Turn Potential Clients into Paying Clients

The phrase "potential clients" can be terrifying. Not only does it mean it’s your job to persuade them to choose your brand, but it also means they have not committed themselves to you and can leave at any time they choose.

As entrepreneurs and marketers, losing sleep over whether or not you’re doing everything you can to rake in clients is almost inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be. There are several important steps you can take to ensure you’re on the right track and doing what needs to be done to turn potential clients into paying clients – without losing any z’s.

Go Above and Beyond

Your teachers and your parents often told you that if you tried your best, that was good enough. Generally, this is true in most life experiences but when it comes to your business or company, often "satisfactory" is just not enough.

Going out of your way to persuade a client to make a purchase or choose your company can be beneficial for a number of reasons:

• It shows potential clients that you care enough to spend extra time persuading them and reassuring their purchase will be a positive one.
• Spending extra time with your brand can help you see any mistakes, flaws, or errors that sometimes go unnoticed, whether it’s a spelling mistake or a confusing sentence.
• This can offer you insight as to why a client may be uninterested in your products or services and what sorts of areas you can change to gain more customers.

Going above and beyond expectations can not only help gain the trust of potential clients, but it can turn them into loyal ones in the future.

While this method is beneficial for many clients, it’s important to remember there are some exclusions -- if a client does not seem interested, continues to say no without hearing you out, or doesn’t seem to be budging, be sure not to waste too much time on someone whose mind cannot be changed.

Be Upfront and Honest

Although this should be consistent requirement when it comes to gaining new clients, it’s not always as easy as it seems.

Being honest isn’t as difficult as it is to include all explanations required to help gain a sale. It’s easy to forget the "small print" or minor details that a future client needs to pay attention to, so be sure to explain the products and services to the fullest so there is no miscommunication with potential clients.

The worst mistake that can be made when reeling in a new client is to misinform them of minor fees or forget to include a vital piece of information. Not only will the client feel betrayed, but they may back out of a sale because of this mistake.

Make Your Business Easy to Reach

Everyone knows what it feels like to constantly try contacting a customer support line, only to be placed on hold for 30 minutes because "the next representative is currently on the line with another customer." The easiest way to turn a potential client into a paying one is to always be available.

When it comes to a new client, understanding why they’re on the fence can be the sole reason you make or break the sale. There are a number of reasons a client chooses whether or not to make a purchase, which sometimes cannot be changed, so being available is the next best thing. If you’re always out of your office, consider sharing your mobile number. Be sure to reply quickly to emails or messages to reassure the possible client that their questions and needs can always be answered and responded to.

Keep the Lines of Communication Open

All customers and clients want to to be able to communicate easily. They sometimes need consistent communication to know that the route they are choosing to take is the right one.

This doesn’t mean that they constantly need to be reminded or persuaded to make a purchase. Sometimes contacting a possible client or customer just to see how things are going with their own personal business can be the best way to reach out to them and influence a sale. Communication is not always pressuring them to buy or consistently promoting your business; it’s making a connection. If your client feels a connection has been made and they are comfortable enough with you or your brand, the chances of them making a purchase are much higher.