Getting to know our selling system categories are important for many reasons. What's the highest use of your time right now to generate new business? Is your current database setup inside your CRM? How are you ACTIVELY maintaining by adding new people to your database. How are you ACTIVELY protecting your current database / networks of people through consistent engagement? The more your database grows, the more you'll need proactive system to manage your relationships.
For purposes of this article, we'll focus on introducing our terminology to you so you can begin to setup your database into the correct categories.
Primary Categories | Income Producing Activities
Help List | Fight Club | New Clients | Promoters | Advocates.
Help List is any brand new person who comes into your life. Since you don't know how you can help them they start on your "help" list until you have a formal meeting with them. These are any new leads or new targets regardless of where you "think" they go, they start on your help list and you share with them your opportunity statement.
Fight Club is the stage where you filter potential clients based on whether you can help them or not. It's called Fight Club because you have to fight to earn their business, following up with them consistently with your follow-up system. It takes an average of seven to 15 touches to close a deal.
New Clients are those who have already signed up for your services. Start your 90-day onboarding process with them, and try to convert them to promoters or advocates.
Promoters are those who say good things about you when solicited
Advocates are those who actively promote your business to others.
Secondary Categories | People of Influence
Connectors | Climbers | Someday | Aspirational | NEXTPERT
Connectors are strategic partners or business-to-business referral partners who can help you grow your business by providing you with leads or referrals.
Climbers are young hustlers who may not be able to buy today but could be potential clients in the future. Identify them and nurture them with your services.
Someday are people who were on your help list or fight club that you don't want to "give up" on because they fit your filter but you are having a harder time closing. Instead of 3-months away from closing they are more like 6-12 months away so you're not going to be "as aggressive" in your follow-up touches.
Aspirational are bigger referral partners or potential clients who would significantly increase your business right away if they used you. They have a much longer selling cycle but they are worth staying in the boat with.
NEXTPERT are other people of influence in your community or industry whom you want to grow from. We believe in spending time with talented people once a week to level-up through and learn more. .
Remember, these categories are not mutually exclusive, and you can use them in combination to develop a robust sales cycle. By using this system, you can identify potential clients, filter them, nurture them, and convert them into promoters, advocates, or connectors for the long-term who can help you grow your business exponentially.