Having a good customer base is very important to all business transactions. Changing a prospective lessee to a customer and retaining him requires a whole lot of systematic approach, appropriate intelligent gathering, planned programme of actions on your part as a lessor (owner of an asset). A specific time should be set aside each week for prospecting with a catchy corporate message on why leasing is the most appropriate form of financing for the prospective lessee. It is important to organize your marketing systematically to get the best out of it.
Basic checks include:
i. Who are your prospects?
ii. Every equipment vendor
iii. Every manufacturer
iv. Every retailer, lawyer, service firm
v. Every lessee, active or inactive
The only valid non-prospects in your territory are those that you know are financially unhealthy.
- Geographic Concentrations
Divide your prospects into cities, or even by division within a city, if you have to make a single call to an outlying community, check out for other potential contacts in that community, so as to ensure a maximum exposure out of that selling day. Never be caught on the road without the names of physically accessible prospect in your pocket.
- List Building
Building your database is simply a methodical, physical task – tiresome but essential. The internet can provide you with a wealth of information. List sources include: Directories, Trade Associations, Business Reporting Services, Mailing list brokers, Yellow pages, Convention bureau etc.
- The News Story Lead
Additional prospects can be uncovered and additional information about existing prospects can be developed if you keep a close eye on the newspaper, trade magazines, chamber of commerce bulletin etc. Furthermore, any announcement of a company expansion or modernization gives you an immediate prospect to contact.
- Direct Mail
Prepare your mails and send out as much mail as you can handle. Since you cannot expect much more than 1%- 4% return from mailings,m and not all these will be real lease prospects – the largest possible volume of mail is the key to this type of promotion.
Remember also, that even if you do not receive a reply, there’s a good chance the prospect has put your letter on file, and there’s a good chance you may hear from him, quite unexpectedly, at a later date.
- Lessee Follow-Up
A well known axiom In the world of selling states that “a customer is not a customer until she has re-ordered at least once”. You must endeavour to keep reminding your lessees of your service, and make sure that every time lessees consider new equipment, they also think of leasing, and of you as their lessor.
Establish a good relationship with your credit worthy lesees not less than twice a year, more so if they look particularly promising. A satisfied lessee is also an excellent source of leads and referrals.
To fully gain foothold on how best to market your leases, contact the experts, 08023176691, 08023179048, info@elannigeria.org, elan_nigeria@yahoo.com