Once you have the lead, how do you turn those into a qualified appointment? Getting a lead turned into an appointment requires, like other aspects of canvassing, a strategy. I focus a lot on getting the lead, but that’s only part of your responsibility as a canvasser. The next, and more important part is getting the lead to an appointment or sit. Without an appointment there isn’t the chance for a sale to happen. Yes, when you have the lead we can follow up on it to get it to convert, but really we want to get the appointment with the prospect as early as possible. The sooner we can get the prospect to say yes to an appointment the more likely we are to converting them from a prospect to a client.
My last article I discussed capturing the lead through the use of an information guide or buyer’s packet. I wrote about how you don’t ask permission to send the packet, rather you approach it as an assumptive close, you’re sending the information to everyone so all you need is to verify their contact information. The approach eliminates their reasons for not pursuing what you’re there to talk about. This is powerful in lowering the prospect’s guard. I would suggest you go back and review last month’s article and the live call. If you don’t have access to that information contact my office to update your membership level.
Keep in mind that with my introduction I’m offering information to them as a way of capturing their contact information in a way that gets their guard down. In transitioning from lead to appointment however you do have to earn the right for that.
Once you’ve gotten the last piece of contact information you use a transition statement.
This is an important statement because it puts the prospect at further ease and they think your time with them is done. They’re now looking forward to getting your information packet and they’re in a good frame of mind at this point. Now, it’s time for a little acting, like an actor on stage. Before you leave, you offer, as an after-thought or as if you almost forgot to mention, to get an appointment. This is a slight variation from my standard presentation based on the information packet we’ve committed to send them. The change is slight and masterfully delivered in the script… as usual.
Here’s the key to setting up the ball on the tee to get the appointment. You have to let them know your company is already out there doing installations. You’re going to have an installer or laborer who will be offering the quote, as long as it’s not a sales person.
Keep in mind that with virtually every prospect there never is a ‘good’ time for them to sit down and go over what you have to offer. We live in a busy time and everyone is time-strapped and they’re going to be looking for every excuse they can to avoid sitting down to hear a presentation. It’s not that they don’t want to, it’s they want to avoid having to make a money decision ultimately; and they know they’re going to have to. This is psychological insight you have to have and share with your canvassers. You have to take away the natural procrastination that we all have. It’s battling the prospect’s perception of whether they’re ready now or not. Studies show that most people will put off making a decision to act until it’s absolutely necessary.
Mastering this transition is the key to getting prospects converted from a lead to an appointment. Understanding the entire process from the introduction to earning the right to get the appointment is a series of commitments. The process and scripts keep you in control of the conversation and direction of the canvassing call. You have to control the communication at the door, but in a way that doesn’t come off as manipulative or pushy. Most canvassers are asking for the appointment too soon, before they’ve developed their rapport with the prospect and earned the right to naturally ask for the appointment. When you understand and master this process you’ll find the ‘yeses’ coming more easily and naturally.
Most prospects don’t know they can afford your products or services because they never looked into it before. Even though they have a need and want for it, they don’t realize how cost effective it could be. Your success starts first with your mindset. Do you believe that you’re offering an important service and value to the customer? It’s your job to help them discover how they can invest in their home if you’re in the home improvement business, in insurance for protecting their life or property or preparing for their transition after life, as my pre-cemetery/ funeral clients do successfully through canvassing. You have to be sold on your product, services and affordable solutions before you can ever persuade anyone else to take action. This is the biggest key to success in face to face marketing!!!
So, how do you set up the appointments? Most canvassers try to cram a prospect into a specific appointment day and time too early. There’s a 3-step process for focusing in on an appointment time. Each is a series of commitments and the steps build off one another and lead the prospect to setting a specific appointment time.
You walk the prospect through the general time (evening’s mornings, afternoons or weekends), specific day and then the actual appointment time. It’s a more natural and progressive process of getting the prospect to commitment to an appointment time. People don’t think they have the time. My 3-step process helps them ‘find’ the time on what seems to be on their grounds when in reality you’ve controlled the entire process.
Make sure you review the recording from my live call on this subject to hear the details I present on each of the steps and processes I’ve discussed in this article.
In conclusion, what do you do with the prospect that, after walking through this process, they still stall from setting an appointment? Often it happens when I ask for the commitment on the general time. They’ll tell you something like, “we don’t know when would be a good time.” Here’s where you need to take control. This is about authority, staying in control of the conversation. Dig down deep and offer this rebuttal, “I know you don’t know, but if you had to take your best guess, when are you generally around, during the days, evenings or weekends?”
I know that may sound harsh or difficult and the key is in delivering it in a way that isn’t frustrated or irritated, but you have to be firm on what your objective is. Think about the delivery as a stern parent or advisor.
This is all about ethical persuasion. I know, as should you, that my product and service is the best available and that getting my prospect involved and committed with my company and me is a great value to them.
Once I have the appointment set I conclude with my appointment reminder to aide in keeping the appointment stuck.
If you have questions about this process you can submit questions to me at www.AskTheCanvassKing.com, email me at cthompson@canvassking.com or call me direct at (216) 588-1337.