When looking to increase your personal sales, PROSPECTING for NEW BUSINESS is a necessity. Considering the natural attrition that occurs to all salespeople, PROSPECTING for new lines of revenue gives you the opportunity of replacing those lost dollars. While we all recognize and agree with this, why is it that we AVOID the task?
...approaching a prospect in an effort to start a buying relationship with a complete and total stranger.
No wonder the art of PROSPECTING is one that so many salespeople shy away from. We create all kinds of excuses to avoid the activity. We over service our current clients, catch up on paperwork, socialize with co-workers and even allow interruptions to take us in a different direction. Consider that PROSPECTING is the most pure, basic and difficult sales activity.
It is the most challenging method of NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. If you can prospect profitably, you are capable of just about every other activity in the sales profession.
Prospecting requires the ability of not taking rejection PERSONALLY. When someone says NO, even when their emotions solidify the word, what they're really saying is...
"I'm not interested in what you have to offer at this given point in time."
For any prospect, it's just a lot easier and quicker to say NO and send you on your way.
Either you convince the prospect that it's in their best interests to meet with you or they convince you of the opposite. Someone wins that negotiation. Any attempt to avoid agreeing to an appointment is just another objection to a meeting. Here's a few of the classic ones and what you might consider for your rebuttal...
Prospect: "Why don't you email me some information?"
You: "The purpose of my call is to educate you, not take up more time that you don't have. I'm wondering if you're open to sharing information? The better the information, the better decisions you'll make. Does that sound reasonable?" (Pause) "When would you like to get together?"
Prospect: "I'm not interested in what you have to offer."
You: (Smiling) Of course not, if you were you probably would have called me. I simply was calling to see if you're open to the opportunity of sharing information. The better the information, the better decisions you'll make. Does that sound reasonable?" (Pause) "When would you like to get together?"
Prospect: "My budget is already spent."
You: "I'm not even sure I can help you at this point. The purpose of my call is to see if you're open to sharing information. The better the information, the better decisions you'll make. Does that sound reasonable?" (Pause) "When would you like to get together?"
Consider that decision makers have been burned before by salespeople who made claims without even being aware of their ability to deliver on them. This is why prospects push back and reject your offer of a meeting.
1. Do you TRULY BELIEVE that your product is better than all competitors?
2. Do you have the PASSION to work hard and only commit to what you KNOW you can deliver on?
3. Are you SINCERE in wanting to HELP PEOPLE for their BEST INTERESTS not YOURS?
If you answered YES to all 3 of these questions, then you have what it takes to be successful in your PROSPECTING efforts. Think about it this way...
If the person you're calling on FULLY UNDERSTOOD your answers to the 3 above questions, wouldn't they WANT TO meet with you?
Keep those thoughts in mind before making any PROSPECTING EFFORT and I assure you your confidence and tenacity will lead you to making more appointments. You will be then be crafting the Art of PROFITABLE PROSPECTING, a focus of all PROSALESGUY TRAINING programs. Scroll down to the one that interests you.
By the way, subscribing to the PROSALESGUY BLOG is a smart idea. Why miss one?
Thanks for reading!
Dave Warawa - PROSALESGUY
