“Qualifying” is a well-known term in Sales. It is making sure you have a real prospect before you spend a lot of time on them.
It doesn’t just mean they have the money. It means that they are within your service area (someone in Indonesia is NOT coming to your restaurant in Boston), and the time or other ability to take your product or service (they only speak Spanish…. your book is only available in English. Your self-study course is only available online, they don’t have a computer, don’t know how to use one and don’t think they can learn.)
It also means not only do they have a need or a want your service or product can satisfy, but that they are capable or recognizing or acknowledging that need. It doesn’t matter how badly someone needs your consulting services if they just don’t believe in consulting… and they are completely closed to the idea.
All of these other factors are in fact more important than having the money, as if the need is strong enough, chances are they will find the money.
But that is not actually what this post is about.
What about qualifying with your marketing?
If your prospects are all local, don’t run your click ads outside your local area.
If you sell only high-end products, make sure your website looks that way… so you don’t spend your time taking calls for people looking for the lowest price version of what you sell.
If your ideal prospect is upside down on their mortgage and approaching retirement age, offer a free booklet “50-65 years old and upside down on your mortgage? 12 solutions traditional lenders won’t tell you about!”
Variations on this are endless. Once you know who you are – and who you aren’t – trying to reach, a little creativity will offer up things you can do to better select out those ideal prospects.
Think about it.