When I started designing and selling kitchens and baths, anyone who walked into the department could become a design appointment.
Sometimes they were serious.
Sometimes they had measurements, a budget, and a contractor.
Sometimes they were simply curious.
And because the design service was free, there was very little separating the two.
I learned fairly quickly that I didn’t necessarily need more people walking through the department.
I needed better prospects.
So I began paying more attention to the people who were already working with homeowners I wanted to meet: contractors, appliance professionals and others whose clients were already planning substantial projects.
Over time, a relatively small group of referral relationships began producing 50–60% of my business.
Those prospects arrived differently.
Someone they trusted had already told them who I was, what I did, and why they should talk with me.
The conversation started several steps further along.
That experience changed the way I think about business development.
More prospects aren’t always the answer.
Sometimes the better question is:
Who already has the trust of the people you want to serve?