Sales is all about having the commitment to serve and the passion to sell.
This 50 Prospecting Truths series is to reignite your passion for prospecting–and that means helping people and solving problems.
I invite you to read Truths #21-30, reflect, and see what you can apply this week.
21. Know what your goal is before making contact.
It’s true, some salespeople can over-prepare. What I’m talking about here is, what’s your goal? Do I want to get the next step? Do I want to get one piece of information? Or to verify who it is I’m talking to?
If you don’t have a goal, how do you know if you’ve achieved anything? You don’t. Prospecting is difficult as it is. I’d better have a goal, so I know when I’ve achieved something.
22. The phone still works.
Too many salespeople say the phone doesn’t work. I get it, people don’t answer the phone. However, if I leave a prospecting message, it’s amazing how many times that message winds up turning into a text message that is delivered to the person.
So guess what? If I leave a short, tight voicemail–they get it! They love it. And in time you leave enough of these–that’s right, you could leave 3, 4, 5, each one different– you’ll eventually get a response. They begin to say, “I’m going to talk to this person, because they respect my time. Because each time they call, they leave me something of value.” That’s powerful.
23. A prospecting call isn’t an interruption to somebody’s day.
Now this flies right in the face of “when you’re making a cold call, you’re always interrupting somebody.” I don’t believe you are when you know you can help someone.
The days of just random calling are gone. Instead, how do I zero in? How do I make sure that you’ve matched up to my ICP: my ideal customer profile. There’s some reason for me to be wanting to make this call. You’re right, I may be interrupting them, but it’s a necessary interruption.
I have to have the confidence that when I’m calling someone it’s not an interruption, because I know I can help them.
24. Leave short, concise voicemails.
Keep them short and tight. Because if they’re not, they’re just not going anywhere.
Of course, this related back to my earlier point about the phone.
Leaving voicemails that are to the point is a skill that with practice can be mastered.
Learn about the key elements of great voicemails in my Phone Prospecting Masterclass, including scripts of example voicemails!
25. Allow your personality to come through on every phone call and voicemail.
You’re watching a video here. You’ve probably watched other videos I’ve done. As a result, you’ve gotten to know a little bit about my personality and who I am.
Unless you’re the crazy uncle or the weird aunt, you want your personality to come through. (By the way, if you’re the crazy uncle or the weird aunt, you’re probably in a different occupation anyway.)
Your personality is your greatest asset. Use it.
26. Cold calling is not dead.
Those who believe cold calling is dead are the same people who are too afraid to pick up the phone. It’s amazing the number of times I get messages, emails, saying, “Cold calling’s dead.
Cold calling in terms of random phone calls, yeah, that’s dead. Nevertheless, it may be cold because we haven’t talked, but it’s hot because I know I can help you.
27. Maintain both prospect-specific notes and industry segment notes.
I find I’m most productive when I can focus my efforts on a particular industry. Therefore, I want to keep notes on that area.
I do a lot of work in the SaaS space, software as a service. I have a tremendous number of pages on that industry. How that industry works, the vernacular, the acronyms, the terms, etc. I also do a lot of work with OEM companies. And I have an equal amount of information there. This allows me to be more confident.
28. Don’t forget to secure a next step.
You may be on a call in which the conversation starts going down a different path. And it’s a great path–I’m having a great conversation–but I need to return to my objective of the call.
If I have the ability to get you on the phone in a conversation, I want to make sure I get something productive out of it. I don’t want a conversation simply for the sake of a conversation.
29. More emails is not the solution.
Don’t fall for the myth that calling doesn’t work, just send more emails. Calling works! You see, email is a great tool, and the telephone is a great tool, text messaging and social media and all these various pieces are good, but you have to use them in conjunction. It’s like a toolbox.
If I have a problem with my plumbing and I call a plumber, I don’t want the plumber showing up with just a pair of pliers. Because I’m not sure what they’re going to need, I want them to be equipped a whole toolbox.
It’s the same thing with prospecting; I want to use every tool in the toolbox.
30. Never falter from the absolute belief that you can help people.
Before you begin prospecting, take a piece of paper, draw a line down the middle. On the left-hand side write down 10 customers you’ve had the privilege to work with. And down the right-hand side, you want to write down the outcomes that you helped them achieve. Not what you sold them, the outcomes. How did this help them?
Look at that and think, “Wow. That’s why I make the calls I do.”
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Go find the masterclass that will take you to the next level. Or consider a membership and get them all!
This week on The Sales Hunter Podcast…
Is Your Sales Strategy Recession-Proof?
How could a (possible) recession affect buyers’ decision-making, even if business is doing well?
Higher prices on things like gas and milk create a mentality of scarcity that sometimes gets brought into the workplace. It’s our job as salespeople to understand the position our buyers are in, and change our sales strategy accordingly.
How? Listen in Thursday morning to this week’s episode of The Sales Hunter Podcast, with Dr. Mary C. Kelly.
Available wherever you stream podcasts!
I want to see YOU at OutBound Conference this year!
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The Main Stage Event starts Wednesday, September 21st and goes through Thursday. September 22nd. As always, there’s an amazing line of speakers you definitely won’t want to miss!
Find out more about this amazing opportunity for learning, networking, and growth here.
Use discount code Mark10 to get 10% off any ticket.
*Virtual tickets are available!
Copyright 2022, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.
