Paul S. Goldner
It's easy to forget that prospecting may be more important to sales success than any other single sales activity. Make contact with enough qualified prospects, and increased sales are practically a sure thing. If you can stick to these prospecting rules, bigger and better sales are yours for the taking.
1)
Make an appointment with yourself. Schedule a time for prospecting so you won't put it off or skip it entirely. Calculate how many sales you need to make to meet your monthly sales goals, then figure how many prospects you'll need to make those sales, and how much time you'll have to spend calling every day to find them. Choose the time of day when you feel most productive and motivated, then make an unbreakable appointment with yourself. Plan your appointments well in advance to keep other activities or meetings from infringing on your prospecting time.
2)
Go for quantity. Squeeze as many calls as possible into your allotted prospecting time. If you call only the best prospects in your target market, you'll know that each of your calls will be a quality call, so you can focus on quantity instead. When one call ends, quickly make any notes you need to, then dial the next number. Avoid bathroom, cigarette or water cooler breaks that cut down on the number of calls you make. Set a specific number of calls as a goal for your prospecting time and challenge yourself to beat it.
3)
Business directories and other reference books can provide a wealth of information to help you in your prospect search. Many area Chambers of Commerce provide directories at minimal cost. Your local public library should also own several regional, state and/or national directories. To simplify your search you might also want to consider the Business to Business Yellow Pages or other directories or lists of leads on CD. Use your list of "perfect prospect" criteria to find promising prospects, and then complete prospect profile forms for each.
4)
Be brief. The less time you take talking to them, the more willing your prospects may be to listen. Limiting the length of each of your calls also leaves time for more of them. Without rushing your calls, try to keep them around two or three minutes long, using the time to introduce yourself and your product and ask your prospects about their needs. Plan what you want to say ahead of time and time yourself as you rehearse it to make sure you can say what you have to - and give your prospects a chance to answer your questions - in a reasonable length of time.
5)
Avoid interruptions. You can't be a productive prospector if you're constantly interrupted. Keep your door shut and let your voice mail take care of incoming calls. Think ahead about the distractions that might arise during this time and take steps to prevent them (i.e., if your spouse usually calls during prospecting time, tell him or her to call earlier or later). Being able to make call after call without interruption makes it easier to concentrate on learning from each one.
6)
Prospect at odd hours. Sometimes it's easier to reach prospects earlier or later than normal work hours. Calling at odd hours also helps your call stand out from the many others your prospects probably get in the course of a business day. When you have trouble reaching prospects between 9 and 5, try calling them at 8:30 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. Even if you haven't had trouble reaching your prospects, they might be more willing to speak with you before or after their busiest times of day. Be sure to vary your call times so that you don't keep missing prospects because they're in the same Monday morning meeting each week.
7)
Get (and stay) organized. If you are one of that rare breed of salesperson that is not yet automated, invest in a computerized contact management system. Make a file for each of your prospects, and use it to record and store pertinent information on them, including the dates of your calls and what you discussed. Before you make a call, review your previous call and what you'd like to accomplish with this one. Know and learn to use all the program's features that are designed to help you stay organized. Good organization saves time, and you'll make a better impression on your prospects if you have your act together.
8)
Set a goal. You'll be more motivated to stick to your calling schedule if you have a goal to reach. If, for example, you're motivated by the idea of recognition, set a goal that will get you noticed if you reach it - like breaking the old quarterly company sales record. Figure out what motivates you and use prospecting as a means to that end. Write your goal down and review it often, and reward yourself for small achievements on the way to the big ones.
Qualified prospects are your ticket to bigger sales - but you have to contact them before you can sell them. As you work to change your prospecting habits, try to change your attitude toward prospecting as well. Sure, you can expect to be rejected by some of the people you call, but it's the highs in selling that help make all the lows worthwhile.