Lead Sheets: Turning Contacts into Contracts - Finding, Bidding,

Selling & Closing

By Les CunninghamCGC, CR*, CCR*, CGRa

http://www.businessnetworks.com800.525.1009 x14*A NARI Certification

One lucky participant

Will win a book by author Jim Fisher about how to set ones business up for sale and developing an exit strategy. Jim Fisher owned a remodeling company

for over 25 years, sold his business for a handsome profit, and is now working as a facilitator for Business Networks.

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Basis of my information:Basis of my information:

Business Networks companies

a. Hands-on review of their numbersb. Participation in the major associationsc. One-on-One consultingd. Owned and operated my own business for 15 yearse. Won 15 C.O.T.Y. awards in a 7 year period.

Business Networks companies

a. Hands-on review of their numbersb. Participation in the major associationsc. One-on-One consultingd. Owned and operated my own business for 15 yearse. Won 15 C.O.T.Y. awards in a 7 year period.

It will offer you a different perspective thatmay lead to significant results for you personally and corporately.

It will offer you a different perspective thatmay lead to significant results for you personally and corporately.

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On the next screen you’ll see… Two very educated pilots are going to take

off in a 20 million dollar plane under severe clear conditions. They are going to encounter an unexpected obstacle in their path. They’re going to lose their only engine. Each pilot will try to start the engine, but both attempts will be unsuccessful. They will then exit the aircraft. The aircraft will then crash and become a pile of scrap.

Bottom line: Stuff happens And now, the Stuff happens Video…..

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2 /Name

3 /Name

1 /Name

What are your expectations of this seminar from what’s been

advertised?

(Need a Volunteer)

What are your expectations of this seminar from what’s been

advertised?

(Need a Volunteer)

Your Expectations...Your Expectations...

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What’s a Lead?

• ANY Request of Your Company.

• What Triggers a request.• Increase What you want.

(Profit)• Stop what you don’t want.

(Loss)

??

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Do you use a Lead Sheet?

• Should be used on ANY request of your company

• Every Telephone Location• Manual vs. Computer

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Step 1: What Basic Information do You Need?

To create your Lead Sheet, To create your Lead Sheet, start by adding the basic start by adding the basic contact information you contact information you

want to collect.want to collect. 9/52

See Handout #1

Step 2: What information can you use to qualify potential jobs/clients?

SeeSeeHandout #2Handout #2

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Step 2: What information can you use to qualify potential jobs/clients?

Add the lead sources Add the lead sources you would like to you would like to track (where your track (where your

work comes from).work comes from).

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Step 2: What information can you use to qualify potential jobs/clients?

Project Project Information Information

should contain should contain project details project details that will allow that will allow

you to determine you to determine the quality of a the quality of a

lead.lead.

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Step 3: Add “Qualifying Points” to Previous Qualifying Questions?

SeeSeeHandout #3Handout #3

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Step 3: Add “Qualifying Points” to Previous Qualifying Questions?

Start by guessing how Start by guessing how many points each bit many points each bit of information should of information should

receive.receive.

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a. Fill out a lead sheet on all of your past jobs.

Step 4: Gather Data

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Step 4: Gather Data-6

7

5

9

-34040044

-60

Use the points you Use the points you added to the form to added to the form to rate your completed rate your completed

jobs.jobs.

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a. Fill out a lead sheet on all of your past jobs.

b. What’s yourmost profitable job point number?

Step 4: Gather Data

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Lead Sheet Report Card System

1. What questions do you need answered to be able to decide whether or not you want the job.

2. Does the Lead Sheet say “yes?”

3. Do you want this job?4. As you approach the “close”

you must make decision to leave or land/ “close” the sale

40=AReport Card

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IInflightnflight.L.Landinganding.S.Systemystem..

5 Miles5 Miles 2 Miles2 Miles Decision HeightDecision HeightLeave or Land / “close”Leave or Land / “close”

LeaveLeave

Land/ Land/ “close”“close”

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Your Company

Your Company

Your Company

Where are you hiding YOUR Treasure Chest of Past Jobs?

• Go and find your past jobs.

• Fill our a Lead Sheet on each one.

• Determine the Magic Number (i.e. 40)

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BiddingOnce you have determined the leads that you want to

pursue, how do you get your name out there as a

contender for the contract?

(Marketing and Advertising)

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First “Free” Appointment

Non-Qualifier uses Non-Qualifier uses RedRed ink. ink.Non-Qualifier is worth Non-Qualifier is worth

$20/hr.$20/hr.

15 min = $515 min = $5

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Second “Free” Appointment

• Qualifier returns call, confirms information, adds new information.

• Decides IF the relationship continues.23/52

Second “Free” Appointment

Qualifier uses BLUE ink.Qualifier is worth: $400/hr

15 min = 10024/52

““Wimp Junction”Wimp Junction”

1st “Free” Appointment ($5)1st “Free” Appointment ($5)

2nd “Free” Appointment ($100/$105)2nd “Free” Appointment ($100/$105)

3rd “Free”/Fee 3rd “Free”/Fee Appointment? ($800/$905)Appointment? ($800/$905)

The point at which you go down your road or the client’s road

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Their Way

Your Way

??Third Appointment?““Free” or Paid?Free” or Paid?

When do you say no?When do you say no?

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(You know)(You know)

??(YOU know)

How Many “Free” How Many “Free” Estimates canEstimates canYOU afford?YOU afford?

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Lead Sheet Setup Recap

1. Do you have the information on hand or must you start from scratch?

2. Where are you hiding your treasure

chest of past jobs?3. Fill out a lead sheet on each job

you’ve closed.4. Determine your magic number.5. Consistently re-check your magic

number.28/52

Leads, Bids & Jobs

What’s the Relationship?

How many leads, bids, and sales did you have in 2007?

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Leads, Bids and Jobs

For Every100

Leads

47Bids

28Jobs

What What Are Are

Your Your NumbeNumbe

rs?rs?

Source: 2006 Business Networks Industry Averages30/52

Where Do Leads Come From?

Past Clients

ReferralsReferrals

YellowYellow PagesPages

OtherOther

Jobsite SignsJobsite Signs Newspaper AdsNewspaper Ads

Arch./DesignersArch./Designers

What What Are Your Are Your

NumberNumber

s?s?

Source: 2006 Business Networks Industry Averages

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Where Do JOBS Come From?

Past ClientsReferralsReferrals

YellowYellowPages Pages OtherOther

Jobsite SignsJobsite Signs Newspaper Newspaper AdsAds

Arch./DesignersArch./Designers

Source: 2006 Business Networks Industry Averages

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What What Are Your Are Your

NumberNumber

s?s?

Where Do DOLLARS Come From?

Past Clients

ReferralsReferrals

YellowYellowPages Pages OtherOther

Jobsite SignsJobsite Signs Newspaper AdsNewspaper Ads

Arch./DesignersArch./Designers

Source: 2006 Business Networks Industry Averages

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What What Are Your Are Your

NumberNumber

s?s?

Are your dollars not matching your lead sources?

An item that can often be over looked through this whole process is the technique you use during sales.

Does anyone in the audience have a memorable story about one of their selling methods?

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What do Contact Manager Programs do?

Keep track of all your clients (name, address, phone, etc.

Simplify record keeping for each client

Act as a “to-do” list to keep things from falling through the cracks.

Help you stay in contact with your potential clients/Marketing processes

Help organize production

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What Features Should You Look For?

The Good Programs will allow you to: Customize fields Customize reports/letters Group customers with similar

interests/needs Mail-merge with a word processor Send email and faxes through the system

and record that activity in each client’s notes & history

Import and export data to/from other programs

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What Features Should You Look For?

The Good Programs will provide you with: Good Customer Service (not on the owner’s

cell phone)

Big enough market share There are classes available in local areas for

staff to learn the program (local community college, office training facility, etc.)

There are lots of add-on programs to customize for your industry (so you don’t have to do it!)

There are other add-ons for special features (like emails in HTML, synchronizing with other computers, linking data to other programs like Quickbooks, etc.)

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Software Suggestions

Here are some software suggestions: Excel (not the best choice) Outlook Act

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Excel database Manager

Outlook Database Management

ACT Database Manager

Tracking your own company data is a valuable tool to provide you with validated information to make a decision. The only one that can do that for you is you

and your team (if you have a team).

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Examples of How a Contact Tracker Can be Used in Decision Making:

Track on your lead sheet where your lead source is (referral, yellow pages, print advertising, etc.)

Create a report of this information that can be sorted by size of job, source, type of job, etc.

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Or …. Close ratios for SalespeopleHow do your salespeople stack up

in different categories of sales?1. Repeat2. Referral3. Yellow Pages4. Cold Calls

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If you standardize and computerize your treasure chest of information you can get a better handle on how you spend your hard earned marketing dollars.

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Sandler Sales Institute

Separate the tire kickers from your actual client

Jim Stephens

Sandler Sales Institute

jim@strongholdconst.com

877-879-3367

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You are always being referred...

...the question is ...the question is which direction?which direction?

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The Real Closing Rates

0%0%

20%20%

40%40%

60%60%

80%80%

100%100%

PastPastClientsClients

OtherOtherSourcesSources

Bid Close RateBid Close RateLead Close RateLead Close Rate

ReferralsReferrals

Source: 2006 Business Networks Industry Averages48/52

What What Are Your Are Your

NumberNumber

s?s?

Good Marketing Business Development is an ongoing

process

Marketing Business Development is usually done Marketing Business Development is usually done when business is slow. This usually stops when when business is slow. This usually stops when

one is busy.one is busy.

potential Job

Job

Pot

entia

l Job

Job

Job

Closing is just the beginning….

Use your lead sheet to start the process again WITH SOFTWARE.

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Your Expectations...

Did you get what you Did you get what you Expected?Expected?

(Need our Volunteer)(Need our Volunteer)

(Based on What was Advertised)(Based on What was Advertised)

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Thank You!Thank You!

From the Business Networks From the Business Networks Team for the opportunity Team for the opportunity to be of service to you to be of service to you and your company!!and your company!!

Please take a Please take a moment to fill out moment to fill out my Speaker Evaluation my Speaker Evaluation form now.form now.

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