A yacht brokerage in Fort Lauderdale had a an actual paper file labeled:
“Dead Leads.”
Inside were the names of people who had inquired about buying a yacht but hadn’t gone anywhere.
No appointment.
No purchase.
No apparent activity.
So they had been declared dead.
One of the brokers took that file and began emailing the people in it, one at a time:
“Hi Bob, are you still looking for a yacht?”
That was the entire email.
One of the “dead leads” replied.
It turned out he was planning to buy a $120 million custom yacht, but it would take three years to build.
So, while he waited, he bought a $50 million yacht to tide him over. :)
That’s $170 million in yacht purchases from someone sitting in a file marked “dead.”
There’s an important lesson in that.
People don’t become worthless simply because they weren’t ready to buy on our preferred timetable.
People don’t become worthless simply because they weren’t ready to buy on our preferred timetable.
Every person who raises their hand has real asset value to your business.
They’ve identified themselves as someone interested in what you do.
From that moment, they enter Profit Activator 3: the group of prospects you can continue to educate and motivate until they’re ready to meet you.
They might be there for three days.
They might be there for three years.
The biggest mistake people make is focusing only on the leads who are ready right now.
If someone doesn’t book the appointment, request the strategy call, accept the quote, or buy immediately, they’re abandoned while everybody rushes off looking for another new lead.
But the person who didn’t buy wasn’t necessarily saying no.
They may have simply been saying, “Not yet.”
Think about all the people who have raised their hands in your business.
The people who requested information.
Asked a question.
Downloaded something.
Got a quote.
Started a conversation.
What if they’re not dead?
What if some of the most valuable opportunities in your business are simply waiting for you to pick up the conversation where it left off?
Your prospects are an asset…not a disposable list of transactions that didn’t happen.
Treat them that way.
Sometimes there’s a $170 million surprise hiding in the dead-lead file. :)