Sales Prospecting Secret #1

Over the weekend, I decided to create a “mini-course” for you which highlights some of the most important pieces of my “5 Point Prospecting” methodology.

Now, if you are new to the process, I need to let you know that this isn’t one of those things where people advertise a “quick fix, press a button and it all works by itself – but in reality – doesn’t work at all” – waste of your time, “secret” solution.

Although, to be fair, when you put the tips you’re about to discover to work, your competition might very well think that you’ve stumbled onto a rich vein of success – and that you’re making it all look far too easy 🙂

If you haven’t seen my Prospecting Flow Chart before, it maps out a system made up of 5 essential parts (although that’s not why its called 5 Point Prospecting – but more on that later).

First off, you’ve got to make sure that you point yourself and your sales team in the right direction – with pinpoint accuracy – and I’m going to reveal how you can do that with the first two posts.

Most sales managers that I meet think they’ve got this one down – but if that’s true, you’ve got to wonder why so many of the sales people I meet at my prospecting workshops have no idea where to start.

In posts three and four I’m going to show you how we build an effective “customer attraction1 prospecting campaign.

I’m going to actually guide you through the process of creating a road map that takes you from understanding who your perfect customer is – and then creating enough interest so that those people will happily take your call.

Finally, we’re going to work through exactly what to say and do, so that when they take your call, they have no problem giving you the time in their diary for that all important meeting, demonstration or presentation, so that you can close that sale.

Throughout this week you’re going to learn how to focus yourself and your team on achieving the results you want to see, while demystifying the whole prospecting process – and then we’re going to lay it out on the table like a blueprint for you, so that you work through it step by step.

I’m even going to share a couple of “adapt – copy – paste” templates with you along the way.

When you put all the pieces together, you get a complete sales prospecting system that has previously doubled current numbers and enabled teams to exceed the results the business needs to see.

So, to start us off, here’s a simple exercise that will help improve your focus and results in just under ten minutes.

If you manage a team and would like them to run through this exercise too, it might be best to ask yourself these questions first before you pose them to your team – just to make sure you have the answers and so you can help any who get a bit stuck.

Quick Exercise to Focus Your Prospecting Efforts

1. Using only ONE measurement – only one number – what is your annual target?

2. How many prospects can your (or each member of your sales team) comfortably look after – from the start to the end of the sales process in 12 months? Not rushing or taking it easy – but looking after each prospect properly and not missing any opportunities?

3. If you / they looked after that many prospects properly – how many would become paying customers – how many would we close? What percentage would it be; 1 in 10? 1 in 5? 1 in 3?

4. When you have that number – what is the average amount of business required from each of those prospects to ensure they hit target?

Work that final figure out by dividing the annual target figure (Question 1) by the number of customers you have time to acquire (Questions 2 & 3).

Now – take a look at the size of opportunity and number of prospects that you are currently calling on.

Will those calls – those prospects – that time – that effort – eventually help us to hit our target?

That simple exercise can be a real wake up to most people charged with business development – and I can promise you that 80% of the sales people who attend my sales prospecting workshops have never thought that deeply about the importance of those 3 simple questions.

Here’s the next challenge.

Even the most experienced sales team can start to feel that no one wants to answer their prospecting call – that everyone will react with the same negative response – sometimes you hear salespeople starting each call with an apology – saying they’re sorry for bothering them.

So, in part 2, which I’ll be posting tomorrow, I’ll be explaining why this sentence will change the way you call on customers forever.

“Let’s go where we’re celebrated, not where we’re tolerated.”

To your success

Chris

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