7 steps to handle a sales lead

Getting a new lead and convert the lead to a confirmed status is a significant aspect in the sales team of the hotel industry.  To have a high rate of conversion from the numbers of leads captured is an important objective to be able to achieve the revenue targeted.

Sales leads can be derived from several sales activities, such as, sales calls, sales trips, telemarketing, participate on travel and hotel trade show, partnering with 3^rd party such as event organizer, property agent, and from many other sources.

Sales leads can also come directly to your hotel as the result of marketing activities, such as, promotion done in Social Media, advertisement, special offer to boost specific market, and many other activities.

What happen if you receive a sales inquiry? If the client is interested to purchase your hotel product and services, can you assure that the prospected client will definitely use your hotel?  Will the process of communication with the client impact to the decision-making process?  If there is an obstacle during the discussion, will the client appreciate if a sales person offers several solutions to consider? Does the tone of a sales person’s voice as well as the flow of discussion affect the overall impression of the client?

In this writing, I want to highlight 7 steps when handling a sales lead.  It is, of course, with the objective that the sales lead will then be successfully converted to a definite lead.

1. Be a good listener or a good reader

This is an important initial process when you receive a sales inquiry. If the sales inquiry is received via telephone or a direct meeting, then listen properly on what the client’s needs and wants. It is OK to ask the client to repeat his or her request if you find it unclear or there is an interrupted voice or situation in between.

When you receive the sales inquiry via email, then do read the email thoroughly to ensure that you understand the message and the request.  Sometimes, you might need to read the email repeatedly to make sure that you get the message right as per client’s expected.

2. Take a note on the client’s needs and wants

Do not rely on your brain memory capacity to remember all of the client’s requirement, especially if you know that forgetful is one of your weaknesses.  Prepare a note with a list of general and customized questions to gain all the information required from the client.

Summarize all the findings to help you learning and analyzing the request and identify what can be offered.

3. Repeat the details

Once the client finished mentioning all the requirements and answer to your questions, then always take an initiative to repeat all the details to summarize and reconfirm that the client’s requirements have been all covered. 

4. Ask the client if he or she has any additional requirements

It is always good to take a step to ask the client if he or she has any additional needs or information to add before ending the conversation and discussion. This will give an impression that you care and show a seriousness in handling your inquiry.

Find out what’s important and priority to your clients so you can focus on these aspects while preparing the proposal.

5. Provide alternative if you know already that some requests are not available

During discussion, you will already recognize that some requests will be unable to be accommodated due to certain circumstances.  Do not leave this situation until last minute, but it is better to provide some alternative solutions during the discussion for the client to consider.

The client will surely appreciate your concern on how to resolve this situation since the earlier discussion.

6. Agree on time frame to have the proposal ready

Ask the client on his or her timeline expectation to receive the proposal.  By doing this, you will then be able to estimate the preparation time and ensure that the proposal will be ready and sent in a timely manner.

To achieve the agreed deadline is crucial because this will measure your level of professionalism and give an impact on the assurance level to the client on how you will handle his or her inquiry moving forward.

7. Follow up to action after proposal sent

Agree on the method of communication used for further discussion, is it using telephone, via email or via WhatsApp’s or any other communication tools.   Action follow up appropriately so you can move forward to negotiation process and closing the deal.

A proper approach and attention to details since the beginning of conversation will give a positive impression to the client and will smoothen the selling process throughout the discussion.

Ready to increase the conversion level from the number of sales leads received.

Happy selling and all the best are with you.