Sales Prospecting

Guest post by: Harry Frisch
Become an Author

Free PDF Download
6. Penetration Selling -- Penetrating the Barriers to Commitment - By Harry Frisch

Sales prospecting is very often a salesman's least favorite part of his work as a salesman. I have found this to be the case about the same number of times I have found that the salesman hasn't had sufficient training in how to prospect effectively, and so hasn't been having a lot of prospecting successes. To the degree that the salesman doesn't know how to go about prospecting, and ends up with losses instead of successes, sales prospecting can be a mighty discouraging activity. I have conversely discovered that the more one's ability and successful experiences in sales prospecting grow, the more enjoyable an activity it becomes, and the more willing a salesman is to do it.

If there is one single secret to successful sales prospecting, it is to outflow-communication-in-volume. If you have ever heard the expression that “sales is a numbers game”, it was surely meant as a comment on the subject of “Prospecting”. To slow down on one's sales prospecting efforts, or to stop prospecting altogether, is a sure road to sales failure.

If there is one factor that looms high above all others as the single source of a salesman slowing down or altogether stopping his prospecting efforts, it is fear-of-loss. We all hate to be told “No”. But hate it or not, if we are to reach our goals and to be successful in sales, or in any other sectors of our lives, we somehow have to get past having been told “No”, get ourselves re-energized, and keep trying.

Ironically, there is nothing that builds up a salesman's willingness to push past “No” and keep trying, as much as the actual repetition of continually going up to the next potential-prospect, and the next and the next, and giving them each his best shot, win or lose, until the skin is sufficiently thickened to make all of his future sales prospecting efforts seem a lot like a walk in the park.

A great deal can be said about how exactly to prospect effectively (and is said in the all-inclusive sales training manual, HOW TO SELL – Clear and Simple, in Chapter 3, Prospecting), but here I wanted to point out the single, underlying factor that plays the maker/breaker role in prospecting success: The salesman's willingness to have potential-prospect after potential-prospect tell him, “No. Not interested”, and keep forging forward until he finds the one that says, “Yes, I'm interested.”

And there is nothing that encourages a salesman more to get back up and go for that next prospect, than the security, confidence and certainty he builds, seeing that the methodology he has been trained in and is following is leading him to an increasing number of successes, as he marches forward in his sales prospecting.

(c) 2004, 2005, 2006, Harry Frisch, STI Publishing. All Rights Reserved.

Sales Prospecting Techniques

Sales Prospecting for Sales Results

Prospecting it is simple only DOING counts

Sales Prospecting is the most important skill©

Prospecting - Time really is money©

Prospecting's 8 Simple Steps©

Keep Prospecting Simple©

Get In a Rut

Maximize Revenues©

Two spectacular sales ideas©

The Paradox of Sales Training

Sales Management, Prospecting, and a Sense of Urgency©

Prospecting For New Business - Cold Calling

Sales Prospecting Is a Dirty Business (or Why a Clean Desk Is Not a Good Sign)

Remember, it is only the Behaviors that count!©

Sales Stops & Starts

Missed & Lost Sales Opportunities

Powerful, Persuasive and Motivating Language

Home > Sales > Harry Frisch > Sales Prospecting > Google +

Free PDF Download
6. Penetration Selling -- Penetrating the Barriers to Commitment - By Harry Frisch

About the Author: Harry Frisch

RSS for Harry's articles - Visit Harry's website
Harry Frisch is the author of the popular new sales training book, available at www.HowToSellClearAndSimple.com Mr. Frisch has won numerous awards, selling a remarkably wide range of products and services to all levels of business and industry, as well as retail to the public. (Partial list includes: ReMax real estate, Saturn automobiles, audio-video equipment, specialty clothing, Honda automobiles, self-improvement courses, big ticket in-home sales, fine art by phone sales, door-to-door book sales... just to name a few.) In addition to being a Master Salesman, he is an accomplished writer and humorist, an inspiring educator, an in-demand business consultant, and an expert in the field of human behavior. Mr. Frisch earned his B.A. from Boston University and did his graduate work at the University of Michigan and Hunter College, and has additionally been affiliated with City College of New York (CCNY) and New York University, (NYU). Mr. Frisch is also the author of HOW TO BE A SUPER SALESMAN…and Still Respect Yourself in the Morning, and the powerful HOW TO SELL -- Clear and Simple Course. To receive his newsletter of sales tips, write Newsletter@STIPublishing.com
Click here to visit Harry's website.

More from Harry Frisch
Improving Your Selling Skills
How to Select Professional Sales Training
The Secrets to Creating Customer Satisfaction
Sales Training short term or long term success
Seven Sales Tips that Consistently Close Sales

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Share this post and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Sales Prospecting

Related Articles

Related Forum Posts

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.


Name:
Email: