10 prospecting practices that discourage potential clients
Prospecting - the process of finding potential clients - is one of the salesperson’s most difficult tasks. It often requires conversations with unpleasant clients, and involves refusal and rejection. Interestingly, the clients themselves don’t like it either. Why? Because they don’t like salespeople? Or perhaps because salespeople apply practices that discourage potential clients?
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If you do not water a plant, it’ll wilt and wither. When you do not exercise regularly, you gain weight. Forget to fuel up your car, you won’t make it to where you’re going. Prospecting is similar. When you are not consistent and effective in looking for clients, you may sell from time to time, but your results will be average at best.
Effective prospecting is a carefully planned process governed by specific rules. You have to perform certain activities and analyse their results. It takes courage and discipline to continue working despite the fatigue. It’s also a stage in the sales process that - without proper preparation - leads to many disappointments. Pay attention not to make the following mistakes, which close your path to the client from the beginning.
ERROR 1: ‘You’re the next entry in my database’
Sales based only on a large number of contacts are not very effective. Clients are tired of receiving so many phone calls that all sound the same. The only thing that changes is the name of the client and the company they work for. If you want to build a valuable relationship with clients and stand out from the crowd, be prepared. Find out something about the potential client to show them that they’re not just another entry in your database. Read about what the company does and what the media have written about them. Also try to find out how the client responds to sales calls. That’ll be a good reason to start the conversation and attract the client’s attention. When something directly affects us, we’re automatically interested. Is it difficult to find information about the client? Call the client by name: ‘Mr. Smith,’ ‘Mrs. Lee...’ That always gets their attention.
ERROR 2: ‘I’d like to speak with you about a possible collaboration’
One of the most common phrases which appear during first contact with a prospect is suggesting a possible collaboration. And there’s nothing wrong with that - if reasons for cooperating have already come up. If, at the beginning of the conversation, you don’t give a strong reason for the client to devote their precious time to you, don’t count on further conversation. If you want to catch the client’s attention, which is a key at the initial stage of the sales process, you need to know your value proposition. Show the customer what benefits they’ll gain from using your services: how much they’ll earn, how much they’ll save, how much easier their life and work will be, how to solve a specific problem. Only this will make them pay attention to you. Don’t know what’ll be interesting for the client? Consider how you’ve helped other, similar clients, and talk about that.
ERROR 3: You present the value proposition offer using dense, formal language
Remember that people buy under the influence of emotions, and that your message should appeal to their emotions. A good offer should create verbal images that affect the listener. The client needs expressive content and images.
The law of acquaintance
Have you heard about the law of acquaintance? If the prospect doesn’t know you, it’ll be easy for them to refuse you. When you use many ways to reach the client, it’ll be easier for you to win their favour. The client will remember you. Below is a list of prospecting tools that you have at your disposal. See which ones you’re already using and which ones you can add:
- Cold calls
- ‘Blind’ visits
- Recommendations
- Networking
- Strategic alliances
- Lectures, seminars
- Email marketing
- Content marketing
- Social media
- Industry conferences
The value offer should provide a visual representation of the problems you can solve or how you can help the client. Use the same language that the client uses in everyday life. It's easier to connect with potential customers and trigger the desired response.
Example:
It’s better to say: ‘I help clients who have too few customers, whose sales funnels are empty, who don’t make enough sales.’
Instead of: ‘We improve sales efficiency by increasing commercial competence in prospecting activities.’
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