Here are our 10 tips for successful Sales Prospecting calls, Preparation is KEY.
1. Set aside time
Set aside a specific time and place. DO NOT allow ANY interruptions. If you can find a place to make the calls away from colleagues and any distracting activities.
2. Preparation
Do ALL preparation beforehand – telephone time is for calling, not stalling! Here is a handy list of tools for researching your prospect. Build as much knowledge about your prospect as possible, the more you know the more you can connect with your potential prospect.
3. Distractions
Clear your desk of ALL distractions, and put away your mobile unless you are using it for the sales call. Only have to hand the information you need to make the call.
4. Sticking to the script?
4. Stick to your preferred script/bullet points – make sure you are comfortable with them. But remember to be flexible & move to the reseller ‘world’, then come back to the script (lots of ‘Sizzle’!)
Have short answers ready for any indifference. Remember, YOUR OBJECTIVE is to secure the reseller’s agreement to speak further.
5. Think Positive
SMILE as you dial!! and then vary the tone of your voice – you’ll feel better and sound better. Keep telling yourself that you are doing them a favour, they’ll be better off having seen you. Why not record yourself or seek some feedback on your voice?? Remember, it’s HOW you say it, which is even more important than WHAT you say!!
6. Don’t lose momentum
Out of office, engaged and call-backs – put these to the bottom of your list and go onto the next person immediately to keep the momentum going.
7. Keep the BUZZ going
Keep the adrenaline flowing – get up and walk around, this can also help your voice & your pitch – upbeat, can do, positive and enthusiastic!!
8. Prospecting is a numbers game!
Remember, it is a numbers game, even the rejections are another step towards your goal, so:
MORE approaches = MORE contacts + MORE appointments + MORE sales + MORE confidence = MORE positive strokes from your Manager / Organisation!!
9. Don’t stop till you drop
DO NOT STOP until:
a. you run out of time
b. you run out of contacts
c. you have made enough appointments to talk further
Ideally, c) ought to = a) + b)!!
10. When should you prospect?
It’s the least enjoyable part of the job for many of us so get it out of the way early – phone on Mondays (for the FOLLOWING week’s appointments), get into a routine of doing this before your business dries up, then you can really enjoy the week!
Conclusion
We hope that you found this learning bite “10 tips for Successful Sales Prospecting” useful, the author Mike Willoughby has worked in learning and development for 30 years and has overseen large scale sales training programmes such as CISCO’s CDSA “CISCO Distribution Sales Academy” and Genworths “Genworth Way Sales Programme”.
Collectively the team MPI Learning have been training salespeople for over 40 years, please get in touch if you require support in developing your sales team via the contact form at the bottom of the page.
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