By William F. Kendy
You can’t sell them if you can’t tell them. And
you can’t tell them if you can’t see them.
Getting in to see prospects has always been a
salesperson’s number one challenge.
While getting a foot in the door was always a sales challenge, face-to-face visits with prospects have become a matter of wits, timing and preparation – not to mention outright schmoozing.
Steve Skaggs, general sales manager of the Nickel Ads advertising shopper in Portland, OR, runs into prospect access issues every day. Since most of his staff makes cold calls in person, he emphasizes the image his salespeople project. “How the prospect perceives you when you walk in the door of a business is very important,” he says. “You need to be confident, friendly and have an attitude that makes everyone want to know you and be part of your team.”
Skaggs adds, “Salespeople have to know how to read prospects and realize not everybody is ready to buy when you want to sell. Sometimes it’s in your best interest to tell prospects to hide their checkbook because all you’re doing today is finding out what’s happening with their business and what their needs are. Once they know it’s not going to cost them anything, they’re more likely to take the time to see you.
“I encourage my salespeople to try to make a friend, no matter where they go, and not to prejudge people, because you never know who the real influencer is. From the moment you hit that auto showroom floor, start talking to sales reps. It doesn’t hurt to get as many people on your side as you can, and they might be able to help you set up a meeting with the decision maker.”
Although it’s obvious sales logic, Skaggs encourages salespeople to qualify their prospects and makes sure they can adequately probe for and answer questions. “Even though it’s basic, salespeople have to identify and qualify decision makers,” he explains. “Sometimes it’s easier to just walk into a business and ask to see the owner, but it’s much more professional to call in advance and find out whom you need to talk to and get background information. That way, when you walk in and demonstrate you’re on top of your game, the chances of seeing that person are better.
“I coach all of my sales reps to make sure they know how to ask the proper questions and, on the flip side, know how to answer the prospects’ questions. If you’re trying to convince prospects to take time away from their business to meet with you, you better appear businesslike and organized.”
Salespeople’s enthusiasm and passion for the product go a long way in convincing a prospect to meet with them. “Our salespeople have to convey to prospects that they have a good reason for being there and are excited and passionate about the fact that our paper is a good fit,” says Skaggs. “The tone and the excitement will carry through to the prospects.”
According to Teammates Commercial Interiors president and chief salesperson Michael Berkery, research, email and referrals are the most effective tools in getting to see new prospects. “Once we learn about a prospect, we try to get an introduction to that prospect from another source,” he observes. “We try to find someone we’ve worked with in the past, one of our customers or even somebody we know in a related field, to write a letter or make a call on our behalf.
“If we’re not lucky enough to know anybody, we start doing research, checking out Websites and reading press releases. If we can find the prospect’s email, we’ll send a little note or postcard electronically, with a link to the Teammates Website. That way they can click on us and learn what we’re all about and respond. It’s a nonthreatening way to make a prospect contact.”
“If we’re making an in-person cold call,” Berkery adds, “we don’t try to see or sell anybody the first time. We look around to get a feel of what the prospect might need and try to get such information as an annual report or collateral material. We talk to the receptionist and start building rapport. We find that most receptionists really do want to help and give you honest feedback when you ask them what is the best way to get an appointment with a decision maker. In many cases, they become one of your champions.”
If you do have an opportunity on a cold call to talk to a decision maker, Berkery says, your opening statement is critical and is what separates you from the rest of the pack. “Instead of saying ‘we sell office furniture and cubicles,’ we say, ‘I’m sure you never have a problem with loud noises and distractions and your employees probably never miss a day of work because their backs hurt,’” he explains. “You need to talk to the point where it gets emotional and they have a pain that you can fix. The ability to relate benefits to needs is what separates the good salespeople from the ones who just leave brochures at the front desk. You become a resource that the prospect didn’t know about, and that makes getting a legitimate meeting easier.”
When push comes to shove, Berkery feels that persistence, combined with a valid reason to meet with the prospect, often wins the day. “You have to have perseverance to be a good salesperson,” he says. “Sometimes when I’m working really hard trying to chase a prospect down, I just set in my mind that I’m going to meet with this person if it’s the last thing I do. It’s kind of a game. I’ll call and leave a message saying, ‘Call me back and let me know how many messages I have to leave before you call me back.’
“As the president of a company, I get calls every day from people wanting to sell me things and I don’t get back to them unless I see a clear-cut reason and benefit to me for doing so. If they have something decent to talk about, I’ll return their calls. But if I think they’re just going down their calls sheets, forget it.”