What is a good lead?

In starting your own business, it’s important to have clients. Without clients, you don’t have a business. Part of a business is making money. Without clients, you don’t make money.

So how does a business go about getting clients? 

You close leads.

When building and closing leads, you must know that you have good leads. But what makes a good lead?

Businesses that need yours

When you hear that your business has been referred to others, know the difference between a potential lead and a good lead. If friends say they heard someone say that their business could use your services, ask for more details. Ask whether they know that business person definitely needs and will use your services or whether that friend thinks that person has expressed interest in possibly using your services.

If your friend says the person told them directly they want your services, pursue the lead. If it’s a situation where your friend just thinks that person expressed interest in your services, perhaps by jumping to conclusions over that person saying, well, we need to focus on this area of our business, but did not specifically mention looking into your services or another company’s similar services, do some more digging.

You could ask your friend for more information about the person they heard say that their business could use improvement in areas that your services would help in, but didn’t specifically mention looking for your business or some similar business to help them. You could take that information, contact that person, find out what they’re looking for, what their budget is and what their timetable for addressing that area of their business is.

If they’re not in any hurry, then keep them in mind, but move on in the meantime. If they find that they want your services, they’ll contact you.

Pursue the good leads right away

For those leads where you have information that specifically says someone is interested in your services, follow up right away. Contact that person or that business and set up a meeting. Do what you can to close a deal.

If they’re strongly interested, the deal will get done sooner than later. You don’t want to sit on good leads because if you wait too long, the person or business may move on to another business that offers them the same services for a better deal. Sure, some deals will take some time to close, but the sooner you pursue your good leads, the better off you will be.