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Part Seven - Prospecting for More Sales

Written by: Lawrence Atkinson

Article Overview: Part Seven of a Ten Part Series. In this series, we explore all the different avenues of prospecting necessary for a business to succeed. Think of your business as a a beautiful garden, and then consider all the things you need to do to keep that garden beautiful and growing, rather than dreary, dead or decaying. Need help with Prospecting? Feel free to get in touch with us via our website.

Part Seven - Prospecting for More Sales

Here are some points you should check if you want to project an image which will attract business rather than drive it away.

 The first point of contact with you is often the telephone. You can grab them or lose them right there. When your potential clients phone your office, here is one of the things that can happen: before they can say a word the voice on the other end says "will you hold for a moment please". And then they wait - or perhaps they don't. Maybe they decide then and there not to bother any further with you. How many of you have experienced this frustrating incident, and have hung up as a result?

Make certain that whoever is responsible for answering calls in your business is given sound advice about how to make telephone contact with your customers and sound as pleasant and productive as possible.

o Remember that you can't be seen. The caller only has your voice to guide them, so make sure that it is friendly and that your manner is helpful. They can't see your dazzling smile, or that you're being asked to do sixty things at once. As far as they are concerned their call is the only one you have to handle. In fact it’s the most important call you've had all day. And that’s the way you have to handle it, because it might be the most important call you get all day.

o Listen carefully, and without interruption, to what the caller has to say. Always have a notepad and pencil on hand to take down the caller's name and telephone number and to record details of the enquiry.

o Make sure that the call is concluded to the satisfaction of the caller. Be certain that they have received the information they wanted.

o Secure an appointment. Selling is nearly always done face-to-face. So be certain that you say something like "When would it be suitable for you to meet with us so that we can more fully understand your needs?"

o One of the most important qualities you will need as a seller is to be approachable. So be sure that your telephone acts as an open doorway to your business, not as a barrier which makes access and information difficult to obtain.

 When potential customers do get as far as your office, make certain that the premises are clean, attractive and give the impression that the company is business like and efficient. That should go without saying, however only just the other day I had an incident where that was not so. I was seeing a salesperson in a conference room I had hired for the meeting, and without thinking ushered him into the conference room I had booked - only to be confronted with the dirty dishes of those who had used the room before us! Not only should the venue people have cleaned up after them, but I should have checked first!

 Personal contact is important. When the buyer walks through your door, they should get prompt courteous service. Otherwise they may not wait.

How many times have you been kept waiting for an appointment? What happens to your impression of the person you are waiting for, the longer you have to wait?

 It isn't just your office that has to look right. The people in your premises have to look reliable and efficient too. That may mean that weird hairstyles and extreme styles of dress have no place in your business offices – there again, you maybe a hairdresser - you need to work with what works in your industry. In general, your aim should be to dress and groom yourself in a way that will make your clients feel comfortable.

You can dress fashionably, but you don't want to scare the customers away. Grooming is important too - how many of you clean our shoes regularly, clean your fingernails, get all that white paint out of your hair from the weekend painting job? Even if you don't realise it, customers will be giving you the once over, usually within the first minute of meeting you.

Remember: You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Continued in Part Eight

Related Articles
  Sales Prospecting Techniques
  Sales Prospecting for Sales Results
  Sales Prospecting
  Prospecting it is simple only DOING counts
  Sales Management, Prospecting, and a Sense of Urgency©

Article Tags: appointment, enquiry, interruption, notepad, pencil, point of contact, satisfaction, smile, sound advice, telephone number



Related Forum Posts
Prime Means of Selling - Prospecting and Selling aren't the same. Prospecting is finding the few within a target group who are prime candidates for your service. I don't think everyone will agree on what "prime" means but I'd say if the prospects actively want what you're offering and have the ability to pay for what you're offering then they qualify as "prime".
Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing
Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - [quote="ltrahan":31w9r2iz]Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing[/quote:31w9r2iz] I second the request...
Patent information - I'm also interested in Part 2. Thanks.
Patent Process - Interesting to hear your experiences with the patent process - what's Part 2?


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