The reality is that just because a prospect and a seller have a good conversation is no guarantee the sale will happen or that a referral source will be willing to add the LO as a lender. The issue? The salesperson hasn’t qualified the prospect thoroughly enough to discover the individual’s potential objections that could hold back the sale.
This means LOs must dig deeper during their consumer interactions and ask tougher questions to determine whether the prospect is a viable customer. For example, producers might include the following elements during their sales conversations:
- Find out about the prospect’s goals and dreams.
- Determine the maximum payment the prospect is comfortable with.
- Present at least three options and let the prospect select what works best for them.
- Encourage the prospect to speak 80% of the time.
By actively listening, asking more in-depth questions and better qualifying prospects, producers can avoid disconnects and keep their pipelines flowing smoothly.
Pat Sherlock is the founder of QFS Sales Solutions, an organization that helps organizations improve their sales talent management and performance. For more information, visit https://patsherlock.com.
