Sales Prospecting for New Business

Sales Prospecting for New Business Development

Be in the Right Frame of Mind

It takes a special understanding of people and the ability to handle rejection as much as success when seeking new business. The good news is that the success will eventually happen with a lot of patience and perseverance. Most successful sales professionals are focused, and have a positive attitude.

Become the Expert - Continue to Learn

Before contacting a potential customer, you must know your company's products and services very well, and communicate the benefits of why they should do business with you. There is just no getting around this fact. Product and customer service training is critical, so if you are in management, encourage your sales team and staff to hone their skills by communicating with in-house product developers and customer service representatives. They are the experts regarding new technologies and frequently hear customer comments on a daily basis. Establishing a good rapport with your associates will definitely help you out when out in the field.

If you have recently been hired in a new position, I understand that it is not always possible to know all of the answers - that's okay - just be up front with whom you are communicating with and they will most likely have a much greater respect for you. Communicating information that is incorrect will not only hurt your reputation, but the reputation of the company. Confidently communicate to your customer that you will find out the answer to their question and quickly get back to them. Do not be apologetic, just be up front.

To become an expert takes time and experience, so don't be so hard on yourself if you don't know all of the answers. The more you communicate with internal associates and your customers, the more knowledge you will have gained, and the closer you will be placed at the top of your profession.

Know Your Audience

Before initiating contact, you should fully understand your target market. You need to know how your products or services are going to make a positive difference in how your customers are doing business. Without offering them a better solution, you might have a much more difficult time in trying to attain their business.

There are many ways to gather information about your target market, or audience. The Internet, Chamber of Commerce, tradeshows, and professional journals are all helpful resources. For clients that are well-established, it is a good idea to request information be mailed to you prior to placing a sales call. The important thing is to do your research. Better understanding your prospect will provide you an opportunity to establish greater rapport on the initial call.

Don't Take it Personally

When seeking out new business, don't take rejection personally. Rejection always comes before success. It is how you handle rejection that either stops you in your tracks, or challenges you to become better. If you experience someone being abrupt or cold with you, remain respectful, and don’t take it personally. You don’t know what is on their mind or the life circumstances they are experiencing at this time, so always be courteous. It is a fact that 55% of all telephone communication is misconstrued, so when in doubt, it is best to give others the benefit of the doubt. I also like to encourage sales professionals to find a good network group of other sales professionals to help them through the more challenging moments. It helps knowing that you are not alone.

Persistence

There is a fine line with being persistent or becoming a pest. Nobody wants to be labeled as a pest as this makes you look desperate and reflects poorly upon you and your organization. Schedule out your calls and use various methods of communication to keep it fresh and interesting.

Remain Positive

Patience and perseverance are key character traits to sales success!

Don't give up or get discouraged ... but keep moving forward! Eventually you will attain the sales success you seek if you have a good attitude, enjoy your profession, and are confident about the product or services you have to offer.

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