Do you want to increase your effectiveness when it comes to prospecting? Are you concerned that you don’t have enough leads or are not closing enough sales? Are you just trying to figure out what to do? You probably are saying “yes” to at least one of these questions. These are real world issues that deserve real world solutions. Let me unpack each one for you.
Not having enough leads isn’t strictly about the number of leads you have. Rather, it is about where you got the leads and what you’re doing with them. Before you think about how to generate leads, first ask yourself who you’re trying to sell to. If you don’t establish a clear profile of who will most benefit from what you’re selling, you will just wander. This will happen because you’ll start to think everything is a lead. The key is not the number of leads you have but the quality of them and how you handle each one. Watch a short video on this topic from my keynote at the Zoominfo Conference:
Focus your efforts on those leads with similar traits as your best customers. The next key is making enough contacts and this is where most people fall short. Let’s say you make two or three calls or send a few emails, but you don’t get any response so you give up. The reason you need more leads is because you’re giving up too soon.
The lead that looks like a perfect fit is someone you can’t let go of because you know that you can help them. You’re certain that you could make a difference in their business and/or personal life if they would just give you a chance. If you truly believe that, you have an obligation to continue reaching out to them. This might mean you reach out over a dozen times! There is nothing wrong with that, as long as you are offering them new, valuable insights each and every time. Keep at it! If you give up, you’ll only be doing them a disservice.
When you focus on the right lead, you’ll be able to create more value for them and before long, they will see it too. All of this will result in closing more sales and even without having to discount. The reason so many discounts are given to close a sale is because the salesperson began with a bad prospect. Remember that not all prospects are created equal. You don’t have time to deal with those that don’t match your profile of a perfect customer.
If you’re reading this and you’re still confused, your mental state is probably still not zeroed in on helping others see and achieve what they didn’t think was possible. Keep in mind that helping people is our primary goal as salespeople.
To help you get in the zone, take 20 minutes and write down all of the outcomes and benefits you have helped your customers achieve. As you build that list, you’ll begin to see that what you do is making a difference. You will also notice how certain outcomes match up with certain customers. Look for patterns and indicators that you can begin to use to help you prospect. As you do this exercise, you’ll start to believe in yourself and your ability to help those around you.
Prospecting is just the beginning for you to help others. What else could be more satisfying?
Copyright 2019, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
