Prospecting is arguably the No. 1 hot topic in sales. In spite of all the seminars, podcasts, training programs, books and pressure from managers, most salespeople are prospecting-excuse experts.
Why do people who enjoy selling find it so difficult to sell themselves to prospects? The answer may be that selling and prospecting require two different skill sets.
Salespeople are most confident when the path is prepared for them, whether it’s a referral or some other qualified lead.
This tells us that instead of spending time trying to find prospects, it’s much more productive if prospects find the salesperson.
Prospects must have a positive picture of you before a meeting takes place. They want to know, trust and feel comfortable with a salesperson before they buy.
It’s easy to understand why some of those in sales say that getting customers to find them sounds like a lot of work. And they’re right, it is. But wait a minute. Spending time trying to find prospects and getting negligible results is also a lot of work – wasted work.
If a prospect doesn’t know the salesperson, it’s so easy to say, “No thanks.” No one has time to meet with someone they don’t know. That’s not all. It doesn’t make sense for a salesperson to use valuable time being turned down – and probably for the wrong reasons.
It’s easy to blow it, so don’t make the deadly mistake of asking for an appointment or, if that doesn’t work, the name of someone they may know that you can contact. If you do, you’re just another salesperson looking for a quick hit.
So, why not take a different approach?
Here’s how to go about it:
• First, get your head straight. In one sentence, describe why someone should do business with you. Why it’s in their best interest to spend their money with you, and why should they trust you.
• Second, develop a mindset for creating customers. Selling isn’t about the salesperson, it’s about the customer. Your primary job as a salesperson is to create customers who know, understand and trust you, so they want to buy from you.
• Third, get inside your prospects’ heads. It’s a salesperson’s workspace, figuring out what prospects want, what they worry about and the challenges they face.
Prospecting isn’t about getting through the door; it’s about shaping the way prospects think of you, so they will want to do business with you. You can use these six Prospecting Principles to bring them closer to you:
• Focus on what prospects want and need, not what you want.
• Demonstrate your competence by sharing your knowledge.
• Cultivate prospects by staying in touch with them regularly.
• Maximize your visibility by seeking presentation opportunities, authoring blogs and acquiring testimonials.
• Never stop building your prospect database.
• Communicate regularly by email, LinkedIn and Facebook.
No matter who you are or where you work, constant prospecting is your future in sales. More than anything else, it’s what makes you valuable.
John Graham of GrahamComm is a marketing and sales strategy consultant and business writer. Contact him at jgraham@grahamcomm.com.
