Today, we're featuring more notes from CFC 2012, taken by writer, Alison Harrison of Alison Harrison Communications, who has graciously offered to share what she learned about qualifying questions to ask inbound leads.
When a prospective client calls, ask:
- Source – How did you learn about me?
- Need – What are you looking to accomplish? How are you addressing this now?
- Timing – When’s your go-live date?
- Decision process – How important is price in you decision-making process? Are you also talking to other writers?
- Budget
- What budget do you have to work with?
- Have funds been allocated?
- Offer a ball park estimate ( and then shut up) : That sounds like it would be about $X
Do you have any others on the "must ask" list?
"Who is/are the decision maker(s)? Is it you, someone else or a committee?"
Not remembering to ask this one question has made it so hard for me to write proposals at times, not knowing whether I'm going to be presenting to one person or a group of people. When there is a group involved, I always know to charge more, because it is always more time-and-energy-intensive, without fail. Also, if the person I am speaking with is NOT the decision maker, then it's helpful to know that, as well.
Excellent point, Pam. And not all groups are alike. Some are much more savvy than others, so charge more for the ones who will need you to do some educating of the process too.