Qualifying leads is an important step in the lead tracking and nurturing process. By funneling your qualified leads out you can easily sift through all of your contacts to figure out which ones are worth the extra effort. Qualified leads are more than just those who respond to your offers. They are leads who match one or more qualifications that make them more likely to be a member of your studio. Below are a few ways you can begin to qualify your offer respondents and direct them through your sales funnel.
1. Automated Health Screening
Just like you fill out a health screening form before you see a doctor, most gyms and fitness studios require one as well. By sending out an automated health screening to your leads you can filter out those leads who have interest in signing up for your studio with those who don’t. Not only are automated health screenings a great way to capture leads’ emails, it can save both you and your customer some time if they do end up using your studio. With their information and health screening already on file, that’s one less step they have to go through to convert from a lead to a sale.
2. Phone Follow Up
Phone follow-ups are a timeless and effective way to assess if your lead is ready to purchase. If you’re going to do a follow-up, whether it’s phone or email, do it as quickly as possible. A famous Harvard Business Reviews study highlighted that out of 2,241 U.S. companies they measured, 24% took more than 24 hours to respond to lead-initiated contact, with 23% of the companies never responding at all. Aim to make your follow up call less than 24 hours after you’ve captured your lead. When it comes to follow-up calls, the content of your call is important. Make sure you have a specific message to give your lead when you give them a call. Whether it’s promoting a sale or letting them know about a new class, you shouldn’t be calling your lead just to “touch base.” If your lead doesn’t answer? Leave a voicemail. Voicemails are still an effective way to create familiarity with your company and get your brand on your lead’s mind.
3. Never Make Your Leads Work
When qualifying your leads, your number one goal should be to reduce the overall friction it takes for your prospects to become a lead. Qualify offer respondents by making sure they're interested, but never make them feel as if they have something to prove. Making the process as seamless and simple as possible will help contribute to a higher conversion rate. Follow these tips to make your leads’ conversion process flow and get a higher conversion rate.
4. Keep Forms Simple
Opt-in forms and lead capture forms (whether it’s to get access to an offer, an online class, or a free download) should be quick to follow. In order to qualify offer respondents effectively, don't make them work too hard. Limit the information you ask for to only what’s absolutely necessary. Short and sweet is the goal – unless you truly need more information. When possible, have a smart form available for your leads to save them even more time.
5. Nurture Your Leads
Once you capture your leads, it’s important that you nurture them through email marketing flows (insert link to how to setup your lead nurture email workflow article). Sending your leads a variety of high-quality email content like offers, blog posts, and industry tips can help you keep their interest and push them farther down the sales funnel.
6. Convert Your Leads to Paying Customers
The end goal of qualifying your offer respondents is to convert them into paying customers. While this is easier said than done, there are a few things you can do to boost your conversion rates and help your leads convert faster.
- Make sure your website is fresh with a savvy interface that is simple and easy to use.
- Always follow up with your leads to keep your brand in their head.
- Use OneFitStop to encourage them to book a class while their wallets are out.
Qualify offer respondents in order to make the most out of the leads you have. It's an important step in the sales conversion process. Make sure that the contacts you capture are actually interested in becoming a prospective customer. Following up with them either on the phone or through an email will secure leads that have slipped away. Getting creative with promotional offers can save you twice the effort in half the time. Who doesn't want to save time in the early stages? Qualify leads that are on their way to purchase even quicker with these tips, or consider investing in a software that takes care of it all.