How to manage your leads

You’ve finally attained a good amount of leads….now what do you do? It is crucial to stay on top of your leads and properly manage all of them. What does this look like?

First off, make sure you are focusing on the correct number of prospects. If you are working with many, it is difficult to effectively focus on each one. If you have a low amount of prospects, then there may be insufficient resources applied to generation.

Second, take a look at how you are contacting your leads. A good thumb rule to live by is contacting the prospect once a month.

The 12 contacts rule: Because it takes time for the prospect to become comfortable with you and because of other priorities, you should make 12 solid contacts to your prospect. Keep in mind that of the 12 contact needed, the average buyer requires seven contacts prior to a sale. Make sure to try different modes of contact such as:

• Face to face discussions
• Phone discussions
• Email exchange
• Text messaging exchanges
• Instant messaging

Third, make sure to follow up after a discussion. Even if you have to suggest it, always leave an interaction with a buyer with an action item for yourself. When appropriate, send a thank you email that summarizes all action items to reinforce the relationship. You can effectively manage your leads and be on your way to increasing sales by showing the prospect that you care and investing time into each one, while maintaining a good amount of other prospects.