Understanding the Difference Between Leads and Customers
Struggling with Business
There are thousands of independent business men and women around the world, struggling with their home based businesses. Why? Because they just do not have enough customers. As they continue to strive to get ahead, they turn to buying leads. These hard working individuals try to turn the leads they purchased into customers. Many of you may already know, leads can be rather expensive. The truth of the matter is, it takes a lot of leads to produce just one customer. The national average of leads to customer conversion, at least according to the companies selling the leads, is typically three in one hundred, or just three percent.
Leads and Customers Defined
If you‘re home based business is with a network marketing or MLM company you may have already been exposed to your share of leads. So what is a lead? According to Wikipedia, sales leads are basically potential customers. Keeping that definition in mind will help you as I move along in this article. Oh, and just in case you already forgot, a sales lead is only a potential customer.
What is a customer? To keep it fair, I will go back to Wikipedia to get the definition of a customer. "A customer refers to individuals or households that purchase goods and services generated within the economy." As you can see by the definition, a customer is purchasing goods and/or services already. So what do they have to do with your network marketing or MLM business? Well I’m glad you asked!
Customers - Needed but Missing?
Independent entrepreneurs with home based businesses need customers to survive. Without customers his or her business will not last. Customers are the heart and soul of any business, especially home based businesses. All businesses need customers to survive. People spending money to buy products or services bring in revenue, and revenue sustains a business in the long term.
Have you figured it out yet? I hope so, because if you have not, you’re probably like the majority of home based businesses, struggling. You may be putting in the time but have nothing to show for it. Why? Customers! Most MLM companies teach their independent reps to keep on recruiting, and recruiting; keep on bringing fresh blood into the system. And if you’re like that, you probably have more reps signed up then you have paying customers. That, my friend, is a ticket to disaster, for any business.
I hope this is starting to make sense?
Remember, you need revenue to survive. Revenue pays your bills. Revenue is where profits come from, and if you are not making a profit, maybe it’s time to get a job. I know I may be raining on your parade, but I’m also being honest. I have struggled in the past, but kept the faith and continued to move forward, continuing to get customers. It’s finally paying off! And you know why? You’re right, Customers! I now have customers, not leads.
Customers Buy Products
So, how can a struggling home business entrepreneur get customers? Do they buy leads, spend more money and try to turn them into customers? Do they knock on the neighbors doors? Do they set up a little shop a the local flea market, or set up a table outside their local Wal-mart? Nope!
How about buying customers?
That’s right; buy customers, not leads. I buy customers. Remember how a customer was defined, "…individuals or households that purchase goods and services…"? There you have the secret to success; buy individuals that are spending money, and doing it month after month after month.
I don’t waste my time trying to turn leads into customers. I don’t keep calling so-called "phone surveyed leads" that cost me four to five dollars. I DO NOT try to turn leads into a customer, because I don't buy leads. I buy customers! Plain and simple, and I'll tell you again, I BUY CUSTOMERS!
Is it starting to sink in?
I hope you are starting to see the light. I hope you are seeing what it takes for a person with a home based business to survive. Customers! I hope you are starting to see that it makes more sense to buy customers, than to purchase leads. I hope you are getting the picture about business. I hope you take a good look at your business, and see why you are not making money. If I was betting man, I would have to say that the reason your business is failing is because you do not have enough customers.
My hopes and prayer for everyone reading the introduction on this web site, is that the struggling individuals (maybe even you) would reevaluate their business, and really, I mean really, with wide open eyes, see if I’m right. I hope they see if the reason they are struggling making money is because they lack a necessity, the heart and soul, that every business needs to survive, customers. It just makes sense, and it makes for good business.
To learn how you can start making money by buying customers instead of chasing deadend leads, go to Home Business Marketing Group.
I wish you all the success in the world.
God Bless!
Jeffrey Sloe
