A Simple 9-Step Checklist For Qualifying LinkedIn Leads - Without Wasting Time

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Let’s dive in….

If you’re doing a lot of this…

But it’s not turning into this….

…. perhaps you need to qualify your leads better?

Many professionals on LinkedIn are doing just fine with marketing; but they hit troubled seas when they come to the crossroads between marketing and sales.

Simply put, their sales system is not good enough at converting leads when they’re handed over from marketing.

Any good sales system starts with a system for qualifying leads and determining where the real opportunities lie.

Otherwise, it’s easy to get caught yapping for too long to too many of the wrong people. Most business owners don’t have this time to waste…

The following simple nine-step qualification checklist can make a huge difference in separating the wheat from the chaff on LinkedIn. Use it to move real opportunities a step further along the funnel and save you lots of wasted time spent on dead-ends.

The 9-Step Sales Influence Framework for qualifying leads

1.     WELCOME/SET THE FRAME

This first step depends on whether your lead is an inbound or outbound lead.

For inbound leads:

·        Tell them what you’re there to do - what’s the purpose of the call?

·        Let them know you’re in control (in a nice way).

·        Tell them that if you can’t help, you’ll try to point them in the right direction.

·        If you can help, you can set up another time to go through things in a bit more detail (this gains their permission to start to sell).

For outbound leads:

·        Tell them you thought you’d just pick up the phone to introduce yourself and find out more about their business…

·        Ask them if now is a good time or would later that morning/afternoon be better? (provide an option).

Both of the above approaches will save you time, set the tone, and put you in control of the qualification process. Adapt them to the language that you’re comfortable with - script them and make them ‘yours’.

With practice, it will feel more natural.

2.     “WHY NOW/WHY ME?”

Again, the approach here varies with inbound and outbound leads…

For inbound leads, find out why now and why me - ask these specific questions in your own way. You want to know whether there is urgency and influence at work.

This isn’t necessary for outbound leads though - skip to the next step.

3.     “CAN YOU GIVE ME A QUICK SUMMARY ABOUT YOU & YOUR BUSINESS?”

·        ·        Who does their business help, what problems do they solve and how does it work (who, what, how)?

·        Let them talk - write down the main points (this is the info you need for the real sales process later on).

·        Bullet point what they say: this will help you create rapport in later steps.

4.     CREATE THE GAP

Here’s where you prepare the ground for selling later by eliciting information from your prospect through careful questioning…creating a gap that you can later bridge:

·        Ask them if they were able to have the best 12 months in their business, what would that look like?

·        Keep probing by asking “Can you explain that?”. Think of it as peeling back the layers of the onion with what and why questions.

·        Be sure to write down the responses.

·        Focus on getting facts/numbers (turnover, revenue, lead numbers, etc.)

In this way, you’ll gather the ‘pain data’ that highlights the challenge and exposes the gap between where they are now and what it ideally will look like in the future.

5.     FIND OUT THE CURRENT CHALLENGE OR PROBLEM

Now that you know how they perceive the ‘gap’ in their business, find out what’s preventing them from achieving their best 12 months ever in their business?

This identifies the main issue they’re facing.

6.     WHAT DO THEY WANT AND/OR NEED?

This next step is for information-gathering again; keep peeling back the layers by asking why?  The idea is to elicit the emotions behind the wants and needs…

·        Ask how the challenges/problems they’re facing are impacting them.

·        Ask “If you are able to XXXXX, how would that help you, your business, or your family?”

·        Summarise it back to them in their own words, recapping so that they know that you’re listening to their problems.

This will make the need to do something about their problems and challenges more real. Then ask: “If I could wave a magic wand to help you achieve that, what would we need to do for you?”

Then they’ll tell you what they need. It’s not selling (but it is)!

7.     FIND OUT IF THIS IS A ‘LATER’ OR A ‘SOONER’ THING?

You need to get clear on their timing:

·        Ask “Is this something you’d like information on for later, or you want to put into action sooner?”

·        Understand their sense of urgency for solving their problem.

If they say “later”, don’t push it. Simply let them know that you’ll stay in touch. If “sooner”, continue to the eighth step.

8.     PROBLEM SUMMARY

Summarise the problem again, if necessary. Get them to grant permission for proceeding, as this allows you to move on to sales qualification.

9.     FIT OR NO FIT?

·        If your page is full of ticks, tell your prospect that you can provide a pathway to their ideal solution.

·        Ask them to book for another session that will be in more detail and last 30-45 minutes. Then give them an option of timings.

·        If they have time now - go for it! You may occasionally be able to get commitment the same day, while it’s all fresh in their minds.

Where do you go from here?

The above checklist should be kept on your desk each time you make a call to a new lead. As you go through each point, tick it off or put a cross against it.

A cross at any point in the process should mean that there is little point progressing the conversation. Thank the lead for their time and refer them to someone else (if possible)- and that can be your cue for ending the call.

If you get all ticks, it should take you no longer than 15 minutes to establish that there is a real opportunity that’s worth pursuing.

This provides that structure that’s missing from many sales systems. In just 10-15 minutes, you’ll be able to confidently decide to move into sales mode or to let the lead go.

P.s. Whenever you’re ready… here are 3 ways I can help you grow your business with LinkedIn

1. Join the Influencer Boardroom and connect with other advisors and consultants who are scaling too: It’s our new Facebook community where smart advisors and consultants learn to generate more purpose, profit and power. - Click Here

2. Join Our Implementation Program and be a Case Study: I’m putting together a new consulting case study group inside The Influencer Project this month… stay tuned for details. If you’d like to work with me on your client-getting and business growth plans using LinkedIn… just send me a message and put “Case Study” in it and I’ll get you more info.

3. Work with me and my team privately: If you’d like to work directly with me and my team to take you from 6 to 7 figures and level things up… just send me a message and put “Private” in the first line… tell me a little about your business and what you’d like to work on together, and I’ll get you all the details.