What an Offer is Really Saying About a Lead and Their Behavior
Different types of offers that inspire lead engagement can tell you more about a prospective client than most would think. Offers, the third step of the C.L.O.S.E.R. model, come in two different types – tire kickers and buying signals – and each type tells a different story.
On any company website, you will find both tire kickers and buying signals being offered to web leads. A tire kicker lead offers information to the lead while trying to educate them of the benefits of their product or service. Tire kickers can include anything from research studies, white papers, webinars, seminars, e-books and books. Because the type of leads that are more interested in these types of offers, it is important that they not be handed off directly to the sales department. They aren’t yet ready to buy. They might need more information or they might just be shopping around. Instead, they should be given to the marketing department to further nurture, educate and, ultimately, become qualified.
Buying signals, on the other hand, are a sales team’s best friend. When a lead comes onto a company website and calls a toll free number, looks at a pricing sheet, requests a free trial or demo, or looks at a product slick, this is when a sales team should get involved. From their behavior, these customers are ready to buy and it’s important that you reach out to them first. Research has shown that often the first sales team to respond to a hot lead often gets the deal. Don’t miss out and hand a ready-to-buy lead off to a competitor!
The point is, tire kickers have interest, and buying signals have need. To be successful you must have both but you need to understand the difference between the two behaviors to be successful. Remember, interest is the counterfeit of need. Too often sales teams will concentrate on their interest only leads and they waste all their time. Give your buying signal leads to your sales team and have them focus on getting them through the buying process. Leave the tire kickers to marketing so they can further educate them to create leads that are ready to buy.
Check out this webinar I did for an additional resource on the importance of offers. Specifically the segment between 18:39 and 23:27.
Author: Ken Krogue | Google+
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