In the world of sales and marketing, a sales funnel is there to guide your business towards success. But, it’s important to remember that not all leads are created equal. Regardless of your industry or business type, distinguishing between real prospects and tire kickers is key.
What is a Tire Kicker?
A tire kicker isn’t someone who physically kicks tires, though that is where the term originates from. It’s a phrase used to describe someone who acts interested in making a purchase or booking a service, without having a genuine interest in doing so. It’s often used in a business or sales context, and it’s something that a lot of businesses have to deal with. A tire kicker might ask questions and inspect details of a product, but they will have little or no intention of actually making a serious purchase. They might act indecisive, highlight that they are exploring other options, or ask for more information without a genuine interest in parting with money.
For businesses, putting time and energy into a tire kicker is often seen as a waste of valuable resources. You might put resources and attention into trying to close the sale, even though there’s no chance of it leading to a meaningful deal or commitment.
How to Identify a Tire Kicker
- They Don’t Match Your ‘Usual’ Customer – One of the first signs that someone is a tire kicker is that they don’t match your usual customer persona. They might not align with your target demographic, and your services or products might not solve a problem for them. You are likely to have a varied demographic, so stay open minded about who might be interested in what you have to offer.
- Lack of Urgency – It’s likely that a tire kicker will lack urgency. If they don’t have a pressing need for what your business has to offer, they are unlikely to commit to a purchase. When a buyer is serious, they tend to have a deadline and a specific need that needs fulfilling.
- Vague Language – Tire kickers often use vague language, and avoid saying anything that confirms a purchase. They use words such as “maybe” and “perhaps,” and ask for more time to think about their decision. Tire kickers usually avoid confirming that they have any intention of making a purchase.
- Excessive Questions – Though a lot of legitimate buyers will have questions, asking a lot of questions without any progress can signify that someone is a tire kicker. They may ask for detailed information but hesitate to move forward.
- They Ask for Freebies – Everyone likes freebies, but tire kickers often focus on getting freebies, rather than the products and services that are for sale. Tire kickers don’t want to spend money on what you have to offer, but they are often willing to accept free trials, demos, informational calls and discounts.
- They Avoid Committing – Tire kickers often avoid committing to specific timelines or actions, and instead they delay everything as much as possible. They might delay decisions, promising to get back to you without a clear timeframe. It’s common for a tire kicker to express a lot of interest during initial interactions, but fail to follow through with the next steps, such as scheduling a meeting or completing a purchase.
How to Create a Sales Funnel That Focuses on Real Leads
- Create Compelling Content – Create content that speaks directly to your target audience. Content can include blog posts, social media updates, videos and downloadable resources. Tailor your content to address the challenges and needs of your ideal customers, rather than appealing to a wider audience, which could include tire kickers.
- Embrace Automation Tools – There are a variety of marketing automation tools out there, many of which streamline the lead qualification process. Automation can help you to track and score leads based on their interactions with your content and website, allowing you to focus on the most promising prospects.
- Use Landing Pages – Create dedicated landing pages for your main lead sources. Optimise these landing pages for conversions by focusing on a value proposition, visuals and providing a user friendly experience. When you collect essential information from these pages, you will know that it’s likely to be from someone who has a genuine interest in what you are offering.
- Implement a Way to Score Lead – Develop a way of scoring your leads, one that assigns points based on various criteria. This will help you to prioritise the leads from people that have a genuine interest, such as multiple page views, engagement with specific content or filling out a contact form.
- Focus on Lead Nurturing – It’s important to develop a lead nurturing strategy, with the aim of maintaining engagement with leads that could convert in the future. Provide valuable content, updates and personalised communication to ensure your leads remember who you are. With lead nurturing, you can stay connected to leads until they are ready to make a purchase.
- Regularly Review and Refine – You need to review your sales funnel performance regularly, and then refine your qualification criteria based on data and insights. This will enable you to adapt to changes in your industry or audience behaviour.
Though tire kickers can be a waste of your time and resources, creating a sales funnel that focuses on real leads and prospects can help to weed them out. At Profici, we can help you to refine your sales funnel, focusing on digital marketing and content creation. Contact us today to find out more.
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