Is Your Contact List a Goldmine or a Graveyard?!

Hello and welcome to the podcast. Today we are going to the question we're going to answer is or rather the issue we're going to tackle is how to decide who you're going to keep in touch with from last year. Now the reason why we're doing that is because I'm making today's recording towards the end of January 2026. And of course, in trying to grow our businesses, we've been in touch with people from 20/25/2024 and we're going through our contact lists.

So people are trying to reach out to us again and we are wondering this guy, this girl, this babe, this guy, this Udogu, this Madame, this whatever. Is this a person who is worth keeping in touch with or should I just delete this phone number and move on with my life? Now, the reason why we're looking at that is because I called someone a couple of days ago who is a marketer and he works with a very popular radio chain in Nigeria.

So the, the, the, they are headquartered in Lagos, but of course they have radio stations in Lagos and Abuja in certain parts of the East, you know. So it's, you know, radio stations that everybody knows and they have a really, really brilliant strategy because when they first started in Lagos, I think around that kind like Obasanjo era, you know, return to democracy after a batcha, they started off with 1 radio station and then they quickly figured out that they needed radio stations for different segments of the market.

So they came out with another radio station that was aimed at more of a news. So the first one was more like music and lifestyle. The second one was more of like news and business. And then the third one was built around pitching English. And you know, they have a couple here and there. So like I say, it's it's a it's a chain of radio stations. And of course, for those of you who are listening to the podcast, you know that I'm already on radio and I've been looking for ways to expand my influence in traditional media.

So my plans for ATV show didn't work out, but I'm trying to see how I can get on this, on this radio chain in particular because they don't have a business program. I mean, you know, radio stations have people trying to form like it's a business show. But really what it is is just, you know, find boys and find girls talking about entrepreneurship and giving you their own ideas. And at the end of the day, you know, they're not yawning anything particularly useful,

which is the reason why, you know, that, you know, the flavor just comes and goes. Somebody comes and like, oh, this is interesting. And then, you know, after 1/4 or two quarters, you know, they fizzle out. And that's the reason why you don't have any solid standing business show in Niger today because a lot of those shows aren't being anchored by people who are solid business professionals or business consultants. So yeah, I think there's a gap in the market and I'm trying to see how I can be on other radio stations so that those of you in Lagos, you can feel me as well because so far right now,

there's just people in Abuja who get to catch me on the radio show once in a while. That's for people who like radio. Oh, by the way, I forgot to introduce myself. For those of you who are old listeners, you already know, if you're new to the podcast, my name is Tavishima Ayede. I'm a former lawyer turned business consultant and every other day I come over here on the podcast and we try to solve business problems from a sales and business development perspective.

So if you're having business problems, issues with customers, issue with customer service, money is tight, you know, all those sorts of things, then these are the kind of problems that I've tried to solve over here. So subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, on YouTube, on Apple, on any player of your choice. Also, if you'd love to connect with me, I'm a fairly open guy, so you can call, send me a text message or a WhatsApp message on 08064662140.

You can call, you can send me a WhatsApp message. You can send me a text message if you want to connect. If you have questions, we have comments. If you have queries or if you want us to collaborate on something or you want a consulting session, then reach out. Or please profanity. I beg. You know, I'm reasonably chill, you know, and I keep saying it that, you know, you've been listening to the show for a while. So you feel like where guys are like you know me, but honestly speaking like I'm cool with everyone.

Well, just know that the first time you call me, actually it's it's like it's the first time I'm meeting you so well, let's just say chill with the. Profanity. You know, some of you all I said, let me just leave it like that. Let's let's let's leave you in between the lines. So no profane language. I beg you know I'm cool and we can. Relate as as guys, you know, as homies, but watch you with the language. I beg you know I don't like profanity.

So where was I? So who do you keep in touch with from last year now? So I said I called this guy now this marketer, I mean we've been in touch 2024-2025 and then he's 2026. So I started to holler the guy, especially now since I want to be on radio myself. Now How I Met the guy was two years ago I had one person, OK, this person didn't become a client because they came in through the radio show in Abuja. That's Radio Maria where I'm currently on, where I currently host the business booster show.

So there was somebody who wanted to be on radio and I told him, now look, this is not going to work on Radio Maria, you know, for. One or two reasons. However, I can call someone up who has connects with this particular radio station, that particular radio station. Let's see how can get you a 15 minutes segment every single week, unless if we can use that to drive your sales. And the guy thought it would be a good idea, but you know, later on he got cold feet.

So that's how I got connected to this marketer for the radio chain. So I sent the guy, I hooked them up, but the deal didn't work out. And then in 2025, I sent somebody else and then the deal didn't work out. So neither of the referrals that I tried to hook up for this marketer, neither of them worked out. So it's generally 26 now. I decided to buzz the guy. So I hollered the guy. I'm like, oh, got to know what's up now.

You did. And then from where he answered like I didn't find no, you know, the way he was hesitation. I could tell that he didn't know who he was. So eventually he confessed like, Bro Novex, I didn't store your phone number. So I laughed. I said, so is it because the small business I tried to send to you last year, the thing didn't click. That's why I didn't stop my number. You deleted my phone number. The guy laughed and then he confessed.

They say, ah, that there's no time for wasting time or like last year, that he's not in the mood for wasting time this year. And of course, you know, I can't begrudge the guy. I understand because you can't just be keeping contact on your phone anyhow because if it's like that, I mean check it like you probably have about two 3000 contacts on your phone as it is. So if you don't even go to the hassle of, you know, deleting people and stuff like that, you know, you just be having contact upon contact though that you don't even need.

But anyway, he was a gracious guy. So we continued the conversation. We did some, did some needs analysis. He tried to figure out the concept of the business radio show that I want to do. He suggested two of the stations that he could work. We started discussing numbers and of course when we hit the numbers, I realized that man, this impasse, my power because these are the radio stations that he represents are really,

really popular. And so far for me to be on the air for a 15 minute segment, I'd be even a 30 minute segment, not even the full one hour that I like to do on Radio Maria. It's going to cost me about 2.7 million a month. And then of course, this is an experiment I want to run for one year. So I'm watching need 24.8 million for the whole year. And you know, I told the guy because I like to be frank with people, I don't like to lead people on anyhow.

So I told together, look, we run the numbers and honestly speaking, I don't have 25 mil right now. And even if I had the other things that I would do with it. So I don't think I'm going to be going ahead now. He tried to propose a quarterly thing so that we could test the idea. I was like, oh, OK, so it actually does make sense. So I don't have to come up with 24M on the spot. But I still told him that, look, it's kind of pricey for me, but I definitely will be in touch if anything.

And then that's how the conversation ended. And of course, I know that the guy is not going to store my number this time because as he said that he has no time for wasting time this year in 20/20/2026. So you know, if it's not a sure thing, he's just going to X you one time. And I don't blame the guy because we actually do need to manage our bandwidth, you know, in in business. So, you know, you can't just be keeping numbers for the sake of keeping numbers and following up for the sake of following up.

Now it got me thinking and that's the reason why we're doing today's podcast episode. There are some of you who are currently listening to the podcast right now who are in that mind frame. Like you've woken up, like your eyes are red, like this is 2026 and you don't have time to waste time. Anybody who's going to be a time waster this year, you just want to tell them to F off. You know, you just like if you're not doing get out of my sight, you know like that is your mind frame right now, like you don't vex.

You don't want anybody to waste your time if. This thing is not moving forward. Sit down and get behind me like that's your mind frame so I understand. What I want to do now is to give you guys a. Proper framework for thinking through these things. Who should I keep on my phone? Who should be that? Who should I be buzzing once in a while from my phone? Who should I delete? Entirely. And then who are people that I should block them first before I

won't delete them so that they can never ever reach me again? Only give you a framework for doing it because from what this marketer is doing, I get the impression. That he, like most people, is doing this on an individual basis, you know, based on feeling. And trust me, your feelings are not always correct because there are people in the past as a wedding photographer that people in the past that I said, you know what this babe, she's useless.

And I deleted a number. But then business came later on through it because the Babe reached back out again as. Far I didn't cover her wedding, but she supplied me good business later on. There's also another person that needed something done and wanted to call in a favor. I said OK, no problem I'll do it for you on a favor. But then. As she started to price now as if he's pricing groundnuts, I say. I start feeling insulted.

Like see this girl why she looked me on my she looked me down. She's thinking that this is the level that we are when a based on past history. I just went ahead and did the whole thing for her. Later on, she apologized, you know, that she was in a really rough spot and stuff like that, that she didn't mean to do that and everything. And from her, actually, I got some like I got my best client ever, you know, through her.

So what I'm just trying to say basically is that if. You leave it based on individual feeling. There are some people that you're deleting from your contacts that you know prospects Day, like business can actually come from that. And if you leave it based on feelings, there's some people that you keep in that. Honestly speaking, you suppose yours delete them now because our feelings are not. A very good. All I say now, another very good way of determining what is right or what is wrong, objectively determining what it is that we should do.

So don't be looking on this thing based on individual something based on feeling based on, you know, like we spoke on the phone. This is the vibe I'm getting there for. Let me ask this person, No, no, no, it's not like that. You have to think through things very carefully and the good thing is sales have some tools that we can used to think through that. So basically, before we delete somebody, before we block somebody, or before we block and delete the person and before we consign them to the.

Peace of hell. And yes, I'm not being dramatic. Yesterday I parked somewhere because I need to make a quick phone call. And then this woman, she walked up to a roadside POS person. So you get credit. The guys say yes. And then she told her, I give me MCN. She bought like empty and warned one key and she loaded on her phone. And then she'd even wait to get back into her office because because her spirit was peppered, her spirit was troubled out there in the middle of the road.

I was thinking, Madam, is this necessary? Like this is a bit much like you're standing in your in your high heels looking all corporate and everything looking sweet powder on your face. Skin is nice and smooth and she begin the vex as in the way she was. The way, oh the the way she was on the phone, Kai, I could not believe it. I could not believe that a respectable person could be this worktop. She picked up the phone.

How are you? How is business? And then, out of nowhere, she began to unleash. That it will not be good for you this year, in Jesus name that shut up. I say say Amen. You will not be well for you, You will not be well for your children, will not be well for your husband, blah blah blah. I say say Amen, say Amen. If you not say Amen, I will say, I will say Amen will not be well for you and for your children and for your destiny in Jesus name.

You want to ruin somebody's business, You want to rubbish me, You want to do this to me, You want to da da da da da da. I bind you, I cast you and something, something, something in Jesus name. And of course the person on the other phone refuses to say Amen. So she started supplying the Amen, the Amen, Amen. Disaster for you, disaster for your husband, disaster for your children. I was just there quietly just wanting Madam like, like, like what?

What's happening? That is, you know, it's just, it's just business, is it? Anyway, I had to mind my business. I just waited for her to finish her her session then so she can walk with me. I can make my own phone call. But almost that's the weirdest stuff I've heard I've seen so far for January 2026. So what am I saying? Forgive me, I can't remember how I got here. Anyway, sure there are some people who are who you know you have some contacts on your phone and it's not just a matter of deleting or blocking the person you actually want to send that person straight to hell with your prayers.

By the way, for those of you who are Christians, I don't think it's a good idea that you should be using Jesus name to pray that kind of prayer. That will not be well for you, won't be well for your husband, won't be well for your children. Like, relax. Now what did the children do? You won't be well for your children. Oh, go. People. The Vex. Go when, you know, when money is involved, you know, that's what happens. Our passion really get the best of us and see this thing.

I'm saying I did not make this thing up. I witnessed this thing yesterday. I would have even recorded itself to show my wife. It's just that the way the one was vibrating, even though she was dressed corporate, if you saw me, she would have slapped the hell out of me. You know, you know this Nigerian now if you slap me and I want to defend myself, you know, everybody will now be holding me back. So the only thing I'll be able to do is just stand there and then be chopping a slap on top of that.

I don't know. So anyway, aside the mind my business. So we now have to come up with objective, objective systems, processes, frameworks, some sound principles for to, to decide when are we going to keep this number on my phone, When am I going to delete this person? When will I block this person and when will I? Even if you don't want to wish somebody well, I'll put it anyway. Let me leave the whole thing. All right, So what are the rules?

It's very simple. In sales, we have something that is called lead management. Lead management, of course, you already know what management means. I mean, management is just the idea that, you know, nothing is plentiful, nothing is abundant. So because of that, you could manage small, small, you could economize, you know, you will determine how to use the resources that you have. So not everybody has all the leads you want in the world.

If we had all the leads you want in the world, we can, we can be anyhow, like me, if I have all the leads I want in all the leads I had in the world, you know, I can be telling people, you know, get away to hell with you, blah, blah, blah, you know, because if you go, another person will come, Abby. So you guys manage the leads that you have. Now a lead is somebody who has done something visible, done something that you can see, done something objective, done something outside of you, done something that everybody can see that shows that maybe this person is interested in my product or my service.

Now I'm trying to define this very, very clearly because some people think they have leads, but actually what they have is a contact. A contact just means you have somebody's house address, somebody's phone number, somebody's e-mail address, and you know any which which you want to go and find out where there's room there. Now at that stage, that's just a contact. Honestly speaking, that's just a contact. There's not every single phone number on your phone that is a lead.

Some phone numbers on your phone is just contact. You are thinking that you have 1000 leads. There's no 1000 leads you have on your phone. It is 1000 contacts. Now when the other person does something to show that they might be interested in your product or your service, Now this person is a lead. All right, This person is a lead. So back to my wedding photography days. When I jam somebody on the business Expo floor and we are just talking, that person is a contact.

If I collect the phone number or that person is just a contact. But then when the person does something that gives me reason to believe that they might be interested in wedding photography or video, which is what I used to do back then, now this person is a lead. So in sales, we now have principles. We now have rules. We now have guidelines for how we deal with leads. Now the first thing we have to understand when we're dealing with leads is not all leads are created equal.

There are some people that will do something that shows that they might be interested in your product or your service. Like that guy that I keep talking about who was outside my son's school giving out Flyers. The reason why I'm still using him over and over again is because I like the guys spirit. Their website is real fancy. The Instagram handle is real fancy. You know everything on point. Clearly this is an upscale something, but still it didn't stop that guy from going and dropping Flyers.

You know you never know. This is sales. You attack it from every single angle. The one that works, double down on it and do some more. The one that does not work, discontinue and then do not do it again. So I like the guys drive. I like his VM. So as a guy, they drop flyer now up and down, put it on people's car, give it to daddies, give it to mommies. There's some people who will call into the shop. Now the person who calls into the shop is a lead because the person has done something that you and I can see that shows they might be interested in the product or service.

So if somebody calls in. And says, oh, hello, I got your number from the flyer. You also have my son's school. Do you have Ben 10 school bag, Ben 10 flask and Ben 10. You know, whatever. Sorry, forgive me. I don't know what's raining these days. So let me just use a Ben 10 because when my little one was little, very, very little, those are the kind of things are raining back then. So if somebody calls in now, that person is now a lead.

They have now done something to show that they might be interested in your product or service. So it means that there might be room for business growth here. It means that this is the kind of person that you can follow up with. However, not all leads are created equal. There are some leads that are warm and there are some leads that are hot, and there's some leads that are cold. I repeat. And by the way, this is a metaphor.

I'm not talking about body temperature, but don't go and be touching people to feel their temperature. Which reminds me, during one of the bridal Expos, my business partner at the time checking, he brought in one guy to come and help us on the floor, one of his interns and the intern, you know, the guy that you feel like say, you know, in a fine boy, you know, and I understand, you know, I know that type now, you know, 6 foot 2, you know, yellow skin, shaving, carving on points, you know, slim guys,

slim jeans. You know that hole? Whatever. And then so I already warned him when we got there. I looked, I behave yourself. Oh, I know you think you're God's gift to women, but you know, this is a wedding Expo. Any woman that you see here is spoken for any they're either married or they're about to marry. So when you when you come here, please respect yourself. I really want him because when you come for these things, you will see them all.

You see them big, you see them small. You see all robot. You see slim, you will see bomb shots, you will see hijab dress. You will see halter neck, you see backless. You will see that you will see. Everything there. So I had to warn him that look control yourself. I understand me too. In the beginning when I entered, I had never seen so many babes in my life. I say what is going on here? If only I was single. So I told him control yourself.

He said no problem. That's our one point. He was talking to a lady and he now touched on the hand the girl was given back backhand. So I went and I intervened and after that I told him that look, we already had this conversation. You're trying to attract people's attention. You're trying to bring them to the booth. Do not touch anybody. Like who are you touching? Why is she your wife? Is she your sister? Is she your daughter?

Is he your mother? So he said ambos also also touch. I say that one is different. You see us, we are men. All the other vendors here, they're women. A woman can walk up to another woman and touch the woman on the hand and say, sister, come to my stand. No one is different. The woman touching woman is different, but a total stranger. You don't know anybody here. You walk up to a woman, you now touch a hand and say sister,

come to my stand. So you're lucky down money tell you like proper slap. So I told him and just in case there's some young men who are listening now please, you go for a business exhibition. You're trying to get people to your booth. How did I get here? OK, I was talking about temperature, warm, hot or cold. And I was saying that don't touch people to feel that temperature. So for Business Expose, please, those of us who are young men,

you will notice at Business Expose because it is tight and we're trying to get people's attention. You'll notice that some women actually walk up to other women and touch the woman on her shoulder or or on her. What do you call the parts that is between the shoulder and the elbow? And then get their attention and then from there direct them to the sand. Yes, that is something women can do because they're women. We were men.

Don't try that. It is perceived differently. So please, young men, take dressing. It's not everything that you see female salespeople do that you feel, oh, OK, if a woman salesperson can do it, me as a man salesperson, I can do it. It's not the same. The rules are different for women than men. I'm not the one who made the rules. It just is. We are perceived differently when we're on the floor while on the sales floor.

Sorry, I'm exhibition floor. OK, then let's see what else. So these are either warm, hot or cold. Now when we say warm, hot or cold and we don't need physical temperature, we're just using temperature as a metaphor because there are some situations where people are warm towards you, then there are some situations where people are hot towards you, and then there's some situations where people are cold towards you. So remember back to our university days, we young men,

all of us would have gone through it. You remember that time in uni where there was somebody that you wanted to die for, you wanted to die on? These girls matter. You are ready to shed blood. You are ready to sacrifice your life. Bodies. Babe no send you at all. She no send you. It didn't matter what you did. She no send you, She no rate you. She can't see you. You're invisible to her. You're dead to her. You're like her.

You're like her toenail. In fact, her toenail is even better because at least her toenails, you wash her leg and she will Polish her toenail like she can't even see you, like you don't exist. So all of us, we've all been there. That is, when somebody is cold, there's no room. Cold, absolutely cold. The light is red. Don't move forward, don't pass. Go. Then we all know that situation where maybe after small heartbreak, now you find another guy.

Sorry, another girl and then you think she's kind of cute. She thinks you're kind of OK. There's some there's some warmth there, you know, you guys talk, you know, she's nice. There's some warmth. You might make progress. Sometimes it looks like you're making progress. Sometimes you look like you're not making progress, you know, is warm. There's there's room for growth. And then there are times when we're lucky that you find someone and then this one is a hot opportunity.

Like she's the one that is now saying if it's not you, I will kill myself. That one is a hot opportunity. And then of course, you know, it's the same for ladies as well. There's a situation where especially in this part of the world where where at least during my time when I was in university, you know, was not considered the some, you know, and shall I say, I don't know what the word is, wasn't considered the classy thing for woman to take the initiative.

So back in those unique days now if you saw one fine boy that you're liking, but then the guy doesn't know that you exist. Maybe you're a Mary Amaka. And then the guy is his eyes is up, up, up. He's only looking at club chicks, you know. And so that one is a cold situation. You like the guy, you try to say hello, but situation cold because his eyes is outside, he's looking at something else. He's not looking at it. He's not looking at the churches.

That like you. Cold. Then it's another person. You think maybe he's fine. Maybe you're, you know, you kind of get along your hair as a warm situation. And then those situations where sometimes you know, you're the one who's just minding your business and then the guy wants to die on top of your head. He says you're the best thing since sliced bread. He said after God and my father and mother is you before anybody else.

So that kind of situation and that is a hot situation. That guy is hot for you. That's why, you know, back then they would say that this guy has the hots for you because the situation is HOT, hot. Now, just like in business, the temperature, I say just like in personal relationships, this temperature also is there when it comes to business. But then this is how you determine in business whether a lead is hot, whether a lead is warm or whether a lead is cold.

Because in relationships, you know, if you see it, you know you, you will, you will know. OK, well, not necessarily because there was this girl that I liked in my year 1 and I thought that this was a warm opportunity, although she disqualified me because she said she was older than me, but no problem, let's be friends. So I thought it was a warm opportunity to you. I thought age was the problem. And I found out like 20 years later when some mores were some of our friends were hanging out.

And then one of my friends, Beola Beola asked me. They said come, come, come, come. Terry, I've always wanted to ask you that period between you and like, what was that about? And then I told her the honest truth from my own end. I said, you know, I liking each other, but she disqualified me. She said that you know, she she's senior me. So it's not it's not a good something. And then that's how be Allah told me be Allah said laughing says now what she told you.

I said yeah, She said no. She said that she could not stand you that she was irritated by you. I said I was shocked. I said really? Then that's how the other girls who else was there could be could be even put math. I said now you didn't know. I said he I did not know. That's when I found out the truth two decades later, that somebody that I thought was a warm opportunity was actually dead cold. By the way, women listening to this podcast, if you don't like this guy, please just tell him,

cut him loose. You'll be hard now, but just tell him no now. He will go and cry after he cries waiting on me, and then he'll go and play PlayStation with his boys. Give him two weeks, he'll be fine. Just tell him no now instead of dragging it out for two years. The guy is irritating you, coming to visit you every single day for two years. You're giving yourself a necessary headache. Just look the boy straight in the face.

And anyway, let me not be giving relationship advice here. After all, my mother says if anybody listens to my relationship advice, that to go and hang. All right, where was I? So in business. Now, how do you tell the difference between a warm lead, a cold lead and a hot lead? Now? It's very simple. Remember, temperature is just a metaphor. We're looking at two things here. Number one, prior context or prior information.

And then #2 we're looking at qualification. I'll explain. But in sales, whether somebody's a warm lead, a cold lead, or a hot lead depends on #1 prior context or prior information. And then #2 is the person qualified or qualification? Now, when we say prior, prior just means before. So prior context or prior information means I know you before you. And I, we've been there, relate small, small. Like I kind of know you.

You kind of know me. There is some previous history, some previous backgrounds, some previous, you know, we are not total strangers. So if you're total strangers, total, total, total strangers. This is a cold situation. If you've been hearing of them, they've been hearing of you. You're kind of in the same circles and hair, this is warm. If somebody absolutely knows you, in fact, you're the one that they've been looking for.

This is hot. So excuse me, I'm recovering from a cold. Anyway, the hot lead thing has only happened to me once and man, I can tell you it is the best feeling in the world. I was at what was it called again? I can't remember the name of this bird, Osho. It was a while back then I was at the stand and then this lady walked up to me, northern lady. And then she said, Hey, Tavishma aide. I said, yes. I feel like, oh, my gosh, you're the one that I came here to see.

Hey, I felt on top of the world. I say, hey, I say, I'm A Celebrity photographer. I say I felt on top of the world. When you meet a hot lead, it is sweet. It is very, very sweet. She said she came to that show because she wanted to see me. And we had a chat, you know, about everything. And the wedding was going to be in two years and that, you know, it has to be me and that she knows that I'm expensive and she can't afford me.

But any which wish her that we must make this thing happened. That's the only time that I had a hot lead as in our minding my business and then the client, the customer dying to pursue me. Oh, that was a good feeling. But then he has only happened to me once. For those of you who happen, it happens to you all the time. Don't take it for granted or take it for granted and we haven't experienced it. Don't worry. When you experience it, Oh, it is the biggest high in the world.

It's the biggest high in the world. Anyway, we went through the whole thing. We ended up becoming quite cool, you know, friendly, you know, on a personal basis. And then she also sent a couple of people my way. So when you have a hot lead, it is a beautiful thing. It is a very, very beautiful thing. All right, so prior context. If there's no prior context, you people are total strangers. I don't know you. You don't know me.

Nothing. Commerce that's cold. If we have one or two personal connections, we kind of know each other. Maybe they've seen you on social media. It's somebody else who's referring you. OK, this is warm. Well, then hot is like they know you, they desire you, they are chasing you. They say it must be you. That is totally, totally hot. So you can see prior context. There are some leads on your phone that you have a prior context.

There's some leads on your phone that you don't have any prior context at all. But let's hold that one now. The number 2 is like the main one, qualification. Are they qualified or not? It is not everybody who's qualified to have your time. And that is the reason why in sales we've come up with qualification and discovery frameworks. Qualification and discovery frameworks are how I put it. Now, first of all, there are conversation frameworks or question frameworks.

So there are a series of questions that you'll be asking people so that you can figure out whether this is the right kind of person to spend your time with. So the first time I was exposed to this idea of qualification was when my brother sent me Brian Tracy, the The Psychology of Sales, the audio track, not the book. And when Tracy was talking about people who want your product, who need your product, who can afford your product.

And Omar for me was an eye opener because on to that point, I was treating everybody as equal. I was chasing every, every, every single person. But there are some people who are not interested in your product or service. Why are you wasting time with them? They're clearly not interested. Delete that person and move on. There are some people who are interested and maybe they don't have money now. OK, those are some people that we can be hanging on to.

Then there's some people who are interested and they have they have the, the, the, the money, but maybe they don't trust you or they don't like you or they don't, whatever. Now it's going to be a hard sell. But you see that with qualification frameworks, we can start thinking this through through these things rationally. So we what Brian Tracy said now want, need, afford. If you're always talking to somebody and in your mind you're thinking want, need afford, want need afford, you can quickly grade the person in your mind,

whether is 1 / 3 or 2 / 3 or 3 / 3. If it is a 3 / 3, then what are we talking? This person is qualified. Begin the pursue. It doesn't mean you close the deal, but at least objectively speaking, you have seen three things out of three or two things out of three start to pursue. But then if you're talking to somebody, and so far we've had three meetings and it's 0 / 3, do they want this thing? I can tell. Do they need this thing?

I can't tell. Are they interested? I can't tell. Can they afford this thing? I can't tell. Why am I wasting my time? So qualification frameworks really, really important. And that's why I keep talking about them over here on the podcast. So want, need, afford, very simple. Anybody can roll with that. Some people take it a step further and they add urgency. Urgency just means the person has a reasonable there's reasonable chance that this person wants to take action anytime soon.

So want, need afford urgency. If they want it, they need it. Looks like they're interested. Looks like they can afford it, and it looks like they're about to take action next month. OK, out now in this case until they sell me. No, because this one is looking hot. So it's not really a qualification framework per SE, but for those of you who are hearing these kinds of things for the first time, it's an easy way that I want to expose you guys to these sorts of things.

Now, another popular qualification framework. People don't like it, but sharp, I talk about it because, you know, it's easy. It's only four letters. That is band. BANTB stands for budget, A stands for authority, NI say need, N stands for need, and then TT stands for timelines. And this is what band means. Sorry for my sniffling. B is budget. Budget just means money conversations. We need to have all those money conversations because we want to know whether this person can afford it or not.

And that is why I have these conversations early. In fact, with this radio guy, I mentioned to people that in less than 3 minutes, I quickly went straight into the money thing because I don't have about I don't want to waste this time. I don't want to waste my time. I want this program to run for one year. So I wanted to know the annual budget. By the time we run the math and I can see that it's 24.8 million. I tell the guy that look, you know what I can't, I can't do it on the other end.

If you're a salesperson and then your product is is is 24.8 million, you better bring up this money conversation quick instead of waiting 3 weeks and talking to the person only to find out that their own budget is 16.5. The gap between 16.5 million and 24.8 million is too big. There's no room. OK, well in this case, since this radio, this room, it just means you won't sell the person an annual package. You'd be looking at some kind,

you know, quarterly, you know something, you know, two quarters, 3/4, you know, something like that. We need to have these conversations early. That is what B is for budget. Have this conversation early. Oh Madam, it's been nice meeting you, it's nice talk to you, blah, blah, blah. Our typical products or happiest clients usually spend anything between 3:00 to 5 million for us to achieve this. Other than that, is that an investment you're willing to make?

Say it. Some people will say that 5 million is kind of steep, but can we talk some more? Let me see what it is you have to offer. When somebody talks like that, you know that there's room. Some people will say 3,000,000. What for this thing that if I go to Balogun, I will see it for 1.5 that kind of person. Why are you still talking to that person? The gap between both of you is just too far. So be budget. Next is authority.

Authority is about the decision making process. You want to be sure that you're talking to somebody who can pull the trigger. I keep saying it. No disrespect to people who are domestic health, but you know, I keep saying it. If you're talking to the houseboy, you are wasting your time because the houseboy cannot decide on anything. The houseboy always has to talk to Olga or Madame first before a decision is made, so you have to stylishly be able to figure out who it is that you are talking to.

If the person is far from the decision making matrix, you're kind of wasting your time. Well, you know, it depends. Let's say you're talking to the houseboy and the houseboy happens to be Tony Illumilus houseboy Antonio Lumilu has given him authority to decide on this and this and that and that you know Bob Sharp, we need to know what it who it is that we're talking to so that is a authority then N need that is where you're trying to figure out what are they trying to achieve what the problem is,

because you're trying to figure out if they actually like your products or your service, if they actually need your product or service and then the final one is TT. What is T again? Timelines. Yes, timelines. We're trying to get a sense of whether they're ready to take action anytime soon. And for me, this is where I say I'm lucky that I started off my solo career as a wedding photographer because as a photographer is the first thing that we learn.

We learn it. Nobody will teach you but you, you will learn it by the time you talk to four or five brides. The bride that says my wedding is next month, that's good. The bride that says maybe we're getting married in two years done already. The browser says it could be this year, it could be next year. Those ones done already. The brand that has a specific date, she already has fixed timeline. Good. We know that we can we can follow down and be talking.

So this is a qualification framework. But anybody who passes these questions, these yardsticks is somebody that you should be spending time with. So before you delete somebody's contact on your phone, it's not based on the feeling that you have. It's a rational something you ask yourself, is this person warm? Is this person hot or is this person cold? Do we have a prior contacts, the prior history, a prior, you know something?

The only thing gone was before then is this person qualified for me to be hanging around with? If there's a prior context and this person, this person is qualified for me to be spending time with. OK, despite your feelings, hang on, be disciplined. Keep this contact on your phone. You can't pursue. By the way, I'm not saying this guy should not delete my phone number. No, no, I'm not saying that the decision is up to you.

And also speaking if he deletes the phone number, you know, you know, everybody has their own criteria. I try to send to customers and then I called myself. So so far we have yarned 3 times and the three times nothing clicked. So if based on his own parameter he says let me delete this guy deletes no problem. But I'm not saying we can be objective about this. So that is how you think of it. Now let us look at it. In this case this guy when we started our relationship he didn't find me.

I'm the one that found him and the reason why I found him was because his GM said call my guy, let's what we can do for you. So there's an introduction. Therefore, when it comes to prior context, is there a prior context? There actually is. Then let's see there's a prior history. I sent two people to him but neither are we clicked. So there's a prior context is a prior history. Get on is good then am I qualified? OK, I have a want and a need.

I definitely am interested, even though I can't afford it at the moment. And not only that, I've been trying. I've tried twice to send this guy business in the last two years. Some of you will say doesn't mean they're qualified, but me, I think I'm kind of qualified. I mean, you never know, one of you might be impressed with this podcast and say, oh, Tavish, and how much do you need? You say is is 24.8 you need to be or give me your bank account.

Let me why are you 26 M? That can happen or my consulting practice might take off really, really, really, really well this year. And then because of that, I say, you know what? I've settled school fees, I've settled house, I've bought myself a brand new car. I've done this, I've done this where this extra 25 M Let me call Tunde and let's make this thing happen with the radio show. You never know. We have to look for an objective way to look at this thing.

But what I would advise you guys is this, if there's a prior context, there's been an introduction, there's been a referral. And if it looks as if in good faith, this person has been trying to send you business in the past, although nothing has clicked, you will have even spoken about doing business one-on-one. But so far it looks like money is the barrier. I really don't think that somebody that issue XI really don't think about it.

If you had dealt with let's say 100 people last year and out of 140 of them each tried to send two people your way to do business or let's say even 10, I think that might be a valuable asset to keep around Basha. This is the more objective way to think through things. This lead that I have here, this person that I'm talking with, this meeting that I'm taking, this WhatsApp that I'm whatsapping, this is a hot lead. This is a warm lead.

This is a cold lead. If it is a hot lead, Chase. Now in this case, am IA hot lead. Oh, I'm definitely not a hot lead. There's a prior context. There's some prior information. We know each other. I'm the one that reached out, so that's good. But on qualification, am I qualified? Not really. There's a one, there's a need, there's an interest, but right now I can't afford so I'm not fully qualified. So at best maybe I'm a warm lead.

So warm leads. What you do is you engage in nurture, activity, marketing people. You guys like to say relationship nurturing. You engage in relationship nurturing. You stay top of mind once in a while you accidentally jam each other, but you know it's not an accident. You know you plan it. You're posting on social media. Let them see you once in a while. There's that phone call, like. Oh bro. I just remembered I have your contact detail on my phone.

Oh, I said, let me just say what's up. That's exactly what I did actually, because before I called him, I called the GM because the GM that I know and then GM said I should talk to him. So I does it like that GM, how far now? It's been a while. Oh, I didn't know. I said I have your contact detail. I was playing on my phone. I just saw your number. I say, I say what's up? Happy New Year. How's the family? How's carrier going done is nurturing activity.

That's what marketing people like to say relationship nurturing. So when somebody is a warm lead, that's what you do because one day the the the part we're not qualified before can accidentally qualify. You never know if Tinabo calls me and says Tavi Sharma, your shop guy, come and be a part of my cabinet, then I now have that, excuse me, 24.8 mil to go ahead. So our best number one lead, when somebody is a warm lead,

what you do is not sure, relationship, not sure. Then when you have a cold lead, those are the people that you ignore. There's no prior context. There's no prior whatever. In fact, the person is even kind of rude person is giving you a headache when it comes to qualification. You can't even see anything. Are they interested in your product or service? You can't tell. Do they have money? You can't tell. Do they have a timeline?

You can't tell. What are you wasting time with this person for? So yes, for all those cold people, block them, ignore them. However, this is what I teach anyway. When you have cold people, in my own opinion, what you do is leave them. You don't waste your time on them but drop something with them and then go. So for a real estate person, I was based in Abuja who I counselled a bit. I told her, OK, this person is called.

What you do is you just tell the person thank you very much for your time. Would it be OK if I leave a flyer with you? Most people say, yes, leave the flyer and then go, you have the person again, but you have some material. Leave the material behind and then go some people who throw it. And it does mean no allies, part of the risk of the game. But you never know from all that. OK, thank you very much for your time. Don't bother you again.

Can I just drop a flyer? I mean, you never know. You might drop 100 Flyers and then two people call and then that's business. So even when somebody's cold, leave something behind. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the reason, one of the reasons why I started this podcast, because I wanted to be in the situation where I'll be talking to someone. I'd be like, look, you know what? You can't afford me right now. And quite frankly, I'm not even sure if I can deliver value to you.

But however, I have this podcast, it's totally free. Just keep on listening. It's a way for you to get value from me for free. So what do you think? Are you interested? OK, cool. What do you listen to? Do you use YouTube? Do you use Spotify? Do you use a podcast? What's it called? Pod Maniac. Whatever. OK, use Pod Maniac. No problem. I will send you the Pod Maniac link right now. So it's been a pleasure talking to you.

Have fun. You know, I'll be in touch. Meanwhile, I'm not going to be in touch at all because I know that that's a cold audience, but there's something that I can leave behind so that at least for them, I can be staying top of mind. Because you never know, somebody might listen to the podcast for 1 1/2 years and say, you know what, perhaps I was a bit hasty. Let me call that guy back. And then when the guy is calling back now, guess what?

Is there now a prior context? Yes, there is. And I will go into my process. Is this person qualified? If they are, then guess what? This will now be a warm lead that used to be cold before, and I will now start engaging in relationship nurturing activity. So this is how you decide. Sorry, it's taking me 15 minutes to get to the point. But yeah, I just wanted to let you guys know that it's not based on feelings. It's not these guys are annoying me.

These babies are annoying me. Therefore, delete. So yes, we have started 2026 as at the time of this recording. If you're listening to this podcast in Euro 2042, you know the principle is still the same. If you have started 2042 on a high note, yes, very good was not an emotional something. Be rational and then calm down and swallow your pride a bit. You have to ask yourself, is this person a warm lead, a cold lead or a hot lead?

This person is cold. OK, Consign them to the pizza of hell. This person is warm. OK, engage in some relationship nurturing activity. This person is a hot lead. Good. Begin the pursue and pursue until the very end, until you close the deal, until the person says get away from my side. So that's it. That's a long and short of how you decide who you're going to keep in touch with from last year. So let's see, OK, nothing else.

Let me let you guys be on your merry way. So thank you very much for listening again. If you'd like to get in touch, you can call, send me a text message or WhatsApp message on 08064662140. If you have questions, you have comments, you have queries or you want to, you want me to consult with you on something, please reach out. Also subscribe Spotify, YouTube, Apple or any player of your choice. And also let your friends, your family members know and your enemies as well.

Don't concern your enemies to the peace of hell. Yeah. It's not nice. You know, it's not good that people will look at us, they'll say we're Christians, and then they'll see us dressing corporate, looking like a reasonable somebody. And then you're swearing for somebody that will not be well with your husband, will not be well with the children because of what you know as Christians. Please. You know, that's not how he's not a Christian.

Anyway, Let me stop there. Let me stop there. You, you get the point. So that's it. I'll catch you all some other time.