Marketing Profs

In a post at his Marketing Minute blog, Drew McLellan talks about that dream call or email from someone who sounds like the perfect client. "Their buying signals are [so blatant they're] flashing like the Bat Signal in the sky," says McLellan. "You might as well print off the contract now, right? Not so fast, my friend."

The best approach, he says, is to be pragmatic and touch cynical. Because you might be entering a not-so-fantastic scenario in which:

• They've already decided to hire a competitor, but need other bids to satisfy their due diligence.
• They're using other bids to pressure their current provider.
• They're be using an overly detailed RFP to fish for free ideas.

So how can you tell if a potential client is serious or not? McLellan says these are all good signs:

• You have access to the CEO and other decision makers.
• They're used to budgeting for your product or service.
• Your solution addresses their major pain points.
• They drive the process, and are flexible about scheduling.
• They respond quickly to your emails, phone calls and requests for data.

The Po!nt: Even if you can check off all five of those points, it's still not a sure thing. "But at least it means the opportunity is probably a good one," says McLellan. "Now, it's up to you."

Source: Drew's Marketing Minute. Click here for the post.