Recently I attended a presentation and decided I’d like to speak with the presenter about possibly hiring her.
I said, “I’ve been thinking about hiring someone like you, can I get your information?”
She said, “Why don’t we just get together to brainstorm over coffee?”
I accepted her offer, but it’s important to note that if she had told me that the next step was to have a conversation about options for working together, I would have said yes. Or if she’d said that the initial consultation is $500, I would have given her my credit card.
She missed an easy close.
Running a business is hard enough some days, so make sure you’re prepared to take the easy wins when they come your way!
Here are a few do’s and don’ts to help you when these excellent opportunities come your way:
DO be prepared for a prospect who is ready to hire you now. Have an abbreviated sales process ready to go for this opportunity!
DON’T skip the process altogether. Ready buyers become the best clients when you take a little time to clarify their goals and expectations.
DO move quickly. If someone says, “I want to hire you,” let them! Find out their timeline and then get terms sorted out – yes, that includes payment – ASAP.
DON’T bog down the process by worrying that before they hire you, a prospect needs to know more about how you do what you do. Or they need to know all the program options and pricing. Or they need the history of your company and how it’s different from other companies. They have a need, so simply recommend the best option, and get hired.
DO have an easy way for them to pay you immediately. Once someone has made the financial investment, their commitment is solid. Delaying this is one of the top reasons a hot prospect fizzles out.
DON’T be afraid that you’re rushing a prospect who wants to hire you quickly. You’re only rushing if you’re trying to push your agenda over theirs. Trust yourself. Moving fast to serve a prospect’s immediate need is not rushing them; it is serving them at the highest level.
And you want to know the best part? Now that you’re aware this can happen, and you are clear about how to successfully navigate them, you’re going to start noticing these opportunities popping up more often.
You’re welcome!
I bet you send dozens of emails a day, and the majority of them are unimportant. Not unnecessary, just not earth-shatteringly important.