In this episode of Smart Selling, I answer the most frequently asked question: “What’s the best way to get in front of a brand new prospect?”
How have you successfully got in front of brand new prospects? What’s working and not working for you today? I’d love to hear from you – leave me a comment!
Smart Selling is a series of video tips where Jill Harrington, President of SalesSHIFT, answers your BIG HAIRY sales questions in less than four minutes. To be notified of new videos in this series, click here. If you have a question you’d like Jill to answer, let us know!
Jill,
Great insights as always.
3 quick question for you.
1) How do you prioritize your prospects?
2) There is lots of information about large organizations current endeavors but many of those organizations are heavily matrix-ed. How do you ensure the relevancy you hope to convey to a new prospect is actually important to them?
3) I see more and more about social selling and inbound marketing as part of a sales persons role for their own prospecting. Do you agree and how do you prioritize social selling?
Brian
Hi Brian. Have to tell you… these are not three ‘quick’ questions. And there are no short answers.
My top line input…
1. Biggest mistake in prospecting today is treating all leads as equal. You have limited time and resources which means you MUST prioritize your list to assure you expend the right kind of effort on the most winnable and desirable prospects. The definition of an “A” prospect varies from company to company and even from rep to rep. Criteria may include demographic characteristics of the company, buying preferences, trigger events, accessibility (who you know that can introduce you), and the unique qualities you bring as an individual and as a company.
Bottom line … define your A, B and C prospects and pursue accordingly.
2. The only way to be relevant to anyone is to be curious about them. And as sales pros we’ve never had it so easy to satisfy our curiosity. It just takes effort. If you’ve defined your “A” prospects … Follow their industry, market, roles. Connect the dots to your organization. Use multiple resources to stay up to date on what’s important to them. Follow the person, company and industry on various social channels, talk to people in the biz (I use sales people as a source of valuable information that ultimately helps me open doors to the C-level) and continue to leverage traditional sources such as company websites, news channels, associations and search sites.
3. Social is a critical element of any prospecting strategy today. Two things to consider. Where do your target customers and prospects hang out on social? And what are your goals? Then decide which social media are right for you, develop a social strategy based on your audience and goals … and leverage the heck out of the right social platforms. Social activity has generated an abundance of new leads for my biz… but I never lose sight of the fact that relevant selling skills are what ultimately close the deal.