Do’s and Don'ts of Sales Prospecting
Do’s and Don'ts of Sales Prospecting
Enhancing
the effectiveness of the sales team and optimizing sales activities to achieve
business objectives in terms of revenue is a core component of any
organization’s sales prospecting plan. To attain these objectives, it is
essential to create a robust and scalable sales prospecting strategy. However,
some organizations fail to understand what should be done and should not be to
create a perfect sales prospecting plan. Here we are with a few do’s and don’ts
of sales prospecting that can help in re-framing and re-gaming the sales
prospecting attitudes and actions:
Do’s:
Rigorous Follow-up: Follow-up is a key to
success in sales prospecting. However while following-up you should make sure
that you have a follow-plan in hand. Studies show that most people don’t
respond to the first 2-3 emails with a stranger and in some cases, it can be as
many as 5 times also. In such scenarios plan your follow-up in a manner that is
spaced out 2-4 days. If you’re doing any less than this, then there are might
chance you lose an opportunity.
Schedule your sales call: Planning a sales call
involves majorly the time you call the prospect. It is always better to call
the prospect and ask for a convenient time when he or she is available. An
effective approach is to say something like “I’m sure you are busy at the
moment, when do you have 10 minutes to go over your ABC strategy and how my
organization may be able to improve your results?”
Be an Active Listener: Another key to effective
sales prospecting lies in active listening skills. Sales executives need to be
an active listener while driving towards their own goals, striking a balance
between empathy and focus. If sales executives appear more concerned about
achieving their goals than about what the prospect has to say, sales executives
come across as pushy and unattractive. So, a sales executive must focus on the
prospect’s interests and the situation at the tune of the call. This approach
goes a long way towards establishing a good rapport with the prospect.
Don’ts:
Don’t focus on the results: Prospecting activity is
loaded with numerous rejections caused by things outside of our control. What
you can focus on and control is the behavior. Don’t get demoralized if you fail
to get in touch with a prospect in the first two interactions. Keep the spirit
up and stay positive.
Don’t put all your eggs in one
basket:
Don’t rely on just one or two channels. Simply relying on social media channels
or on traditional marketing channels won’t help. You must use all sorts of channels
for wider and better sales prospecting.
Don’t sound like everyone else: Most of the sales
executives when they finally get the prospect on the call fail to differentiate
or make a first impression to continue the sales pitch. They end up asking manipulative
questions like, “Do you wish to improve the productivity of your business?” Be
clear that questions like this will not get you anywhere except off the call in
no time.
Don’t send a full sales pitch: Once you connected with the prospect on
LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook; don’t send them your full sales pitch
immediately. Seek permission from the prospect to give your sales pitch. So,
please don’t bombard your prospects with full sales pitch just after you
connect with them.
