4 Steps to Turn Your Contacts Into Clients

Four Steps To Turn Your Contacts Into Clients by Adam Kipnes

If you're a small business owner or a sales representative, one thing you probably have is a lot of contacts: LinkedIn connections, Facebook friends, email addresses, cell phone numbers and business cards. Oh, those business cards. If you added them all up, they probably amount to thousands of people.

But they're more than people. They're potential customers and money in your pocket.

Now comes the hard part. How do you contact these people? What do you say? How do you actually make them clients?

Most people send blast messages. Any of these seem familiar?

? Facebook Messenger: "We’re Facebook friends. Want to buy my product?

? LinkedIn: "We’re LinkedIn contacts. Want to buy my product?"

? Email: "Hi. Here are multiple emails in rapid succession until you unsubscribe angrily."

? Business cards: "Please take this only to leave it in a dark, quiet drawer, never to be seen or used again."

But you are not most people. You want a plan, a system, a strategy, a funnel. So where do you start? One of my coaches, Raymond Aaron, taught me the 4, 3, 2, 1 Model, which I formalized for my clients. The goal is to categorize each contact you have according to your relationship with them, then take the necessary steps to move them to the next highest category. Eventually, your contact will become a client.

4. Those you barely know who probably don’t know you and definitely don’t know what you do.

In this stage, you want to establish contact. Do not try and sell your contact something. They are not buying and probably never will if you try. Your goal is to get to know who they are and get them to recognize you. Think of it as saying "hi" for the first time in the high school cafeteria. A "hi" back is a huge win. If they do, they move to level three.

3. Those you know who probably know you and still probably don’t know what you do.

Now, you are mutual contacts. Your call will likely be taken. The other person will recognize you when you meet.

You now want to solidify the personal side. You want to be connected and memorable (not in an obnoxious way). At this stage, they are most definitely in your funnel.

It's now time for you to learn about their needs and goals. Does your product or service match what they need? Is this a potential customer or perhaps a center of influence who can introduce you to others? Now move to the next level.

2. Those you know who know you and probably know what you do.

This is your real prospect list. You will spend most of your time here to understand who in this group is worth your time going forward. You have built rapport, you are a known quantity and you are still in the conversation. You know the person's biggest needs and goals and have the right solution.

Now, you can position yourself for a sales call or product introduction. It doesn’t mean you put on the full-court press and sell to every contact. You still need to qualify as the proper fit. But you aren’t going to annoy anyone when you talk business. This is the group that's most likely to hire you. This contact group will become your client or ...

1. Those you know who know you and know what you do.

These people are likely to hire you — or at least consider hiring you — when the need for your service arises. Level 1's are also very likely to introduce you to others who need your service. These contacts believe in you and trust you.

Show them you are worth it by doing what you say, following through and bringing more value than they ever saw coming.

I hope you enjoyed this article, as always your comments are welcome!

Annie Rose "LinkedIn 110% done for you" 970-260-3555