How do I get prospects who are dragging their feet to finally make a decision?  How do I get prospects who promised to call me back to do so?  How do I get prospects who keep changing the implementation date to choose a date and stick to it?  These are "after the fact" questions: the situation you want to avoid has already occurred. If you're looking for answers to these questions, you're working on the wrong end of the problem.

The most effective strategy for heading off stalls and roadblocks is to deal with them up front.  For example, if you schedule a presentation with the expectation of obtaining a decision at its conclusion, you must have an "up-front contract" with the prospect that she will make one. Hoping she will make a decision is not a good strategy or substitute for obtaining her commitment.

If a prospect promises to call you back, treat it as an appointment and set a date and time for the call. "Post-sell" the appointment by asking the prospect what might occur that would prevent him from keeping the appointment and establish a contingency plan. If the prospect is unwilling to agree to such specifics, then he is not likely to follow through...any you shouldn't expect him to.

When a customer selects an implementation date (at which time you can conclude the sale and earn your commission), find out what circumstances could cause the date to be changed. Determine a "drop dead" date for implementation and the consequences for passing the date. As in the previous example, establish a contingency plan if the initial date should have to be changed.

Don't wait until it's too late. You can't change the past, but you can predict the future if you plan appropriately. Jeremy Rawitz

Sales Strategy Corp.

347-385-8500

A good pool of prospects is one of the keys to a successful selling career. Knowing how to prospect effectively keeps a career vital, and is truly the lifeblood of sales. Yet, so many sales professionals overlook the crucial element of having a prospecting plan. With a plan to follow, you can measure your efforts and results.

The Mix

A good prospecting plan includes several types of activities. Some examples include: outbound (cold & warm) calls, referrals, talks, mailings and networking. While most salespeople have a variety of activities available to them, they tend to use only a few, either because they have a certain comfort level with some activities, or a discomfort with others. Mixing your activities takes the pressure of any one activity to provide your livelihood. If you're not comfortable with an approach, invest time to improve your skills, and ultimately your comfort level, to make other activities work for you.

The Action

Prospecting activities are either active or passive. Active prospecting gives you complete control over how the activity is carried out. For example, making outbound calls is active. You control who you call, how often you call, how many calls you make, and what you say. Advertising is passive ? you can't control whether a piece gets to its intended destination, is read, or generates a response. Although you can increase your response rate by offering free samples, a bonus or other premium, you give up most control by advertising.

To achieve desired results, mix your active and passive prospecting. Passive activities may be more comfortable, but comfort may not be the answer to your prospecting challenge.

The Plan

When you've decided which activities to pursue, put them on your calendar. Schedule your activities according to time, budget, resources and target audience considerations. And be sure to put your preparation activities (preparing a seminar, writing your newsletter or composing your mailing) in no-pay time. A budget should accompany your prospecting calendar. Will there be labor, equipment, facility or print costs? These elements all factor into your choice of prospecting activities and their weight in your mix.

The Results

Once you've chosen your mix, planned your actions, scheduled your activities and carried out your plan, what were the results? Where did your leads come from, and which activities generated the leads that translated into appointments? Although different activities may produce varying results, you'll probably find that a plan that reflects a variety of methods will pay off. And you may even find success with an activity you thought wouldn't work for you, or that you were reluctant to try.

Each prospecting plan is unique, but all have elements in common: they should include a mix of activities that are feasible for your situation and have action steps for those activities based on resources available and scheduling constraints. As the saying goes, "If you don't know where you're going, how will you know when you get there?"

© Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Jeremy Rawitz

347-385-8500

Sales Strategy Corp.