A marketing moment: rate your prospects.

Being a fan of John Madden, former profootball coach and current sports announcer, I like to use the MADDEN test for a new client:

M--Money

A--Accessibility

D--Desirability

D--Decision Influencers

E--Eligibility

N--Need

Money. Be alert to various factors that will answer these questions: Will this prospect have the ability and willingness to pay a premium or full fees? Who were their previous accountants? Who are their other advisers? What do their facilities look like? On what scale are their products and services?

Accessibility. In order for you to sell your services, you must sell to people who can decide to hire you. In other words, if you are selling organs, don't waste your time talking to the monkey. You must have access to decision-makers and influencers. Untrained accountants waste an enormous amount of time talking to low-level decision influencers. Generally, if you cannot access the key decision influencers, your message will not get through. As a general rule, if key decision influencers will not talk with you, most times this indicates that they are not serious about changing accountants.

Desirability Next, ask yourself, "Does the prospect have the desire, or interest, to work with me or our firm?" If the client has the money and you can access the decision influencers, but they do not desire to work with you, they won't.

Decision Influencers. The next qualifier relates to the decision influencers. After you reach them, you must also understand their needs, desires, and perceptions.

Eligibility Is the prospect eligible to do business with you? This question relates to risk, industry, expertise, enjoyment, and many other factors you may set for eligibility. Rainmaker David Morgan says, "If we come into contact with a municipality, we will stop right there. We do not do government agencies. They are not eligible to work with us."

Need. Does the prospect have a need for the services you provide? This question should not be held till last. Often, it will be the second or third qualifier.

You may want to set up a scoring template for qualifying prospective clients along the lines of the Madden test.

Keep in mind that selling is about making sales, not about walking away from opportunities because you have too quickly made an emotional decision or judgment based on the wrong reasons. I am not advising that you give up too soon, or that you abandon creative sales appeals. I am, however, suggesting that you have a walk-away philosophy and strategy that you can use when the value of current business or potential business is in question.

Troy Waugh, a full-time marketing and sales consultant to the accounting industry, lives in Brentwood, TN. He may be reached at 615-373-9880.