Six Powerful Prospecting Tips
By John Boe
Why is it that some sales reps consistently earn a six-figure
annual income while other reps, putting in the same hours,
selling the same products and trained by the same sales
manager struggle each month financially to make ends meet?
The answer to this question is painfully simple; the six-figure
sales reps spend more time on the phone and never forget to
ask for referrals!
Top producers don't need to be told to ask for referrals or
follow up on hot leads, because they understand that prospecting
is a necessity and not just an activity. The good news is that
prospecting for new business, like any other skill, can be trained
and developed into a habit.
Six Powerful Prospecting Tips to Build Your Business
- Tip One: Don't Forget to Ask for Referrals.
When it comes to asking for referrals, timing is everything.
Research indicates that the most effective time to ask for referrals
is right after you've made the sale or provided a valuable service
for your customer. Asking for referrals prior to closing the sale is
a big mistake and may even jeopardize the sale itself. Once the
sale has been completed, your customer will be on an “emotional
high” and far more receptive to the idea of providing you referrals.
- Tip Two: Train and Reward Your Advocates.
An advocate is a person who's willing to go out of his or her way
to recommend you to a friend or associate. Most customers are
initially reluctant to provide referrals without some basic training
and motivation.
Once you're given a prospect, it's a good idea to take the time to
role-play with your advocate to demonstrate how to approach and
talk to their referral. A brief role-playing exercise will build your
advocate's confidence and keep them from overeducating their
referrals. During your role-play session, be sure to prepare your
advocate to expect some initial resistance. This training will pay
big dividends by making your advocate more effective and less
likely to become discouraged when faced with rejection.
Always take the time to thank your advocates and give them
feedback on the status of their referrals. I recommend that you
call them and then follow up by sending a thank you card and or
gift.
- Tip Three: Strike While the Iron is HOT.
Prospects, like food in your refrigerator, are perishable and
therefore need to be contacted quickly. Each day you let slip
by without making initial contact with your referral dramatically
reduces the probability of you making the sale. Develop the habit
of contacting your referrals within two-business days or sooner.
Have a system to keep track of your referrals so they don't end
up falling through the cracks. It's critical to have a computerized
client contact management system to record your remarks and
track future contacts and appointments. Relying on your memory
alone is a very poor business decision that will cost you dearly.
- Tip Four: Schedule a Minimum of Two-Hours a Day for Phone
Calling.
Make your phone calls in the morning while you and your referrals
are both fresh and alert. Treat your prospecting time with the same
respect you would give to any other important appointment. This is
not the time to check your e-mails, play solitaire on the computer,
make personal phone calls or chat with your associates.
Avoid the temptation to try and sell your product or service over
the phone. Your objective for every phone call is to create interest,
gather information and make an appointment. If your prospect
asks you a question, get in the habit of going for an appointment
rather than giving a quick response.
Don't shoot from the hip use a script. It's important to use a phone
script when you contact your prospect so you don't leave out any
key information. It's a good idea to role-play your script over the
phone with your sales manager until he or she feels you sound
confidence and professional.
- Tip Five: Qualify Your Prospect at Maximum Range.
Unfortunately, not every prospect will be interested or qualified
financially to purchase your products or services. Successful sales
reps don't waste time chasing after low-probability prospects and
know when it's time to cut their losses and move on.
- Tip Six: Don't Take Rejection Personally.
Selling, like baseball, is a numbers game pure and simple. Rejection
is to be anticipated as a natural aspect of the qualification process,
so don't take it personally. Learn from rejection by using it as a
valuable feedback mechanism. Salespeople who take rejection
personally lack perseverance and seldom make the sale.
For the majority of salespeople, prospecting for new business is
without a doubt the most challenging and stressful aspect of the
selling process. Selling is a contact sport and daily prospecting for
new business is the key to every salesperson's long-term financial
success. By integrating these six powerful prospecting tips into
your daily business routine, you'll be able to keep your appointment
calendar packed!
John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and
sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales
meetings and conventions. John is a nationally recognized
sales trainer and business motivational speaker with an
impeccable track record in the meeting industry. To have
John speak at your next event, visit www.johnboe.com or
call 877 725-3750. Free Newsletter available on website.
Word Count (w/o contact information): 826
Category: Selling Skills
© Copyright 2006-2008, John Boe International
Publishing Guidelines: This article may be freely
reproduced electronically or in print, provided
that it is published as written and includes contact
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