The traditional concept of hot, warm and cold leads is slowly
diminishing in the present context, since organizations understand that giving
up on a cold lead is just not the smartest move. Earlier, strategic sales
solutions fundamentals used to insist on pursuing only Handicap
lifts the hot leads.
Gradually, the concept of warm leads also came into the picture, as things were
getting difficult with the increasing competition. Today, even cold leads are
not completely ignored, or at least thats the way it should be. This is simply
because the rate at which competition is increasing and the manner in which the
number of prospects are increasing are way apart, i.e., theres more
competition than the increase in prospects.
In a scenario like this, the
prevalent strategic sales solutions are certainly not going to be as helpful as
a slightly modified approach would be. The traditional definition of a cold
lead is one that might be in the target market, but has no interest in
purchasing the product or service. A warm lead is one that is from the target
market, may or may not have a similar product, and is interested in buying or
upgrading. A hot lead, the salespersons dream, is a prospect that requires the
product or service extremely urgently.
However, today when a lead is pursued, even if the person at the other
end refuses point blank, effective sales persons do not just give up on the
pitch, but instead take a different question-answer route, asking about the
business model, the kinds of product or service they have, and then try to
prove the superiority of their offering. With the kind of research tools that
are available and the internet at everyones disposal, more and more avenues
are opening up to counter the competitors offering and prove that ones
product or service is superior. All it takes is the implementation of new-age strategic sales solutions and a
little extra effort.