It's important for all professionals to qualify for their meetings to get the best outcomes for both them and their business (learn more here).
But without a doubt, it's even more important for Salespeople and teams to qualify their meetings because this is crucial for getting the right leads to convert which drives business forward!
Why do salespeople get 55% more success when attending fully qualified meetings?
Qualifying your meetings is important
Without meeting requirements, you run the danger of following up on leads that aren't a good fit for your product or service because of financial restrictions, administrative difficulties, or other issues. Which is without a doubt wasting your time!
By qualifying your meetings, you can quickly plan and set up meetings and make sure that the leads you are putting into the funnel are the proper ones. Meetings can be effective because of this and knowing how qualification works can greatly improve your success.
Find out how we helped this Business Owner qualify for his meetings!
Qualified vs Unqualified Meetings
Here is what it looks like if you do/do not follow the steps stated above. It's clear as night and day!
Qualified:
- You can learn the ins and outs of the buyer’s challenges and deliver a better solution as a result.
- You can move on when the lead isn’t qualified and spend more time on the prospects who are more likely to buy.
- You can focus on a smaller, specific segment of buyers, which can help you deliver a more personalized selling experience.
Unqualified:
- You will find difficulty landing the right lead and will struggle to close deals
- You will be stuck with leads you aren't sure is worth keeping
- You will get an influx of different leads that will be hard to manage and can affect how you deliver your services
How to Qualify your Meetings
- Ask them Qualifying Questions
Not sure what to expect from your lead? Qualify them with important questions before the meeting so both you and your attendee are on the same page instead of wasting additional time during the actual meeting itself.
- Know your prospect’s history
When reviewing prior notes on the prospect, try and understand their history: Were they previously lost to a competitor? Did you talk to them six months ago, but they didn't have a budget back then? In addition to historical data, be aware of what has changed in their world recently, and what that might imply.
- Target your prospecting
The best way to maximize the number of meetings you have with qualified leads is to focus most of your energy on those qualified prospects who are most likely to be a fit for your tool. It seems obvious, but you're probably rolling your eyes over that time you got through a demo only to realize your prospect was about as good of a fit
- Prioritize decision-makers
It’s getting harder to tell upfront if your prospect has the decision-making power to close the deal. Often those who demonstrate interest are just purchased influencers but don’t have the actual authority to move forward. Don’t hesitate to ask for an internal reference from the final decision-maker if your initial lead isn't that person.
How qualified meetings increase success!
With qualified meetings, you can easily have shorter meetings and higher success by reaching out to more leads than less. Spending less time on leads that aren't qualified will substantially boost your capacity to meet quota and expand your business. Prospects who are more likely to convert should and might be given priority, but how do you identify them? The solution is to use sensible qualifiers, but you must also take care not to let juicy accounts escape your notice for lack of attention.
Just a different way of communicating to your prospects before a meeting can do wonders and help you ensure you hit your quota in no time!
Do you want to automate this process instead? We got you covered!
CatchApp lets you create a bookable calendar for your meetings and appointments, and lets you fill your schedule efficiently. If you're having eight meetings a week for a whole year (except when you're out of the office, of course), CatchApp saves you up to one month of time that would usually be spent organising meetings, rearranging, and following up on RSVPs.
Want to make scheduling hassle-free? Set up your account here.
