Planning Ireland Tips & Tricks
How to use Planning Leads
Using your Planning Leads Effectively
Main contractors, sub contractors, manufacturers and suppliers have relied on our planning leads since 1980 to grow their businesses by the effective and timely use of our planning information. Below we outline some of methods you can employ to get the most from your subscription.
Decide Which Leads Are Relevant For Your Company
If your products or services are specified by the architect or you are a main contractor you will want to follow up new leads as soon as an application is submitted. If you are a subcontractor or supplier whose products are not necessarily specified in advance then you should wait until plans are approved. Use the weekly email alert to keep you abreast of leads relevant to your business. If you have different requirements by department or have several reps covering different regions then use the saved searches to manage your leads.
Preparation
Set aside a specific time each week to deal with leads.
New Prospects
Look at new leads and select those that offer potential for new business. If you chase a lot of leads each week consider prioritising your prospects so that if time is pressing you can concentrate of the leads that offer the most potential. If you are unsure about certain leads make a quick phone call to a relevant contact to get a more information that will help you decide or link to the planning documents for more details on specified products and finishes.
Action Prospects
Action each of the new prospects accordingly. This may be a phone call to a relevant contact, a letter or a site visit. Group prospects from the same Developer/Architect together so that you are not making repeat calls on different projects. Prepare for each call in advance gathering your notes on the companies involved and any previous correspondence.
Track and Monitor
Always set a ‘chase’ date with each prospect. Use a CRM system, (InControl CRM works directly with CIC information), or Calendar, (MS Outlook) to keep track of prospects and future actions to be take. Group prospects by ‘chase’ date and priority. Each week look at projects that are due for review and action accordingly. After each action set a new review date or remove the project completely if it is no longer a prospect.
Tips and Notes
- Follow leads up quickly
- Prepare phone calls in advance – determine what you want to achieve from the call.
- Keep your letters relevant and to the point. Highlight your company strengths from your potential customer’s point of view.
- Keep your promises - do what you said you would. Respond promptly to requests for literature etc.
- Follow up on lost prospects/sales – what could you have done better
- Keep notes on your key customers that can be shared throughout the company – who’s good to talk to, past projects, who they like to work with
