because today , salespeople turn to social media to prospect . To avoid being pulled in to the ‘ infinite scroll ,’ a salesperson should have clear targets in terms of the number of prospects he or she intends to get from social media and the amount of time spent on social media . Using social media is just one method of prospecting and should not supersede the others .
Use every method available
There are a number of methods available for prospecting such as cold calling , email marketing , inbound marketing , networking , trade shows and conferences , direct mail , social media , referrals , seminars , etc . The salesperson should have a list of all methods available to him or her and plan for the time that ’ ll be set aside for each method as well as the number of prospects that should be gained from each effort . For example , for each networking event , 2 new prospects .
Qualify prospects
Having many contacts is important because it increases the chances of getting leads that suit the company . This is the process of ‘ separating the wheat from the chaff .’ Not every contact is suitable for your organization and in order to determine good fit , one would have to go through a qualifying process of determining if there is need for your product solution , if the lead has the financial resources to buy your product solution and if the contact person has the authority to make the purchase decision .
Write scripts
Scripts are useful because they allow the salesperson to rehearse and memorize the words intended for each prospect . Through scripts one can choose the language that suits themselves and different types of prospects .
Focus on the outcome
At the beginning the main point of prospecting is to get through the door . Trying to sell your company ’ s product solutions at this time may be premature . Allow your prospect to be comfortable with you and then book an appointment with them that will allow you to gauge if the effort should be pursued any further .
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The process of prospecting truly requires grit and resilience . A good part of this is based on internal conversations that include telling yourself you ’ ll succeed , looking for the best in people and expecting good things to happen , and visualizing success .
Don ’ t dismiss cold calling
A lot of people would argue that cold calling is ineffective and encourage a way to ‘ warm up ’ the cold prospect . There are times however , this may not be feasible . Ideally , salespeople should be confident enough to approach others whether through the phone or face-to-face . However , to make the process a little easier it does help to do a little research on the prospect . Be clear as well on the value the prospect will get as a result of interacting with you .
Get into a positive mental state
The process of prospecting truly requires grit and resilience . A good part of this is based on internal conversations that include telling yourself you ’ ll succeed , looking for the best in people and expecting good things to happen , and visualizing success .
Address your contact by name
… and be able to spell their name correctly . This might sound simplistic but it has huge bearing on connecting with the prospect .
Listen carefully
This helps in properly assessing needs and determining where in the buying journey the prospect is .
Encourage customer referrals
Consider offering your customers a reward for referring others for example , offering special discounts on their next purchase from you for each successful referral .
Have intelligence on your competition
There is a high likelihood that your prospect will challenge you on your company ’ s offer as compared to that of a competitor . It ’ s important that you ’ re well aware of what your competition is offering and what differentiates you , that is , your core business value .
Keep your records updated
It ’ s important to constantly update where in the sales funnel a prospect lies . Ideally these records should be updated on a daily basis or at least on every day of prospecting efforts .
Nurture relationships over time
All relationships including business relationships are built over time . Through consistent and relentless pursuit of clients , one recognizes that prospecting is a longterm plan for success ; not a race to get the most immediate ‘ yes .’
In conclusion , the following quote truly captures what it takes to successfully close a prospect : “ The number of sales calls it takes to close a sale is determined more by your own belief system than by the customer ’ s willingness to buy .” - Mark Hunter .
Marion Wakahe is a marketing professional who is passionate about business growth and sustainability and its role in peoples ’ empowerment . She is of the opinion that the marketing function is the primary driver of business growth . You can engage with her via email : MWakahe @ gmail . com .