Sales Prospecting Methods

You can’t sell without having someone to sell to. In a down economy this is especially true. Demand is down, I get it.  However Apple just sold $100 MILLION in iPads. So someone is always buying. You just have to find them using effective and intelligent sales prospecting methods.

Sales Lead Generation and Sales Prospecting is job one.

Of course, when business slows down, what do most sales managers want you to do? M ake more cold calls! However, while cold calling can produce results it is not only ineffective it also drains the energy and life out of most salespeople. I’ve found that cold calling is actually can does more harm than good. Unless you have no other choice never cold call again.

Rather than go into all the reasons cold calling doesn’t work – or at least isn’t a very good use of your time. Let’s talk about what does work today. Recent surveys of executives with purchasing authority reveals that 80% of buyer find their vendors by referrals, word of mouth or by reputation. This means that you need to get the word out about yourself and your company. You need to establish yourself as an expert.

There are many ways of doing this. Write articles, give seminars, become an expert on the problems and the solutions your customers and prospects need. Become the go to salesperson for your area and industry. When you’re knowledgeable and known people will seek you out and take your calls.

Connections are your Big Bang for Sales Prospecting

One major area of lead generation that is given far more lip service than action is using referrals and networking. This doesn’t mean simply hitting your customers up for leads or having coffee at the next Chamber brunch. What this means is getting your customers and prospects talking about you. Contact thought leaders in your market and industry. Start a dialogue with them. Demonstrate how you can be an asset to them. Send them information – not brochures or marketing hype. Keep them up to date on regulatory changes, innovations and topical industry news. Go to the meetings, conferences and trade-shows they attend – not just the ones your competitors go to.

It takes work and effort to become recognized as a resource for prospects and experts in your industry. It also takes having something of value to offer. However the payoff is tremendous and not only for lead generation. Becoming the big fish in a little pond opens doors, gives you credibility and makes the entire selling process easier. While your competitors will be pushing bells and whistles or selling on price, you’ll be the solution expert – a trusted colleague and welcome guest instead of an unwanted pest.

This is intelligent sales prospecting.

However, since most companies still don’t get this concept you are going to have to do the work. Get testimonials from your existing customers. Write case studies – what business was like before buying from you and then after. There are many things a salesperson can’t do – create better company lead generation websites, become experts in social media, and so on. However you can become an expert. Chances are you already are. Now you just have to get the word out.

Create a newsletter and include that with your emails. Instead of the boring Voice Mail messages that never get returned, offer a compelling piece of information about how a similar business has improved their bottom line. Offer industry or product insights that makes the person want to call you back to find out more.

There are many sales prospecting methods that do work with today’s overworked, frazzled and information overloaded buyers. The first step is to remove any hype from your messages, word like best, robust, industry leader and other marketing expressions that everyone uses. These meaningless expressions set off the BS detectors of your prospects. Then establish clear, compelling and powerful value propositions. Tell people what in your solution benefits them. Get that message out in every way you can think of, from phone calls to emails to articles and white papers.

Most companies are simply not going to provide you with enough qualified leads and so it’s up to you to generate them. Intelligent sales prospecting in the new economy means using well thought out efforts of your own to get hot, qualified, ready-to-buy prospects to call you. And if you run your sales prospecting efforts properly you’ll get those leads before your competitors do.

Remember it’s not about being busy, it’s about being effective. Saying “I’ll never cold call again” isn’t enough. You need to replace the less effective techniques that no longer work in today’s new sales environment with strategies and tactics that work. Since 80% of your prospects find out about you from their peers and by reputation you need to start there. Every day take some action that builds your network of contacts and gets them talking about your and your offerings. That is an effective and winning prospecting system.

Would You Like to Double Your Leads and Opportunities in 26 Days?

• Is your pipeline full or are you being hammered to find more opportunities?
• Do you chase after every deal working with people that you can’t stand because you need the business?
• Are your manager’s phone calls pleasant or full of haranguing to do more cold calling and prospecting?
• Are you satisfied with your income and sales results?
• Are you happy as a professional salesperson or burning out from overwork and stress?

If not having enough people to sell too I have a very limited time offer that will get you more leads and opportunities in only 26 days. Just click the button below to find out more.