The number one issue people have in sales is sales prospecting — trying to find new customers.
I think it ranks ahead of closing, negotiating and every other part of the sales process.
With that said let me break down into two easy steps everything I’ve ever taught others or done myself with regard to sales prospecting.
Step 1: Pick up the phone and make the call.
Step 2: Engage the prospect.
That’s it. The reason I say these are the only two steps is for one simple reason: The vast majority of salespeople don’t do it.
Let’s look at the first step. Far too many salespeople think they can use email to do everything a phone call does. Sorry, emails are a great tool, but I will contend the phone is still a better tool than email. The reason people will say they prefer email is because nobody answers their phone. Agree, but if people don’t respond to phone calls, what makes you think they will respond to an email?
Email is a great prospecting tool, but only when it is used as a tool. Don’t use it as your only prospecting tool. Yes, telephone calls can be draining and they can feel like they don’t go anywhere, but all it takes is a couple of calls to go right for everything to change.
You’ll never know if a phone call could go right until you make it.
Second step is engaging the customer. Yes, that means having a conversation with them. Again, I find too many salespeople using their telephone time to speak stupid sales talk. It’s not about you. It’s about the customer. When you begin to realize the importance of the customer’s own time and how it’s more valuable than yours, then you can begin to see why they couldn’t care less about talking to you if it’s all about you.
Engage the customer with what is important to them.
There it is: Sales prospecting in two easy steps. Pick up the phone and make the call and engage the customer on what’s important to them.
Here’s to Great Selling!
Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
