6 Steps To Qualify Potential Customers Easily
Samantha Higgins
In today's world, businesses and entrepreneurs are always looking for ways to grow more revenue. One way to do so is through building a customer base of qualified customers. But how can you find more qualified customers? Here are six steps to qualify potential customers quickly, which will help you identify and target those with a need for what you sell.
Do your market research first.
If you don't know what is selling, how will you know which market to go into? Evaluate current trends, and take note of them. The most popular trends are indicators of what is currently selling to consumers. Markets can follow their flow, or they can show seasonal ups and downs. When you choose to sell products and services in demand, you are more likely to find potential customers.
Pick the right market for your products and services.
No matter what you choose to sell, it is essential to select the right market to reach the customers who need or desire what you want to sell. You may have an idea of who you want to buy your products and services, but that doesn't always mean looking for something like what you have to offer. Consider that the most significant customer audiences mathematically give more opportunities for sales. Make a list of all the different industries and markets that you may want to sell into. This will help you gain access to a relevant customer base.
Determine the type of person who is part of your target market.
You can use many methods to zero in on the qualifications needed for your target market. The demographic process looks at the different characteristics of a specific population, such as age group, gender, education level, income level, and ethnic background. The behavioral method looks at an individual’s actions, such as buying habits, shopping preferences, media preferences, and travel patterns. The psychographic techniques consider a person's values and interests regarding buying a particular product and looking at how they think and view the world. Once you determine the type of customer persona your business is targeting, it will be much easier to find qualified customers.
Consider the location of a potential customer before reaching out.
It is paramount to consider location if your company specializes in a particular service or time-sensitive product. All of the other factors mean little if you cannot reach the client or not reach you. Consider the location of customers to qualify them as well. Services that are not virtual are often limited to a specific geographical area. You can use targeted advertising to find the type of customers who can get to you, so you don't waste each other’s time.
Screen customers online before they buy.
Asking potential clients to fill out a survey, form, or questionnaire can help you find valid customers in a sea of window shoppers. This method allows you to prescreen people who may be interested. Asking for a name, valid address, telephone number, or email address can help you ensure that customers are who they are and qualified to do business with you.
With identity theft on the rise, knowing the difference between a total sale and a legit one could mean saving your business from lawsuits later. The Small Business Chronicle suggests that business owners can request a current photo ID before accepting checks or credit cards, and one can use multiple layers to encrypt customer information. Suppose you want to ensure that your customer has a particular credit score or can pay you. In that case, you can partner with a buy now deliver later provider on your website to give customers another chance to qualify to buy from you. The agency will have already prescreened the clients for you who are capable of making the purchase.
Allow a customer service agency to screen customers.
If customers call to place an order, inbound call centers can take the calls and prescreen candidates for companies. Hiring an inbound calling agency to answer calls for your business, process orders, and provide other services to satisfy customers is a smart move for better service. During the prequalification process, friendly customer agents will ask the necessary questions by phone or live chat to determine whether they are good clients for your business. You can then reach out to qualified customers with a specialized message that will get their attention.
Since every business needs customers, you must know how to find qualified ones. You are marketing to human beings, so just like everyone else, they don't want to be sold on something they don't think is valuable. Offer your target market compatible products and services, and you can increase your odds of finding qualified customers exponentially.
About the Author: Samantha Higgins is a professional writer with a passion for research, observation, and innovation. She is nurturing a growing family of twin boys in Portland, Oregon with her husband. She loves kayaking and reading creative non-fiction.