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Sales is a
contact sport and prospecting for new business is the name of the game! You
will never meet a salesperson that failed because they had too many
prospects to talk to. For the majority of salespeople, finding new customers
is without a doubt the most difficult and stressful aspect of the
profession. Prospecting should be viewed more as a mindset rather than
merely as an activity. It is something you need to be constantly aware of
because you never know where your next prospect will be coming from. It
really doesn’t matter how competent you are or how well you know your
product line, if you don’t have a qualified prospect in front of you, you
don’t have a sale.
1.
Prospecting for new business is similar to working out. You know it is good
for you and it will produce positive results if you do it routinely.
Professional salespeople prospect daily. It is important to block-off
specific time on your calendar for prospecting activities such as phone
calling and emailing. Treat your prospecting time with the same respect as
you would any other important appointment, otherwise, there is a tendency
that it will slip through the cracks. This is not the time to check your
emails, play solitaire on the computer, make a personal phone call or chat
with your associates. Stay focused and take your prospecting seriously. Set
the tone by closing your office door and have your incoming calls held
unless it is a call from a client or a prospect.
2. Be
prepared, get organized and take good notes. It is critical to have a
computerized contact system to record remarks and suspense future contacts
or appointments.
3. Use a
script - don't shoot from the hip. There is only one thing worse than
listening to a salesperson read a script over the phone and that is to
listen to a salesperson without a script. Obviously, it is important to not
only have a script but to practice it until it sounds smooth and natural.
Set aside time to role-play with an associate over the phone. By taking
turns presenting and critiquing you will gain confidence, polish your script
and be more effective. When prospecting, avoid the temptation to sell over
the phone. Your objective is to gather information and make the appointment.
4. Strike
while the iron is hot! When working with a new prospect, it is important to
make contact quickly. Prospects are perishable. No matter how interested a
prospect may appear, don’t wait for them to call you. You are only one of
many competing interests for your prospect’s time and money.
5. Keep the
high ground and avoid the temptation to badmouth your competition. While it
is fair to make head-to-head comparisons, you should avoid personal attacks.
Attacking your competition makes you look unprofessional and petty.
Emphasize the benefits of your product or service by guiding your prospect
through a comparison of quality and price. Play to your strengths and not
the weakness of your competition. Let your prospect draw their own
conclusions from a well-presented comparison.
6.
Rejection is a natural aspect of the sales process so don’t take it
personally. Learn from rejection, use it as a feedback mechanism and look
for ways to improve your presentation. Salespeople who take rejection
personally lack perseverance and seldom make the sale. Sales is a numbers
game pure and simple. As a professional baseball player, if you can average
four hits out of ten times at bat you are heading for the Hall of Fame.
Research indicates that in sales you can expect your prospect to say no five
times before they buy. With this in mind, realize that with every sales
rejection you receive, you are one step closer to making the sale!
John Boe, based in Monterey, CA, is recognized as one of the top sales
trainers and motivational speakers. He helps companies recruit, train, and
motivate salespeople to achieve peak performance. John is a leading
authority on body language and temperament styles. To view his online Video
Demo or to have John Boe speak at your next event, visit
http://www.johnboe.com or call (831) 375-3668. Subscribe to John’s FREE
monthly newsletter, The Prospector:
http://www.johnboe.com/newsletter.html
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