You have the prospect who you know would benefit from working with you, but they simply will not respond to you.
Question arises in your mind, “Should I continue trying to connect with them, or should I simply move on?”
This question comes up a lot when I’m working with sales teams. There is no perfect solution, as each situation is different, but here are the 5 options I share with salespeople when asked:
1. Stop Trying to Sell and Start Trying to Help
Look at how you’re communicating. Are your messages about selling? People don’t want to be sold.
Your first job is to get the prospect to see you as somebody they can trust. Focus on providing the prospect with information they can use and will see helpful.
One way to do this is by sharing with them insights that come from sources outside of your own company. By sharing with them insights from other sources, you’ll be seen in a different light than other salespeople.
Watch this episode of The Sales Hunter Podcast with Jeff Bajorek about Selling a Product v.s. Selling a Solution. Or listen to it anywhere you stream podcasts.
2. Use Multiple Methods to Reach Them
Not everyone uses the same communication techniques you use. Just because you like email, doesn’t mean the prospect does.
Change up your methods by using the phone, email, in-person, and even regular mail. Do not, however, fall into the bad habit of sending the same information via multiple means.
Each prospecting message must contain different information.
via Build-A-Bear Workshop on GIPHY
3. Connect with Others Who the Prospect Would Respond To
If you can’t connect with the prospect, find somebody else who can. This is especially critical if you’re dealing with senior level people. They only want to connect with other senior level people.
Develop a prospecting process that allows you to connect with other people who the prospect respects or will listen to. A great way to reach a CEO is by connecting with another CEO the prospect knows or with other people who report to the CEO.
Read more for How to Be Seen as an Expert by Your Customers
4. Use the Hot/Cold Approach
Don’t be shy about using this approach. There are times when the best approach can be reaching out frequently. This may mean 6 or 8 times in a single month.
If you’re not successful, you step away for 90 days and then repeat the process. Some people simply will not respond until they’re hit enough times.
What makes this approach work is you don’t keep going forever. Rather you step away for 90 days or more before repeating.
via The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on GIPHY
5. Walk Away
Some prospects are simply not worth the effort. If the prospect you know you could help would simply not generate enough business to make your time worthwhile, then it’s time to move on.
Nothing will cost you more money than having your time being used up by prospects who simply will not engage with you now, or ever.
Learn Mark’s proven methods for avoiding radio silence from your prospects:
Making a sale with one phone call, or one email is highly unlikely.
Mark will show you the big difference between good follow-up and just sending email after email in this month’s masterclass: Stop Getting Ghosted. It’s all about each step in your cadence, and how to follow-up in ways that make an impact.
This course includes a detailed workbook and training videos for just $59.
Enroll now, and while you’re at it, check out other amazing learning opportunities at The Sales Hunter University.
One Response
Great suggestions! In regards to point # 2, what are your thoughts on using text as a form of communication? We did a poll to our readers and only 9% of them said they felt texting was inappropriate, so it seems to be a popular method among salespeople these days. Do you agree it could help in confronting the cold shoulder? http://spirohq.com/4-texts-to-send-to-your-prospects/