The last several weeks, I’ve sat in several meetings with salespeople, discussing the issues around prospecting.
The excuses never change. People just think for one reason or another the challenge they’re facing is unique to them.
Prospecting does not have to be difficult, if you’re willing to get honest with yourself and accept the fact the reasons you struggle with prospecting are nothing but excuses to rationalize your desire to not prospect. Hey, I know the issues rolling around in your mind. I used to feel the same way.
Prospecting does not have to be difficult if you are willing to do 3 things. Yes, just 3 things. I said it didn’t have to be difficult and I know you can handle 3 things.
First, you have to change your attitude about prospecting.
If you’re turned off by it, then you won’t do it. On the other hand, if you believe in the outcomes and benefits your customers gain from buying from you, then you owe it to others to reach out to them. When you’re excited about your favorite sports team, you naturally tell others about it. Same goes with what you sell.
When you’re excited about what it can do, then you want to tell others. The way I look at it is you’re doing others a disservice if you don’t reach out to them. You see, the first thing about prospecting is believing 100% in how you can help others.
Second, don’t allow yourself to make up stupid excuses as to why you don’t have time.
When you need to use the restroom, do you use it? Sure you do. Do you take a shower regularly? Sure you do. Do you eat regularly? Sure you do.
It comes down to making prospecting an activity you don’t put off, but rather you just do it like any of the other activities I listed. Easiest way to do this is by simply scheduling time. You block the time on your calendar and you don’t allow yourself to not honor it.
Don’t use the excuse the email that just came in or the phone call you’re missing. My argument is, “Do you answer your phone while you’re in the restroom?” I hope not! If you do, then let me just say, “Stop it!”
Waiting 30 minutes to respond to a phone call or an email that has just come in is not going to bring the world to an end. In fact, I’ll say it will help the world to move better, because you’ll have spent that 30 minutes or whatever time you allot generating new prospects.
Third, be focused and disciplined in your process.
Prospecting is not something you do only when you need customers. Prospecting is something you do each week and each day, regardless of how much business you might have. The reason is two-fold.
One, the people you’re reaching out to will lose sight of you if you make one contact and don’t reach out again for another year. “One and done” might be a term used in college basketball, but it has no place in prospecting.
Second, you need to stay in shape. If you’re intent on getting in shape to run a marathon, you don’t run occasionally when you feel like it. No, you commit yourself to a plan. Committing yourself to a plan keeps you in shape and focused.
So there you have it: 3 steps to overcome the difficulty in prospecting. I’ll argue that if you do these three well and practice your messaging, your process will become quite clear.
If you’re serious about prospecting and getting your sales to the next level, then I strongly recommend you do these two things below:
First, join me, along with sales superstars Anthony Iannarino, Jeb Blount and Mike Weinberg, for our annual Virtual Sales Kick-Off event we will stream this year on Feb. 22. It’s free so you have nothing to lose by signing up.
More than 10,000 people viewed it last year and that means it must be good. In an hour, the four of us in our full-speed, in your face approach will share with you ideas you can use now. Here’s the link to register: www.virtualsaleskickoff.com
It’s free thanks to our great sponsors, ConnectAndSell and Discover.org.
Second item you need to do is make plans to attend OutBound in Atlanta, April 11 and 12. This event IS the sales event of the year and the only way you’ll benefit from it is by attending in person.
We don’t stream this event for one simple reason: You have to be there to gain fully from what is being shared and to capture the full aura of the event. Check it out at this link: https://outboundconference.com/
You have countless opportunities to strengthen your prospecting skills and boost your sales success. When all is said and done, it’s up to you.
A coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, 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
One Response
Many thanks mark for a great post, it amazes me that if you go into sales how the heck do you think you are expected to get sales?
Best regards
Barry.