Earlier this month, we discussed strategies for responding to leads. In most cases, assigning one of your team members to the task is the best strategy for a personalized experience that moves the lead farther in the sales process.
The person you assign will be responsible for quickly responding to inquiries and providing potential clients with the information they need to help make a decision about your services.
Here are some suggestions for training and preparing your team member for the role:
- Set clear guidelines. These should include how quickly the person is expected to respond to leads, what information they should provide or request in the initial response, and how to escalate urgent matters to the appropriate person.
- Consider using these guidelines to create a written Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). This will give the team member a written guide to reference, and it will be handy to have if/when someone else takes on this role in the future.Utilize a lead management system. The right system will help the team member track and organize leads, allowing them to quickly locate, research, and/or respond. It should also allow for easy sharing to others on the team who may take over an individual lead.
- Set up alerts. Alerts and notifications for when a lead comes in can help ensure no leads are overlooked.
- Provide training. Some business owners make the mistake of thinking that the only positions that need training are the ones providing the service you sell. Don’t overlook the positions responsible for bringing in the business. The person responding to your leads should be thoroughly trained in customer service and how to handle/reply to different inquiries. You may also consider sales training and product knowledge resources.
- Encourage team members to follow up with leads even if they are unable to provide a solution right away. This can help build rapport with potential clients and keep them engaged with your business.
By following these suggestions, you’ll equip your team member with the tools they need to effectively respond to leads and provide potential clients with the information they need to make a decision about your services.
