How “Not Interested” Prospects Can Help Your Lead Generation

Prospects

Let’s say you receive a lead or prospect who isn’t your ideal customer, or makes it clear that they’re in the stage of collecting information. This is where you have a choice to either start building trust with this lead or take no for an answer and hang up the phone.

The truth is, you’re losing out on potential business by shutting down this type of call. It’s important to hear the customer’s needs and discuss your services. “Not interested” can take on many meanings, from not ready to purchase to just shopping around. By not approaching these prospects strategically, you’re missing out on future sales and opportunities. See how to turn undecided leads into future business for your company.

Assumptions

Challenge Assumptions

The worst thing you can do in sales is to assume anything. When approaching a lead, be conversational, open and flexible to where the discussion is heading. Don’t assume the person on the other end isn’t interested because they act hesitant. They could be feeling overwhelmed or worried about their budget, but it doesn’t mean they’re backing out.

To challenge assumptions, you must approach a conversation with authenticity and willingness to listen and not just talk. Listening is so important because it shows the consumer you value their concerns and genuinely want to help solve their home improvement needs. Be careful not to make assumptions because this way of thinking puts you in a frame of mind that rejects possibilities.

Rejection

Prepare for Rejection

Sales is baked into the job description of any business owner or contractor. I’m sure by now you know that this means you’re going to get rejected a few times along the way. Don’t let this discourage you. Instead, prepare for the dreaded “no” or refusal.

Prepare a sales objection response and be ready the next time you’re in this situation. Getting caught off-guard by rejection will make you less likely to be successful at turning the conversation around in your favor. If they come across not interested, save this person’s contact information and keep in touch with them. You never know when the time will be right for them to say yes.

Roadblock

Rid Yourself of A Roadblock Mindset

Keep your emotions in check when someone tells you they’re not interested in your services or rejects your bid. Approach the situation from a business mindset. Stop treating not interested as a roadblock and start viewing it as a detour.

Not interested are just words that you put negative meaning to when you’re feeling defeated. As I said above, not interested doesn’t have to lead to an undesired end result. View this setback as a challenge. Seek out any opportunity to table the discussion for a later date, or swoop in when the competition falls through.

Instant Gratification

Avoid the Trap of Instant Gratification

Take note of how you approach interest from a lead. Do you assume because they reached out that they’re going to hire you on the spot, without ever talking to or meeting you? When you’re overly focused on the result of making the sale, you overlook the potential a lead has for future business.

Coming off too eager and forceful doesn’t sit well with most homeowners. They’re typically investing lots of money and time into these projects, and they want to make sure they hire the right person for the job. Do your best to make them feel comfortable. Be honest with them about your pricing, timeline and company history.

Relationships

Nurture Relationships with Prospects

Being a sales person doesn’t mean you should only focus on the end result. Building relationships is key to winning over new customers and retaining the old ones. If someone isn’t ready to buy, that doesn’t mean you should immediately write them off. Think of your initial contact with a lead as a starting point for building trust and foundation for future collaboration. Doing this will help the consumer remember you when they’re ready to begin their home improvement project at a later date.

Every interaction, whether during work hours or not, is a chance for you to cultivate and nurture business relationships. This doesn’t mean you should try to hard sell your services to everyone you meet. It means you should consider people who you interact with as a potential client.

Conclusion

Stop allowing not interested prospects to discourage you from doing business with them. Prepare and practice the skills outlined above to turn them into future contacts. A good sales person doesn’t stop trying to communicate and build relationships with a potential customer just because the person needs more time. Patience, persistence and a positive attitude is what’s going to give you an advantage over the competition and turn not interested prospects into sales.