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Top 6 Factors for Killing an Opportunity or Prospect

Guest post by: Dave Kurlan

Article Overview: How can you tell if an opportunity is dead? It's dependent on a number of internal and external factors...

Top 6 Factors for Killing an Opportunity or Prospect

I hear this question a lot..."When should I move on?"

You have left 6 messages and haven't received a return call.

You have a prospect and things were moving along pretty well and now you can't get them back on the phone.

Should you move on?

First, the data is clear on this - it takes an average of 8 attempts - eight! - to reach a prospect. And if it's a prospect that is already in the sales process, you probably screwed something up....

Second, whether or not you should move on is dependent on six factors. I'll list them here:

Factor #1 - The Size of Your Prospect Pool: If you have thousands of potential prospects, it's easy to say, "next!", while if your pool of potential prospects is limited, "next" is not a viable option.

Factor #2 - The State of Your Pipeline: If your pipeline is filled with quality opportunities, it's easy to say, "next!", while if your pipeline is on the empty side, "next" is not a viable option.

Factor #3 - Competitive Nature: If you don't mind losing, it's easy to say, "next!", while if you can't stand to lose, "next" is not a viable option.

Factor #4 - Odds: If you don't have much of a chance to win the business, it's easy to say, "next!", while if you have a good chance to win the business, "next" is not a viable option.

Factor #5 - Profiling: If the prospect doesn't fit the profile of your ideal customer, it's easy to say, "next!" while if they are right in your sweet spot, "next" is not a viable option.

Factor #6 - Leverage: If the prospect was using you to keep their existing vendor/supplier honest, it's easy to say, "next!" while if low price isn't a factor and there isn't an existing vendor in place, "next" is not an option.

Can you think of any more?

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  Andy has been a network marketer for 16 years. Of late, he has focused on mentoring other network marketers over the internet. For more of Andy’s network marketing articles and to find out how he can assist you in building your business, visit his blog: http://www.AndyAcci.com
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Article Tags: pipeline, sales, sales tips



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