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Make It Routine We're all creatures of habit. One of the distinguishing characteristics between high-achieving and low-achieving salespeople is that high-achievers have formed the habit of doing the things necessary to succeed even when they dislike doing them. Many of them don't enjoy prospecting but they realize it's a necessary means to an end. And then there are those who view prospecting as an opportunity - to earn new customers, make new acquaintances, learn more about their industry, and when faced with challenges, learn more about themselves. Have a Plan in Place Unfortunately within most companies, the teaching of an effective prospecting procedure is often neglected by sales management and therefore often unlearned by salespeople. But its importance is paramount to increasing sales. With an effective prospecting procedure in place, salespeople can begin the essential task of separating suspects from prospects thereby acquiring new clients. By "procedure" I mean that you do the same thing, the same way, without exception. I believe strongly that salespeople should adhere to an outline, schedule and minimum number of contacts when it comes to prospecting. Some of the best salespeople I know religiously call 20 people each morning and don't make in person outside sales calls until this goal is met. It takes this kind of commitment to prospecting to achieve success in sales. So, for example, your procedure might be setting aside an hour each morning to do nothing but cold calls or making 20 cold calls before doing anything else. The outline makes for a very exacting approach to prospecting, identifying very specific prospects and how you should contact them. For example, each of your best clients are likely satisfied with your product or service so they would happily recommend it to others and probably know several business associates who could use it. Your clients' business associates are your target then and your target dictates how you contact them. In this case, you would request that your satisfied client contacts these people, allow you contact them on behalf of the clietn or some other type of personal communication. The Big Three In most businesses, there are three categories of prospects: former clients, current clients and new clients. Former clients are those who, for one reason or another, have stopped buying from you or the company. Calling on them gives you the opportunity to find out the reason why they stopped using your product or service and whose product or service they are now using. When you re-contact them, you can re-sell them on the company and inform them of any changes in products, services or policy. Current clients need attention to guarantee they are satisfied with the range of goods and services you are currently offering them. They are by far your best source of referrals (not to mention additional sales). If you have serviced them well, they'll be happy to send people your way. New clients are the lifeblood of any business. These prospects often lack information about your company and what it offers and might be using a competitor's. So how do you find "true" prospects? Just like a successful sales call, planning is the basis for all good prospecting. Before you start prospecting for new clients, you must develop a plan to ensure success – create a client profile. This profile lists characteristics of your former and current clients. List all the characteristics of these clients and select the five that are most applicable to what you sell. You may want to consider the types of products and services you offer, geographical considerations (local, regional, national), number of employees, size of firm or business, sales history, sales volume, gender, age, disposable income, education, affiliation and number of members in the household. One way to determine what's important in a profile is to ask, "What are the needs of our current clients?" Build the List Determine what companies to include on your list by researching all available resources. An obvious way to research, in addition to your satisfied clients, is by doing a keyword search for the type of business or industry your clients are in on an online search engine. This will likely bring up your current clients as well as many of their competitors. Websites for industry-specific associations are also a valuable resource. As your list grows, categorize your prospective clients (i.e.; A, B, C or D). This allows you to prioritize your prospecting. Typically, "A" clients are the ones that produce 60-80 percent of revenues, or whatever you determine, "B" are emerging but have yet to become "A" and so on. Once you have determined your prospect list there are many ways to contact your prospects. U.S. mail and email pieces (sales letters, information packages, promotional pieces, etc.) are generally an easy, cost-effective way to get your message in front of a prospective client. However, despite your strongest efforts, they will never be as personal or have the impact of a phone call or in-person visit. The Cold Call Cold calling in person may not generate immediate sales for most salespeople. However, the great advantage it has over sending an email, for example, is that it is interactive and can be an excellent source of information. You can determine the needs and wants of the prospect right on the spot and, many times, actually talk with the decision maker. Remember, let your prospect talk by asking good, open-ended questions that begin with the words "Who", "What", "When", "Where", "Why" and "How". Telephoning a prospective client, in most large sales, is the single best way to make the first contact, especially if it's on the recommendation of a business associate. It's useful in determining with whom you should talk, in setting up an appointment and in concluding if there is a need for your product or service. A well-planned conversation that uses properly worded questions provides enough information to allow you to categorize a company. What's more, it's personal and you can immediately begin working on Steps 1 and 2 of the sales process – Approach and Qualification – where rapport is vital. The effectiveness of your prospecting is a direct result of your planning efforts. Qualifying and calling a client for an appointment requires as much planning as the actual sales presentation. An effective prospecting plan, like a successful sales plan, is one that builds on your individual strengths. By planning your prospecting you will increase sales, make more money, help more people and, most importantly, have more fun selling. Roy Chitwood is an author and consultant on sales and customer service. He is the former president and chairman of Sales & Marketing Executives International and is president of Max Sacks International, Seattle, 800-488-4629, www.maxsacks.com. If you would like to subscribe to his free Tip of the Week, You're on Track, please e-mail contact@maxsacks.com
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