Seven Keys to Highly Effective Prospecting
Recently, I was having a conversation with a client who mentioned that, even in our current economy, his top salespeople were still leading the pack! They were doing so with numbers a bit lower than the previous year. In actuality, everyone's numbers had dropped across the board, although some drops were more severe than others.
The client went on to explain that some fluctuation was to be expected, and discussed how important it would be to make sure that next year's goals would be realistic for his team. The conversation quickly turned to why his top people were still at the top even in a down economy.
Were they all the same, or did they share certain attributes that contributed to their success? The common thread turned out to be that his top salespeople were all good at prospecting.
In the case of each stand-out performance:
- A formal prospecting plan was in place (tailored to what worked for the individual).
- Action was taken to implement the plan.
- Personal goals were set (Not by a manger, but by the salesperson).
- Regular personal reviews were established to determine if the right results were being obtained.
- Flexibility was given to tweak the plan when needed.
- The salesperson was disciplined enough to follow the plan.
- They had mastery of more than one prospecting technique (there are many different strategies for prospecting; cold-calling is just one of them).
If you will mirror these seven steps, chances are you will find your prospecting efforts to be very effective. When times are tough, the key to success is to have a plan, take appropriate action and remain flexible to course correct if the plan isn't working. Above all, having the discipline to stay the course is critical!
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December 21st, 2008 - 14:10
Tony,
Thanks for sharing on how flexibility and discipline are both required to be a top performer. You certainly need to have the belief that your plan will work – but not to the point that you won’t have to tweak it somewhat as it is being put into action.
Thanks for the great read,
Will Fultz
January 5th, 2009 - 14:58
You are so right about having a prospecting plan. Too many salespeople think that prospecting is something you tackle when you have some extra time. However, if you have a plan, you’ll block out time in your schedule for prospecting activity.
Great points… thanks.
Nick Moreno
January 6th, 2009 - 09:23
Thanks for your kind comments Will and Nick. Your comments are right on target as well. Reflecting back, I strongly believe that prospecting success really begins with one’s attitude! I agree with Nick that time has to be blocked out for this activity. However, I also believe smiling and dialing is not the best way to prospect as this leads to the view that the salesperson is desperate and not a business equal. Successful prospecting in today’s marketplace requires an understanding and use of marketing techniques and value added communications. Cold-Calling cannot do this and should only be seen as a way to gather information and begin the process if one uses this technique to prospect.
July 6th, 2009 - 01:02
Nice Post!!!!!!
Thanks for sharing great information…
Your information is useful to all sales people to improve their prospecting.
The successful questioning to understand a customer’s goal and requirements relevant to the product, the further creation of a valuable solution by communicating the necessary information that encourages a buyer to achieve their goal at an economic cost is the responsibility of the salesperson.