The N3-5M Question: Qualify Budget on Your First Call

Hello and welcome. My name is Tavishima Agidi. I solve sales and marketing challenges and I'm making today's recording at home. It's evening time, everybody's here, wifey and kids, so expect to hear noise in the background. Now, the goal of this podcast is business education. So please spread the word so that friends and family members in Nigeria and abroad can benefit from the questions that we tackle. They can do that by subscribing on Spotify, YouTube, Apple, or any player of their choice.

And if you'd love to connect with me, then you can call SMS or WhatsApp me on 08064662140. Today on the podcast is going to be another diary session for Rudolph, LC and chill. I think this is one of the meetings that we had maybe like, I think like last week. Sorry. Let me check my notes. That's what we've been up to. OK, So the meeting that we had basically. OK, yeah. So we're crafting or trying to come up with scripts for outreach.

OK. It's not really outreach per SE anyway. We say outreach, we're talking about sales. We just mean when you are reaching out to people. So outreach is you going out. It's not the same as inbound as far you're chilling in the office or you're just hanging on your phone and then, you know, somebody's trying to slide into your DM or somebody's trying to send you an e-mail. Now, the company that they work for, that's my client.

They work for my client company. They're part of the sales team. So the company ran some ads on Facebook, some advertisements on Facebook, Facebook. And let's see. OK, So what we did last week was we're supposed to come up with scripts for how we're going to address those people, how we're going to deal with those people who come in from the advertising campaign. Now, some of you are going to say scripts, like scripts how?

Like, I prefer to be free. I prefer to be, you know, my authentic self and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And, OK, maybe in any of any other area of your life. Yeah. But The thing is when it comes to business, not just pure BS, in fact, for most areas of your life, whether you like it or not, you are already scripted. You are scripted. Everything that you do or everything that you like that you like is a everything you do is a learned response.

So it's scripted. That's the reason why your wife can't say if I do this, you know my guy will be react this way. And that's the reason why your boyfriend can't say if I do this, my babe will. You know, because you are scripted, you really have some predetermined responses. So we all know how you're going to behave. Your kids know that your mom knows that your dad knows that everybody. So forget it, you're already scripted.

Just get on board. The only thing is just that in other areas of your life, you are unconsciously scripted. When it comes to sales and business development, we want to make sure that we are deliberately and proactively coming up with the right script that serves our own needs, serves our own ends, and also serves the ends of the customers as well. So let's just be deliberate about this thing. I stop talking about yours authentic self as in which kind of authentic self?

So, and if you're not convinced because some people who say no, if you're scripted, you sound like a robot and blah, blah, blah. This is one thing that I tell people that look, OK, what do you like on Netflix? They will tell me the know of the show and I say, look, do you know nothing was scripted? Some people get the point, some other people try to argue, but whatever it is that you enjoy on Netflix, you enjoy on DSTV, you enjoy on, I don't know, pick your kind of entertainment.

The thing is scripted. There's an outline that was supposed to follow. The thing is just that when you're watching a Hollywood movie, The actor knows how to internalise the script and make the script their own and give it unique delivery. So it comes across as compelling. That's the reason why for those of us who, you know, like in secondary school back in the day, you, you learn Shakespeare and all those things. So you do Shakespeare, Midsummer Night's Dream and all that.

You act it as students, you know, and it comes off, you know, it's totally rubbish. The problem is not the script, the problem is with the acting ability of the students and whether we were able to internalise it or not. Then you grow up and then you now hear that desert Washington is acting in mids of a nice dream and like there's a Washington like how? And then the movie came out and, you know, truly was there's a Washington that first was funny watching desert Washington, a black guy talking about, oh,

here, wherefore out down to this that, you know, at first it sounded funny. But The thing is, the performance it was it was it was believable. So I think it was made someone like a dream Abby, I can't remember. Anyway, if you have access to Google Now, just Google it. You know, just Google Denzel Washington and Google Shakespeare movie and then you you will see it. So the script is the same as in when we were secondary school boys trying to add that thing.

The script was exactly the same thing that Denzel Washington was doing. The difference was just that for we secondary school boys, we had not internalized the script, we had not mastered the script. We didn't know how to make it our own and we didn't know how to give it smooth, seamless delivery. That is the reason why you guys will see Desert Washington. And you say correct guy. And then you look at our secondary school boys and you say no, no, no, no, no, we come.

So the problem is not with the script, the problem is with the performer. The problem is with the sales professional. The problem is with the whoever. We need to make sure that we know the script, we can internalise it, we can make it our own so that when I'm talking to sales people, I say, look, this is how me, I would say that kind of thing. But you just focus on the principle, focus on the main point. Now deliver it in your own way.

There was a lady that I was talking to in the skin care space and you know, we had the conversation and at some point I had to tell her like, look, you know, based on your vibe and based on your environment, there are some people that you have to shoot this thing in EBO. I was just like, Are you sure? I say yes, no, like it happens all the time. As a wedding photographer, there were certain clients that we'll be dealing with and then my second schedule will come in,

You know, your my boy vibes and next thing they're doing batting, batting like me. I didn't mind that they're doing in batting, batting for me. The main thing was, you know, can we close this thing and let's get paid. So the script doesn't even have to be in English. It can't be in Houser, it can't be in Igbo, it can't be in Yoruba, it can't be epic. It can't be thief, it can't be in Donnie. It can't be any language. But you will have to make the script your own.

So don't listen to this podcast and say ah, script, script, script. No, I want to be free. Look anyway, for those of you who want to keep freestyling, your sales continue and then in two or three years, tell me how freestyling is working out for you. Just sit down, learn the principles, come up with a framework or come up with a script or come up with an outline or come up with a something that is going to guide the conversation.

Follow the thing. You will notice that some things work. Keep it there. You will notice that some things are crap or you're not comfortable saying some things. Delete those things and that is how you will improve. I get more effective over time and that is how your conversions will increase. Conversion just means when you're talking to somebody, how many people you're able to get to take that next step. So like in this case, they ran Facebook ads.

Conversion just means you ran Facebook ads. Let's say 1,000,000 people saw it, 800,000 people clicked. That is a conversion of the 800,000. I clicked and gave details. I gave permission for you to call. You call or 800,000. Then from the 800,000, maybe I put it now, maybe 800,000, maybe 200,000 say issued and proposal, let's say the rest people, they block you or maybe the ghost or something. Not 200,000. That's a conversion.

So every single time that somebody takes the next step, that is a conversion. And we are not going to improve our conversions unless we have a script, unless we have an outline, unless we have a framework, unless we have a guide for how we're supposed to carry out these conversations. And we keep tweaking this guide. So please don't come and say I don't want to be scripted. I want to be my authentic self. If you want to be your authentic self, stop listening to this podcast right now.

Stop. It's not for you. Now, for the rest of you who are OK with a script, with an outline, with a guide, with a framework, with a compass, with a prompt, with a whatever it is you want to call it, just call the name. That makes it easier for you. You have to come up with the script. Now there are general scripts or general frameworks or general outlines that people have in your head all the time that help with business.

Like when I tell people about greeting, intention, question, proposal, close. That's just a general framework that works with, you know, any scenario as when I meet you one-on-one, I'll greet you relevant greeting. From there I'll step my intention or I will get you to state your own intention because you can't just be faffing about and talking. Anyhow, we need to get straight down to the point. Why am I chasing you or why are you chasing me?

After that, there will be questions because I'll need to know some more. It is from knowing some more, I'll be able to give a proposal to say, OK, based on what we've been yawning, I think this is the next step. That's my proposal and then closes me getting you to take action. OK, if you agree with me, that is the next step, then how far? When is the next meeting or when I go to transfer the deposit or this is what I will do to take things to the next level or you this is what you should do to take things to the next level.

So that's a simple framework. Now, because people are responding to an Instagram advertisement, we now have to come up with a script that is tailored to that. And my goal in coming through this exercise basically was I wanted these people that Cheryl, Elsie and Cheryl to be able to go straight into qualification and discovery. Qualification and discovery is the part of the sales relationship or the business relationship where you're having conversations with people,

you're trying to figure out who's this person, what do they want? What do they need? What is the problem? What's the best that you know, we can, we can give them that's qualification and discovery. Some people call it need analysis. All join is all the same. I'm in front of somebody or trying to do some business and I'm trying to, I'm trying to analyse their need. What is it that this person needs? How does their own need to blend with my own need?

Oh, their own need is different from my own need. There's no blend. OK, we'll kill the relationship. There's no need for me to be talking to you because I can't help you. You can't help me. But if it's like, OK, this is their need. This is my own need. OK, the small connection. I might be able to get one or two things. Them too. They should be able to get one or two things. Then we make a proposal. We'll see how we can make it work.

So what they call the qualification and discovery or you call it need analysis, you know, it's up to you. I'm not too big on terms. Anyone that makes it easy for you to digest is all good. But for now, let's just say need analysis. It sounds less technical. So I wanted the team, Cheryl, Rudolph and Elsie to now be able to take a qualification framework or a need analysis framework and then blend it into their script. Because the problem with lots of us is we are having sales conversations, but we don't have any framework for how we are going to try and discover who are we talking to, what is their problem?

What do they need? Can we satisfy this need? That's what the qualification framework is about. Or we can call it need analysis framework. And the one I wanted to introduce to them is called BANT. BANT is BANT, it's an acronym and each word in the acronym stands for something. B stands for budget, A stands for authority, N stands for need, T stands for timeline. Again I repeat band, budget, authority, need, and timeline.

I am not saying this is the best qualification framework or need analysis framework. I'm just recommending it to them because based on the company, based on my vibe with them, it looks like this is 1 qualification framework that they will be able to remember and remember what I keep saying on the podcast. Easy to remember means easy to do. If it is hard to remember, you will not do it. So whatever frameworks you're you're picking, always pick the one that you know you can remember.

Because even if I'm sleeping and you walk out to me and give me slap, why you say tell me qualification, framework, what is bad? I will stand up and I'll repeat it immediately because it's easy to remember anywhere. You catch me anytime. So that's the reason why I'm telling them, because I suspect that it will be easy for them to remember. And also the same thing for them. They're sleeping and I walk into the room and I give them slap.

What is qualification of framework? Tell me what is bad. They'll be able to recite it for me. So that's the idea. By the way, I'm not that violent. Don't worry. If you meet me in person, I'm not going to slap you, except if you, you know, like if you misbehave and disrespect me then. But anyway, let's move on. So bad budget authority, need timeline. Now what that means is when we're talking to someone, this is a business conversation.

We need to be able to try and figure out what is their budget. If your product is 1.5 M and you're talking to somebody, their budget is 750K. You need to know that early because there is no meeting of minds there. You cannot take a 750K person and make them to double their budget. It's not possible. If your product is 1.5, the person has one M, OK, there's room. You can come down to 1.3. You might get them to move up.

If your budget is 1.5 the person is thinking or three M is A is a realistic budget, then you know Congrats for you. It means you'll be able to get the person to buy 2 items. But we need to know from the beginning, from as early as possible, what is our money expectation. That is just what B budget stands for in banks. What am I feeling when it comes to money? What are you feeling when it comes to money? Because there are sometimes that you're talking to some people and people are coming from a different angle.

You're coming from Mercury, them they're coming from Venus. There is no sale there. You continue to dance around. Let me think about it. You know, the truth of matter is you're a 1.5 person. The person is thinking 750K. There is no, let me think about it, there is no nothing. It can't be done. Well anyway. If the person really needs and it's an emergency, they'll find the money because like with medical things, I mean, that's how it happens.

Now, if you go there and the doctor says it's 5 million, what will you do? Will you let your loved one die? You'll come up with the money. But we need to know monetary expectations. Then next thing is authority. Authority just means who makes the decision because unless you know who is making the decision in this context, you're not going to know who to pull into the conversation. And an old example I've given on this podcast is when I was on a certain forum, this was online and I was talking about authority and decision making and things like that.

And one lawyer, she signified, I say, yes, sister, let's hear from you. She say, bro, this thing you're saying, I agree 100%. It has happened to me. I say that's happened to you. What happened? He said this, what happened? He said I was talking to my clients and it was for conveyance of land and everything was good. We had agreed on everything. Everything was, you know, like we were flowing. We're friends. We agreed on everything.

The husband was abroad. It was our own land. So we went ahead. Before the woman transferred the money, I even started doing work on my own because I was sure that it was a done deal. But then the woman's husband came back from abroad and then they talk. And then as everything scattered, he said, she said she was not doing again and the law was confused. It's like sister isn't on your own land and say, yes, it's my land, but my husband say, you know, blah, blah.

And that's how the whole thing scatter. And at first the lawyer was feeling very angry, you know, like most people would, you know, even thinking that can't you be a serious woman isn't on your own land. You can't put your food down, you know. But the lawyer, she now said that from what she heard me say, she now understood that you know what? We as the business owner, we as the professional, we are, as the salesperson, we are the ones that need to take the initiative to make sure we tidy up all loose hands, that if something falls through the crack is not the customer, therefore it is we.

Therefore we didn't do a good job. She didn't bother to ask any questions like, OK, this land is yours. Is this the sort of thing you'd feel comfortable discussing with your husband before we proceed? It costs you nothing to ask. If no one tells you no small, no small piece of land, why do I need my husband's opinion? No problem, You continue. In fact, when she even starts sounding like this, like you're not telling her.

But Madam, I asked you, you said it is my piece of land. Why do I need my husband's opinion if it's the kind of situation or the kind of cultural context, Because you know, cultures are different. And she says, oh, thank you for reminding me. Actually, it is true. Let me buzz my husband and he says, oh, I spoke to my husband. My husband is saying. My husband is saying. You say, oh, you know what? Let me have your husband's phone number.

Let me talk about him. Then talk, talk to him about it. I might be able to put his mind at ease. That's how you will now rescue the sale. But you need to know what's up. How do people make decisions about these sorts of things? Who do I need to be roping into the conversation? And believe me, it happens to everybody. That's happened to me. The way that it happened to me was this, I started off my wedding photography. That's happened lots of times,

but let me just stick to wedding for wedding photos now. I started off my wedding photography in Lagos. Now basically now in Lagos now everybody knows that when is wedding is the girl's family full stop, anything wedding is the girl's family. That's where we wedding vendors will collect our money. You're the caterer, you collect money from the girl's family, you're a photographer. The girl's family will pay video, the girl's family will pay wedding hall, the girl's family will pay wedding.

It belongs to the girl. That's how it happens in our whole leg outside. I now came to Abuja with that same mindset that if it is wedding, the girl's family will pay. And that's how I used to follow everybody and talk as if it's the girl's family will pay that I'll collect money from the girl or from the girl's father or from the girl's mother. And then there's this couple. The boy didn't seem involved in the process. No problem.

I was talking to the bride. So I continued talking with her. But the northern tribe, I would say the state. So when it now came that we decided everything, I was not time for money. The girl said, oh, OK, you actually have to talk to she now called her husband's name. I said what? He said yes, that's why I clarified that Oh no, isn't it the bride's family that takes care of photography? And he said no, no, no, In our culture, it is the groom's family in my mind.

And I thought, hi man, I have effort on the major scale because in the beginning when the guy didn't seem to involve me too, I just flashed him like, OK, I'm talking to the bride now I'm talking to the person who who pay my bread and butter. So let me continue with her. Is then I realized that Omar, I have messed up on a major. And of course, guess what, by the time I called him trying to re establish relationship, he was already talking with somebody and they had gone far.

And that's why I missed it. So these things happen to anybody, but we need to figure out authority. How do people make decisions around these sorts of things? Who are the people I need to be talking to? Who do I need to pull in? Sometimes that's how we lose money. They end up being like that lawyer and you start the work. The husband will now come and scatter everything. Or don't be like me. You're talking to the bride and you assume it is a done deal.

And that's what my mom said. I should stop counting money in my head. In my head, I was already counting how I was going to spend. You know, this money will go for this, this money will go for that, only for her to say, Oh yeah, you have to talk to my husband for that. And in my mind, I was thinking what the F because myself, I know that truly a fashion the guy because it was like trying to pull teeth to have a conversation with him.

So I was like to help with him. I'm talking to the bride. As long as I collect my money, I'm good. So authority really, really, really, really important. Then of course, need, that's what you're trying to figure out what they need, you know, so, So what do you want? Do you guys want candid photos? Do you guys want nice portraits? Do you guys want this? Do you want that? How many frames? How many books? In this case, since it's a solar team, that's Sheryl, Elsie and Rudolph, since what they sell is solar installations, You know,

that's the whole thing about what do you want to power? How many TV, how many debris are where do you live? Where Banana Island, can somebody come and do inspection? Let's see this. Look, the slant of your roof, you know, all those neat things. Basically, what do they need then? Timelines. Timelines just means when you're having a conversation with someone, you need to be asking questions so that you can figure out whether there's a sense of urgency and whether they are ready to take action anytime soon.

If you've been listening to the podcast for the last week or so, I've already said it a couple of times. Well, let me say it for the newbies, it is not enough that you're talking to somebody who has a budget and who has a need and you know how they make decisions. But The thing is, if they're not ready to make decisions yet, then you don't have a deal on the table. So like I keep saying as a wedding photographer, for those of you who are listening, if you're talking to a bride and she's paid up because she's the vice president's daughter and she has just been proposed to and she wants it to be you, it must be you because she likes your style.

But The thing is, the vice president's family and her family have not yet spoken. They've not agreed on meeting dates. They've not agreed on anything. My guy, you don't have a deal. You don't. What you do is you keep in touch with her. You keep calling her, messaging her Instagram, you know, whatever. Once in a while, go to VP's house, go and greet the family. You know, that's called relationship building, lead nurturing.

That's what you're engaging. Well, you can't tell yourself that you have a deal. You have a deal when you're talking to a bride. The bride has been proposed to, the family have met, they have decided all the time and they have booked wedding hall and the wedding is four months away. There's a sense of urgency now. It is clear that everybody's moving towards something so like back in the solar space. The example that I gave them was the first time that I trained them because this is my second engagement with them.

I reminded them of a client who was abroad. Sorry, the family was abroad, the guy is here, he went to go and visit them and the reason why he was talking was because he wanted everything to be said before the family comes in and the salesperson in charge, I asked her, OK, when is the family coming back to say I don't know And look, that's not acceptable Timelines is important if somebody drops a hint like that, The reason why I

want to do these things because my family is coming back and I want everything to be said. The next question is, oh, congratulations, That's, that's quite a that's quite a big decision. You know, family coming back for good, you know, yes. Or how would they cope with Nigerian schools or blah, blah, blah. You laugh. So, oh, by the way, Sir, when is Madam coming into town? And then you listen, if he says, OK, Madam and the kids, they're coming in October.

You now have a timeline at the back of your head. You now know how to be following, how to be following up on them. You now know how to chase this matter. So if Madame is coming October 1st, installation takes two weeks, payment takes one week to process, and then sourcing materials takes another week. So in other words, if Madame is coming in October 1st, it means that what comes before October, January, February, March, April,

June, July, August, September, October, I'll be September, August, September. So if my name is coming October 1st, it means that by August 20 something you should be closing the deal if this deal is going to move forward, realistically speaking. That's just an example, by the way. I don't know how long the installation takes and payment processing and things like that. So this is just me freestyling. So get a timeline, start walking backwards.

You now know how you start following up on people. So for the wedding photographer that the family has not yet met, they're going to meet next year. The wedding might be in two years. You just walk backwards. OK, this is how I'll be following this person. If the wedding is next week timeline. This is how I'll be following this person. So what about the timelines are this is how you know how you're going to be following the person.

But anyway, bottom line is if this is your first time you've been hearing about qualification frameworks or need analysis frameworks, you can see why this thing is important and you can see why lots of business deals fail. It's because a lot of you are just having conversation. Be your authentic self. And This is why I say authentic self is rubbish when it comes to business. What is your authentic self? Your authentic self will just continue with the conversation and you will get lost and you will miss the key points that you're supposed to be striking on.

So when it comes to sales, I beg your authentic self, throw it in the gutter. Authentic self does not matter here. Budget, money, share expectations, engage in that conversation. Authority Who is deciding on what hard decisions going to get made? Engage, Ask questions on that need. What do these people really really need? Do I have the skills or do I have the equipment? Do I have the team that can fulfil that? Engage in that qualification timeline.

Are these people ready to take action? I be These are just some curious people or their time wasters. Engage in the conversation now. Forget your authentic self. Authentic self has nothing to do in business. I already have my own problems. If I'm engaging with you, you're trying to tell me something. You're being your authentic self. Like you think I care about your authentic, your authentic self. I have a problem I'm trying to to solve here.

I'll throw your authentic self in the gutter anyway, sorry, don't mind me. Too many people just talk authenticity, authenticity, authenticity. People just be giving you cheap lumbar and you will be lapping it up. And then after three or four months, you now start feeling somewhere that I've been my authentic self, but the money is not coming in. Is there a problem with me? That's a problem with some of you running around saying all this cheap stuff.

You leave people feeling unsafe. The reason why their business is not moving is because of them. I meet so many people who feel like I see my personality. Am I too outgoing? Am I too shy? I mean, I'm too aggressive. Or is it my age factor? Is it my accent? Is it my height? And people are worrying about all kinds of irrelevant things. The problem is you've been having unstructured conversations. You don't have any kind of qualification framework or need analysis framework.

You don't know what's important. You've been missing the key things in the business. And because of that, when it comes to proposal, you don't even know what should go into an effective proposal. That's the problem. The problem is not your personality. The problem is not your complexion. In fact, those people who worry about all this stuff, I feel sorry for them. Like I met somebody who said it's easy for you because you're tall.

And I'm thinking to my mind, like what really? You think I it's easy for me to sell because I'm tall? OK, You you're short. What's going to happen? Doesn't mean you're going to be broke for the rest of your life. There are tall people who are rich. There are tall people who are poor. There are short people who are bastardly rich and can sell well. And there are short people who don't know how to market. Shishi, the height is not the problem.

Anyway, what was I OK, so I gave them some tips before we went into qualification. First thing I told them to do is before you call, make sure you do some data enrichment. Data enrichment just means try to find out some information about somebody because when somebody reacts to you online, when somebody slides into your DM to say good morning, are you available for social and so date or good morning on to make inquiries about solar 10 KVA.

When the person slides into your DM and you're a solar salesperson, all you're seeing on your phone is 080ABC DXYZ. Now the problem is it is hard humanly speaking, to have a conversation with ABCDXYZ. But if you take that number, you copy and paste it into Truecaller. You run the search and then Truecaller shows Chief Chukudi Maduka. You can see a picture is ready forming in your head. Before it was just 080ABC DXYZ. Now you know you're talking to Chief Chukudi Maduka.

You now copy that name. You paste it in Google. A LinkedIn handle will come up. An Instagram handle will come up. You will now see the guy's face. You know, like this picture from your head. Small makes it easy to carry the conversation. You don't know how you'd be following the guy to talk, whether you're saying good morning, Sir, good morning, chief. Good morning, Bros. OK, I hear you. Or you know, so data enrichment,

do some small research, get some extra information about this person. And like I told my sales team, Cheryl, Elsie Rudolph, it doesn't have to be fancy at this level. Do one minute. If you're doing more than one minute, you're just wasting your time. One minute, Truecaller, Google, Instagram, LinkedIn, that's all. You don't even have to click or scroll. Just copy, paste, look the one that is on the screen. Look, that's enough you need for now.

So that's data enrichment before you call. Then the first part of the script, because remember all these big, big story we're talking about essentially is on how to put together a script. We need an introduction for the script and the team what they agreed on was as their script will be good morning, my name is blah, blah blah from XYZ company. So no problem. I left it for them, although my own script is differential for me.

And have I introduced myself and I never introduced the company because nobody cares about my name, nobody cares about the company. I rather like to confirm if I'm speaking to the right person and then I go straight into it. So I'd rather call and say hello. Am I speaking to Miss Yemi Watkins? Yes, this is Yemi on the line Who is speaking? If she ask who is speaking, no problem, then I might now say my name. No, I'm Tavi Shimar calling from this and that.

The reason why I'm calling is but I don't start off by saying my name is Tarishman. This is my company, blah, blah, blah, nobody cares. But anyway, if you want to that's not a problem. Good morning. My name is and there's the reason why I'm calling now the excuse me the the main thing why I started now talking band with these people remember band budget authority need timeline is because this the ogre of the business who runs the solar company.

He did a very smart move when he was doing running this advert. He put a, what's it called? He put a criteria there, a something, a questionnaire so that when people are clicking through the advertisements, they would click the level of budget that they think is realistic and that is brilliant. This is a way of pre qualifying people in sales only say pre qualifying. We just mean we'll put some small homework in front of the person so that people will signal where they fall.

So for those of you who sell real estate and on the questionnaire, you ask them where do you want the property Metama this that that what is adequate budget? This that you know, all those things you're putting as prequel pre qualifying so that people who are serious, when they look at it, they say these people only have landing Metama and Guzapi and Apple Ha, this is beyond my budget. That kind of person will fill the form that is pre qualifying for chasing some people away.

And in this case, the budget there started from three M. In other words, anybody who is looking for solar solutions and they want and they think 1.5 is that budget. When they see that thing, they'll say 3 M don't feel again. So that's big qualification. So that part is good. So now I told the team, now look, since people have already dropped what they think is a realistic budget, in my honest opinion, this is where we should be starting the conversation by digging in on budget.

Now that's why I started quarreling with the team because some people think that that is too aggressive. But I told them no, no, no. This way you can be polite about it. You just start. Good morning, my name is Cheryl from XYZ Company. The reason why I'm reaching out is because you responded to our Facebook advertisement last week so as well. So do you remember? Oh, yes, I remember. I clicked on that Facebook advertisement.

OK, Sir, I noticed that you indicated a budget of 3 to 5 million. Is that correct person? So yes, I did that. And then hope you don't mind me asking, how did you arrive at that figure? And then you keep quiet. I hear what they have to say. Now. Some of the people thought that was too direct. And I understand, you know, it's not for everybody, but The thing is you need to get feedback in this case on their budget because based on the answer they give you, you will now know whether you're talking to a workout pass, somebody who is serious or somebody who has done research on solar before, you know, So you need to find a way of asking.

So in that meeting, we've had three meetings since then. So basically the three meetings have been me talking to Cheryl, Elsie and Rudolph to get them comfortable with this idea and to come up with their own style about how to engage people on this budget, on this money thing. Because if you do not see solar is not cheap. For those of you who are selling things that are not cheap, you need to be able to engage very well and very early on the money thing or else you will spend 4

weeks talking to somebody that was a workout pass from day one. It is not the person's fault, it is your own fault. You should have done the homework to be able to separate the people. Who is serious? Who is a workout pass, Who is curious, Who is a time waster, Who is ready to go? It is you who is supposed to do the work. So engage early on this budget thing, especially for those of you selling expensive things, engage on budget early.

So because I've been wrestling with the sales team now for 2-3 days, I went to the whole drama of how we've been coming up with individual scripts. But I hope you appreciate what it is that I'm saying. Each of them has to come up with an individual script, an individual prompt, an individual outline, an individual approach, an individual philosophy that they feel comfortable with. And then we write it down in bullet point format to guide us so that every single time we're having a conversation with a customer, the team will just be flowing.

That is how you achieve that dance on Washington status. Dance on Washington was beautiful in Midsummer Night's Dream because he internalized the script. And he said, yes, Shakespeare said it like this, but because, you know, I'm an African American, you know, I will say it like this. I will say it like this. He internalized it. And the reason why me and my classmates, we messed up in Midsummer Night's Dream is because we were just trying to cram Shakespeare and say,

wherefore our, you know, just put everything like that. So to be like Denzel Washington also, some of you will not even know who Denzel Washington is. He was a, some people consider him a fine boy, like my wife thinks he's a fine boy, but he's a much older actor, American actor, African American. And you just Google him. You, you will see him. I'm sure you seen, you know, some of his films. So that's how you achieve that status.

You take the script, you internalize it, you make it your own, you practice on it so that in the business context, somebody calls you say, oh hello, I want to make inquiries for 10KV. You think we'll just continue automatic like that. So me if I'm sleeping and my children just was so dad, dad, your phone is ringing and I take and I say hello is a potential customer. The way the thing will just flow smooth. You won't know that I was snoring is because the script isn't analyzed.

I'll just pick up a conversation will just continue just like that. So that's what we're trying to get to. So all you authentic self people throw your authentic self in the gutter, right? Let's sit down, let's come up with a framework. Let's look for the one that you know will be sweet in your mouth and let's keep practicing it. When you're comfortable practicing making it your own, we can now go into the world. And funny enough, this is what I

tell people, when you go through this process, it is then your authentic self will shine because you are now relaxed. You're focusing on the other person, you're focusing on your process, you're focusing on trying to pull out certain kinds of information. It is then your authentic self will now show. So your authentic self, people, the way to unleash your authentic self actually is to forget about yourself. Come up with the process, keep your eye on the ball, focus on what we're trying to achieve here.

Your authentic self will always show that. Some of you listening to this podcast now, you don't like me, you will never like me. My authentic self is shining through, but that's because I'm focused on one thing. This is a business podcast. I'm trying to deliver to you guys actionable intelligence so that tomorrow, 8:00 AM, you can go and start putting certain things into action because I'm doing that. My authentic self is just shining through.

I can't hide it. It's shining through. The people that will put off you will put off the people that you will attract, it will attract. So you authentic self people, this is how you get yourself authentic self into the business game. Focus on the process, focus on the framework, focus on the things, the information that you're trying to elicit. The authentic self will just flow naturally. So somebody who is approaching the situation and he's thinking,

BANT, what is the budget? What is the authority structure? What are the needs? What is the timeline, it will come through. If you're rude, your rudeness will come through. If you're polite, your politeness will come through. If you're assertive, your selfiness will come through. If you're a coward, your coward leaders will come through. But at least you'll be on the right track. You're getting the information that you need to be able to close the deal effectively.

OK, so it is 40 minutes. Let me just bring it to a close. Let me look. Let me see again, what does it we talk about? And it basically I just did. And then I spent three days wrestling with them to get them to commit because to be honest, it takes a while. Some people feel like it's rude. How will I start interrogating people? But anyway, we'll talk about that some other day. How we stop it from sounding like an interrogation.

I don't want this to be another 15 minute episode. So that's it and that's all. Remember if you love to connect then you can call SMS or WhatsApp me on 08064662140. Thank you very much for your time and attention. I will catch you next time. Same place in your headphones or in your speakers.