Prospects have specific criteria with which they make a buying decision. They buy products or services to fill a real or perceived need. They have an idea of how much money they are willing and able to invest. They know which aspects of the product or service they need to see, hear about, or otherwise experience in order to make a buying decision.
Your product or service fulfills a need. There is a price tag associated with it. You have a method for explaining, presenting, or otherwise demonstrating how it best fulfills the needs for which it was designed. The degree to which your product or service matches the prospect’s criteria determines how “qualified” the opportunity is.
You must identify these criteria and then take a hard look at the situation and ask yourself the following question: “Does my product or service and the manner by which I can present it meet the prospect’s criteria?” If the answer is not “yes,” or can’t be changed to “yes” with some mutually-agreed-to adjustment on your part or the part of the prospect, then it’s time for you to “close the file” and move on to more viable opportunities.
Regardless of how good the “opportunity” looked when you started, the truth is that an “opportunity” is not an opportunity if your product or service doesn’t meet the prospect’s requirement. No amount of wishing, hoping, or showmanship will alter the truth.
You must be willing to uncover the truth…even if you don’t like what is revealed. Hiding from the truth doesn’t change it. If you don’t face it, you not only waste time, energy, and effort, but also delude yourself into thinking that you are working. The end result is disappointment, frustration, and fewer sales.
