Perfect Pitch: Time Is Money...or it ought to be

As we all know, “time is money” in business. You can’t afford to expend effort on people who aren’t in a position to buy your product or service – in other words, on buyers who aren’t qualified. Conversely, once you determine that you’re really talking to the person who can write you a check, you should feel justified in making the maximum effort to sell that individual.

The ability to tell qualified prospects from unqualified ones is a key skill, but it’s not complicated. It’s just a matter of getting information, and the way to get qualifying information is by asking pertinent questions.

Sometimes people are cautious about asking those questions, but that hesitation is misplaced. Asking questions won’t alienate potential clients. They understand the purpose of the conversation. They know it isn’t just a social call. Prospects may even encourage you to ask qualifying questions as a way of getting get down to business.

Or instance, if you need assurance that you’re talking to the true decision maker, a professional way of inquiring about this would be to ask, “Will you be the signatory on the contract?”  

Are you concerned about potential legal issues? Ask, “What is the legal approval process on contracts at your company?” 

Naturally you want to be certain that there’s enough money available for the purchase, so you might ask. “What are your current costs for this service and what is your budget?” 

Is there really a good fit between you and the buyer? Here’s the right qualifying question: “From what I’ve described so far, do you feel our service will meet or exceed your requirements?” 

The time frame is also important. The question would be, “On what date do you want to have a contract signed?”

Once you’ve established a basic level of rapport, you should freely and frankly ask questions like these. That way, neither you nor your potential client will be investing time in something with limited potential benefit. It’s a process of both you and the client qualifying one another. That’s a great way to save time and to make money.