We marketers spend our time discussing target market, ideal client, core message but do we really listen to it! Do we take our own advice? That is the question I see many prospects questioning. We preach(ok, speak), give webinars, and even write books on the subjects. But do we ever not friend someone or hesitate about adding someone to our social media list. They might just become a client. So, we just say how can we help you and cram them into our funnel.
That says many times we just did not qualify them. Sound better! How ever, I think we should put another hole in our sales funnel. Just not at the bottom, maybe in every section. Accept the prospect, and than see if he fits through our funnel. If we struggle keeping him in the funnel have a pressure relief valve that leaves him exit gracefully.
Wonder why we get bad clients? We are successful at cramming them through the funnel instead of leaving gravity do its job. You can provide an easy path and even accelerate it but stop trying to overcome objections, just provide answers to them and leave good old gravity take its course.
P.S. There is another way of getting people out of your sales funnel, it could be overflowing.