Educating Leads for Informed Sales: The Power of Knowledge in Closing Deals

When customers feel like they are making autonomous and well-informed decisions, the act of purchasing becomes a satisfying experience. They perceive it as a choice they made based on their needs and desires, rather than feeling pressured into spending their money. Being “sold” often leaves potential customers feeling as though they’ve been manipulated or that they lack sufficient information to make an informed decision, which can create resistance and skepticism, making it harder to close the deal.

This is why it’s important to think about closing a little bit differently. Closing is helping a well-informed lead move toward the conclusion of the journey they started when they became aware of their own needs and your solution to their problems.

What is an Informed Lead?

In the world of sales, people like to buy, but no one likes to feel manipulated into the sale. To avoid this perception, it’s crucial to define what well-informed leads mean. Well-informed leads are empowered to make decisions for themselves, convinced they need what you’re selling. Instead of pushing them into a sale, you guide them to understand that you are the right choice by showing them you understand their problems and can offer a solution.

Educating your leads and ensuring they are well-informed has a profound impact on your business:

• Higher customer satisfaction: Informed leads are more satisfied with their purchasing decisions because they understand what they are getting.
• Fewer questions and challenges: Well-informed leads are less likely to challenge your offerings or request excessive clarifications, reducing friction in the sales process.
• Increased repeat business and referrals: Satisfied customers who made informed decisions are more likely to return for additional purchases and refer others to your business.
• Positive reviews and feedback: Informed leads are more likely to leave positive reviews and provide valuable feedback, enhancing your brand’s reputation.

Creating Informed Leads

To create well-informed leads, you must adopt a strategic and customer-centric approach:

• Be quick to share but slow to sell: Instead of rushing to make the sale, focus on sharing valuable information with your leads. Provide insights, solutions, and knowledge related to their needs. Be patient and allow them to digest this information at their own pace.
• Share more, sell less: Your goal should be to give until they ask. Share knowledge, resources, and helpful content that positions you as a trusted advisor in your industry.
• Ask, but don’t demand: While it’s essential to ask questions to understand your lead’s needs, avoid pushing them into a sale prematurely. Seek to help them rather than selling to them.
• Show genuine interest: Your interactions should convey a sincere interest in your leads as individuals with unique challenges and goals. Demonstrate that you care about their well-being, not just their wallets.

An informed lead not only knows everything they need to make a decision, but they also feel comfortable with that decision and understand the value of what you provide. Businesses that excel in educating their leads leverage various tools and strategies to communicate their value effectively. At Blu Bambu, our job is to help you identify and implement the right tools for your specific business needs.

For service professionals, an example of an informed lead would be one where the person is already familiar with your services, and how your services solve their problem. They may have even reviewed content from your website that shows how your services work and what to expect. They would also be aware of the approximate price and commitment required.

For a contractor, an example of an informed lead would be one who knows the details of the project they want you to do, and the approximate budget they have to spend. They would have researched enough to know how you operate, and would be willing to trust your expertise. They may have even received a recommendation to use your services from a former customer.

Closing Informed Leads

Once you have an informed lead, the process to closing can seem a little different. Informed leads don’t need time or space to figure things out. They need up front and detailed communication.

Informed leads expect prompt responses and confident, consistent communication. You can show them that you respect their time by addressing their inquiries swiftly, and with confidence. By providing a straightforward and easy to understand proposal, you can simplify the decision-making process even further.

In short, informed leads close themselves as long as you don’t let them slip away.

In Conclusion

Closing doesn’t have to be stressful.

It doesn’t have to feel like you are pressuring potential clients to buy. If you create informed leads, your closing can be the start of a long term customer relationship.

To help you get there we’ve created a special ebook for you to download called, “The Secret to Creating Leads that Close Easily.” It will assist in creating an informed lead so you can get the sale more easily.