How to Convert Prospects Into Customers: 17 Genius Tips

Converting prospects into customers is no easy feat, especially in B2B. In fact, 80% of B2B sales require at least five follow-up calls after the initial meeting. However, you can emerge as a winner if you follow the proper techniques. 

Having said that, let's explore the steps of mastering the art of transitioning from opportunities into paying customers. From effective communication to understanding their pain points, you'll learn everything you need to know to close those deals. 

Converting Prospects into Customers: 17 Proven Techniques

To turn prospects into customers, you MUST involve all three key teams – marketing, sales, and sales development. That’s because each team brings its unique strengths and perspectives to the table. 

• Marketing teams attract and educate potential customers-- generating product awareness and interest.
• Sales development teams qualify prospects, identify pain points, and schedule meetings for the AEs (Account Executives) to close the deal. 
• Sales teams build long-term relationships with prospects by answering their questions and addressing vital concerns. Hence, they foster trust and rapport among your potential buyers.

By working together, these teams can:

• Streamline your customer acquisition process
• Enhance customer experience
• Increase revenue for your company

Therefore, to clarify their roles, let’s segment the responsibilities of each department – while converting prospects into customers.

A. Marketing

Your marketing team attracts potential customers through various channels, generates prospects, and creates brand awareness. Let’s see how:

1. Use an Omnichannel Approach

To engage prospects, commence by using an omnichannel approach. Segment your audience based on their:

• Interests
• Buyer stage
• Pain points

Next, create targeted nurturing campaigns with relevant content and recommendations.

Additionally, you can automate your outreach efforts using marketing automation platforms like:

• Email marketing software
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems
• Social media scheduling tools

All of the above solutions can save you time and energy. 

Again, don't be afraid to try different outreach channels to reach potential customers like:

• Emails
• Social media
• Phone calls 

Each channel has strengths and weaknesses. Hence, it's essential to experiment and see which channel works best for your audience. 

For example, a study found that email has an average ROI of $38 for every $1 spent. So, it’s one of the most powerful tools for nurturing prospects.

2. Develop a Solid Marketing Strategy

To turn prospects into customers effectively, it's critical to consider their unique personas. It’ll allow you to tailor your messaging and outreach methods to appeal specifically to them.

Once you've identified your target audience, develop a go-to-market plan. Your strategy should engage them at every stage of the buyer journey. It means creating various assets that address their:

• Pain points
• Interests
• Needs 

–at each stage of the sales funnel.

For example, let’s assume your target audience includes decision-makers in the healthcare industry. In this case, you can create content that speaks to the upsides of using your software – to improve patient outcomes and streamline workflow. 

Your outreach methods could include email campaigns or in-person events showcasing your field expertise.

3. Create a Content Library

When creating compelling content, planning is critical. Many marketers make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to develop content. Hence, it leaves them vulnerable to losing prospects to competitors – prepared with the right content at the right time. 

To avoid this, you should develop a robust lead gen content strategy. This repertoire MUST address the needs and interests of your customer personas at every stage of the sales funnel. 

Now, your content library can have a mix of multiple content types. Here are our chosen few:

• Ebooks: Digital books that are usually informative, educational, and comprehensive on a particular subject or topic.
• Webinars: Live or recorded online events that provide valuable educational content, training, or product demos.
• Audio Reports: Short audio files that provide valuable information on a specific topic or problem-solving.
• Free Reports: Concise documents that offer valuable information or tips on a specific topic or problem-solving.
• Videos: Visual and engaging content that offers an entertaining and informative experience on a particular topic or product.
• Podcasts: Audio recordings that are usually informative, educational, and entertaining and cover various topics or issues.
• Guides: Comprehensive and informative resources that offer practical information, advice, or tips on a specific topic or product.
• Case Studies: Detailed and in-depth reports that showcase how a product or service helped a customer solve a particular problem or challenge.

If you already have some content available, work with your team to identify any gaps. Then, develop new content that fills those needs. 

4. Use Social Proof

Don’t rely solely on your sales and marketing efforts to persuade potential customers. Instead, incorporate social proof to show them that others have had positive experiences with your products or services. You can achieve this through:

• Customer reviews
• Case studies
• Testimonials

Including social proof throughout your sales funnel is crucial to demonstrating your product’s value. As such, it ends up encouraging visitors to take action. Once visitors see that others have benefited from your offerings, they are likelier to trust your brand. Hence, the chances increase of them making a purchase.

5. Create an FAQ Section

While researching solutions, many potential buyers use Google to gather information before talking to a sales rep. To ease their efforts, add an informative FAQ section to your website. It will help such buyers easily locate the required information.

And the best part? You don't need to guess what questions to include. Instead, you can gather the most popular questions about your product or service from your:

• Sales team
• Marketing department
• Customer service division

Also, hold regular sync meetings and share knowledge with these three teams. It can make your sales cycle much easier in the long run. Keeping these discussions going ensures your FAQ section stays up-to-date, helpful, and relevant. 

Then, optimize your FAQ section. In short, ensure your prospects are well-informed – so that they’re inclined to convert into customers.

6. Practice Re-targeting 

Retargeting ads can be a game changer. They remind visitors about your brand and keep you in mind, which can increase conversions.

Another smart tip here is to embed incentives in your ads. Consider offering discounts or free trials to encourage potential customers to convert. It can be especially effective when combined with retargeting ads.

Finally, don’t give up after one or two tries. Converting prospects into customers can take several touchpoints. Therefore, continue your efforts and experiment with different incentives until you find the ideal messaging.

7. Optimize Landing Pages

When attracting potential customers to your brand, your landing pages play a crucial role. To ensure you make the right first impression, optimize your landing pages with:

• A clear value proposition
• Engaging headlines
• Visually appealing design

A good design can guide visitors toward the desired action. Don't be afraid to experiment with different elements on your landing pages. 

8. Get Creative With Offers

You can provide a quality product or service that delivers on your marketing claims. However, if it still occurs, there are two ways to deal with it: 

• Offer a no-questions-asked refund
• Offer a bonus they can keep even if they return the product

These irresistible offers alone will help build trust with your customer.

Aside from these options, there are several ways to turn a prospect into a customer:

• Consider offering a special price to test the market or a lower price with a tangible reason, such as paying taxes or your kid's braces. 
• Referral incentives and smaller, inexpensive products can also build trust.
• Package deals, financing options, and extended warranties are also great incentives. 
• Consider offering bonuses for paying in full or a unique delivery option. 
• Customers love "name your own price" incentives and comparative data or other comparison tools. 
• Offering additional educational information to help them decide is also a great idea.

B. Sales Development

The sales development department is responsible for:

• Identifying and qualifying potential customers
• Setting up appointments for sales reps
• Providing them with the necessary information and support to close deals

9. Be Consistent and Persistent

There may be another reason if you’re struggling to close deals with your prospects. It might be because you're not following up with them consistently and persistently. Here are some tips to help you stay top-of-mind with your prospects:

Follow up at least twice to show you're serious about doing business with them. This will also help you build rapport.

Don't give up after just a few follow-ups. In fact, you may need to follow up with a prospect seven or more times to increase your chances of success.

If a prospect isn't interested in your offer right now, don't assume they will never be. Try following up again in six months. Their situation may have changed. They may be now in a more receptive mode.

Remember, consistency and persistence are key when closing deals with your prospects. Thus, follow up regularly to multiply your chances of success in converting your prospects into valuable customers.

10. Re-engage Warm prospects

Keeping in touch with old prospects and clients is essential to maximize your sales potential. However, don't overlook the importance of re-engaging warm prospects. Warm prospects are those who have shown interest in your offerings but haven't yet made a purchase.

Contacting them lets you remind these individuals of your products or services' value. As such, you can convert them into paying customers. 

Re-engaging warm prospects increases your chances of making a sale. Plus, it also helps strengthen relationships and build brand loyalty. So, don't let those warm prospects go cold. Take action to reignite their interest in what you have to offer.

11. Optimize Efforts with Data

If you're not seeing your engagement rates rise despite launching new campaigns, it's time to look closely at your marketing strategy. Here are some tips to optimize your efforts:

• Review your previous results to identify trends that have caused your efforts to succeed or fall flat. It can help you make informed decisions on improving your marketing moving forward.
• A/B test your lead gen efforts to determine which subject lines, CTAs, and content pieces perform better than others. It allows you to enhance your marketing and yield better results every time.

Remember, the more engaged your audience is at every stage of the sales funnel, the higher your chances of converting them into loyal customers. So, leverage your metrics to optimize your marketing strategy. Only then you can keep your audience engaged throughout the journey.

12. Nurture Prospects

Email marketing is an effective way to nurture your prospects. It helps guide them toward making a purchase. You can use automated email sequences to send personalized messages. Remember to base your communication on your prospects' interests, preferences, and behavior. 

Also, segment your email list. As such, you can make your emails feel more relevant and engaging. Hence, it can improve your open rates and click-through rates. As a result, your prospects will move closer to becoming customers.

C. Sales

Your sales department generates revenue by identifying and closing deals with potential customers through direct interaction and persuasion.

13. Focus on Your Discovery Call

To successfully move prospects down the funnel, it's critical to understand the stages of a discovery call. One key strategy is to ask questions that help build rapport strategically. Your AE’s queries also help uncover the client's needs and goals. 

Make sure to gather as much information as possible about their:

• Operating environment
• Competitors
• Requirements
• Pain points

Additionally, share success stories about how your solution has helped similar clients in the past. If you can successfully engage the prospect, offer to move to the demo phase. 

Again, if you want to improve your sales skills, staying up-to-date on the latest best practices can help you:

• Optimize your discovery sales process
  and 
• Convert more prospects into customers

14. Address Objections

Sales objections are a crucial part of the sales process. The two most common objections your AEs face are:

• Financial aspects
• Missing features

In the case of financial objections, focus on the value you bring. Avoid jumping straight to lowering the price. You can ask the prospect questions, such as:

• What’s their budget?
• How much they're spending on alternatives?
• How much could they save in the long run by choosing your solution?

Reframe the value of your product in the context of cost savings. Also, highlight how you can integrate with their existing systems to cut costs.

On the other hand, when prospects raise queries about missing features, here’s what you can do. 

• Try understanding the problem the prospect is trying to solve. 
• Plus, ask them why they need that particular feature. 
• Then, acknowledge the benefits of the feature they want. 
• Next, explain how you can solve the same problem with your software superiorly.
• Additionally, highlight your product’s additional features and benefits they may not have considered.

Remember: If you can't solve their pain, it's better to let them go. We recommend not disappointing them with a product that doesn't meet their needs.

15. Perfect Your Sales Pitch

Your sales pitch needs to be perfect to appeal to prospects. Here are some tips:

• Regularly assess your sales process and share your learnings with your team. It can help you identify common objections or queries and improve your responses.
• Experiment with different sales events. They could include hosting a client webinar or networking event to engage with your target market. 
• Dig into your data to understand which prospects will most likely convert. Also, gauge where they might be falling out of the sales process.

But improving your sales pitch isn't just about pitching. Also, invest enough time to listen to your prospects and their concerns. Keep a tab on emerging industry trends and news. Then, personalize your pitch to emphasize how you can solve their problems. 

Pitch New Offers

To generate repeat business and foster loyalty, pitch your existing customers your latest offers or services.

16. Establish Deadlines

Setting deadlines to encourage prospects to make a decision can be helpful. It generates urgency and fastens the decision-making process. 

Consider giving prospects a one-month deadline to make a decision. After this, you will no longer follow up. Let them know you’re still available if they have any questions or concerns. However, you won't be actively pursuing the sale after the deadline. 

The above tactic can create a sense of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Therefore, it’ll motivate prospects to take action. They will likely contact you before the deadline if they are genuinely interested in your product. They’ll also pose any final questions or concerns. 

And if they don't, don't worry. Focusing your time and energy on prospects genuinely interested in your product is better.

17. Follow Up and Improvize

As you wrap up your journey to mastering the art of converting prospects to customers, don't miss this final vital tip: embrace a follow-up process and continuous improvement: 

• Stay Connected: Don't let the conversation fade away once you've made that initial connection and pitched your product or service. Reach out with a personalized follow-up message to express your genuine interest in serving them. 
• Adapt and Enhance: No strategy is set in stone. Pay attention to the feedback you receive from interactions and transactions. 

• Are there patterns in the questions prospects ask? 
• Do you notice any common hesitations? 

Use this valuable information to refine your approach. 

• Value Feedback: Treat every prospect interaction as a chance to learn. Positive or negative, feedback is a goldmine of insights. Embrace criticism gracefully and use it as a stepping stone for growth. 

Final Word

In the journey from converting prospects to customers, these 17 tips are your compass, guiding you through personalized interactions, trust-building, and strategic nurturing. Unlock the doors to conversion success today. 

Ready to supercharge your customer base and boost revenue? Embrace these strategies and watch your business thrive. So, do you want to take action now? Contact Revnew and let their experts drive your growth! 

For further reading: Check out how Revnew’s 5-step approach helped generate high-quality leads in just 2 months for ClaimCare.