As part of the Freshsales CRM Webinar Series, we hosted Mark Hunter (Author, High-Profit Prospecting) for a webinar on “Effective Sales Prospecting” on November 1, 2018.
Sales prospecting is considered as one the most important processes of the sales cycle. In simple terms, sales prospecting is simply the process of identifying and reaching out to potential customers. With the advent of the internet and social media, the way we buy has drastically evolved, and that has had its effects on sales prospecting techniques.
Effective sales prospecting could be the key to the success or failure of the sales team within your company. Effective sales prospecting, however, is a learned skill. Just as with closing, it is important to bring the right energy and talent to the table to ensure that you’re finding the right leads at the right time.
In this webinar recording, sales expert Mark Hunter shatters costly sales prospecting myths and eliminates confusions around what works today in selling. Merging new strategies with proven practices, he shares valuable insights on how you can:
- Find better leads and qualify them quickly.
- Trade cold calling for informed calling.
- Tailor your timing and message.
- Leave a great voicemail.
- Use social media effectively.
- Leverage referrals.
Some of the strategies shared by Mark include,
1. Sales Prospecting Never Stops
Sales prospecting is like training for a marathon. The longer you keep at it, the better you get. A common misconception among salespeople is that prospecting is an activity that is meant to be performed only when sales are low. They fail to attribute this to ineffective sales prospecting.
The truth is that you need to prospect before, during, and after sales as well. Regular prospecting ensures that your sales pipelines is never dry and helps avoid the common pitfalls and drawbacks that most sales professionals experience.
2. Targeted Prospecting
Sales prospecting is a resource-heavy activity. That’s why it is all the more important to maximize results from prospecting activities.
That’s where targeted prospecting comes in. Targeted prospecting plays an important role in determining the success of your overall sales. Targeted prospecting starts from when you’re building a list of leads. You need to keep in mind your requirements and your ideal customer profile. You need to target key decision makers and concentrate on people or companies who are more likely to buy and use your product/service.
This ensures that your list is ready for prospecting and has higher chances of conversion.
3. How to Provide Constant Value
Effective sales prospecting depends on the value your offer. This can be done by providing value to your prospects with every interaction. This isn’t just the value they procure by buying your product/service, but the value they derive just by speaking to you. Imagine if you hear the same features of an offering over and over again, across multiple interactions! This does not mean you try to find new features, but all you need to do is fix your pitch. Have a short and precise elevator pitch where you state no more than 2-3 features. This way you can include the other features with every interaction. This sales prospecting strategy helps hold the prospect’s attention.
These were just some of the strategies shared by Mark. For more, watch the webinar recording.
