at different times throughout the day to increase your chance of contact. After the sixth attempt with no reply, it’s wise to add them to your nurturing campaign.

Day 1

Call, leave generic VM, send email

Call, no VM

Call, no VM

Day 2

Call, leave generic VM, send email

Call, no VM

Day 3

Call, partial VM

Mistake #4: Not Tracking Leads

You can’t manage what you don’t measure. This is why it’s detrimental to not track leads in all stages of the sales process. You should be evaluating the program based on the ENTIRE sales funnel. Not just one bad lead or one large sale. 

Solution: Track Your Progress

Each lead should be tracked within your CRM or another medium. For example, you should track how many sales efforts were made and monitor when leads did not close. Keeping track of this information can help you see trends within the data that will help you better understand why you’re doing good or bad, and help you replicate or avoid certain outcomes. 

Track each leads stage of the sales funnel to ensure the following:

  • Sales efforts (calls, emails, follow up)
  • Wins, loses, opportunities, proposals, etc. 
  • Lead disposition (tracking reason they did or didn't close)

Mistake #5: Giving Up Early

You can’t manage what you don’t measure. This is why it’s detrimental to not track leads in all stages of the sales process. You should be evaluating the program based on the ENTIRE sales funnel. Not just one bad lead or one large sale. 

Solution: Don't Quit Early

Each lead should be tracked within your CRM or another medium. For example, you should track how many sales efforts were made and monitor when leads did not close. Keeping track of this information can help you see trends within the data that will help you better understand why you’re doing good or bad, and help you replicate or avoid certain outcomes. 

Every Lead is Different

Begin the sales process by identifying why the lead is interested in quotes and adapt your sales approach based on need and urgency

  • Pain Discovery: Lots of questions and lead is researching best purchase option.
  • Urgent Need: Ready to buy, research completed, one call close type lead.
  • Possible Purchase: First steps in research stage, they may be interested in a change. Unsure of "if" or "when".

Want a steady stream of qualified prospects for your sales team?

Check Demand

How Do you Close New Business?

By avoiding our list of the top 5 lead mistakes, you can start closing new business. Check out our summary below.

Call Fast

  • Make it a goal to call every lead within 5 min.
  • Route lead directly to sales team or through a CRM.

Call Often

  • We recommend 6 times in 3 business days.

Call Every Lead

  • Yes even leads with Gmail and Yahoo email addresses.
  • Calling first vs. sending an email yields 6x higher close rate.

Track Your Progress

  • Sale or no sale is not the definition of tracking.
  • Track leads throughout sales cycle using a CRM or 360’s Campaign Tracker.

Don't Quit Early

  • Nurture your funnel- it takes time to sell.

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