Part Three - Prospecting for More Sales
Part Three - Prospecting for More Sales
Take the time to build your personal network. Many of us do so without thinking about it greatly, but there is a major benefit in applying as much thought to your network as to a complex finance or building application. Here are some tips:
Leave business cards.
You would be surprised how many people still do not carry an adequate supply of cards with them every day. You will never know when you might need them.
It's important to recognise that there is new business to be found amongst your friends and acquaintances. But you can't expect your social contacts to be your only source of business growth. Your network has to reach out into every area of your daily life.
Although you may not think so, as an example, your hairdresser, your accountant, your mechanic and your grocer can all help you make sales. Of course you can't expect them to sell for you, but if you have built friendly relationships with them they'll be pleased to help people find you.
So help them to help you. Give them a stack of your business cards. Then, if anyone asks them where they can find someone involved in whatever it is you do, they just have to offer them one of your cards.
Secondly, leave company gifts with good clients and prospects
This should go without saying. If you have any give-aways, such as pens, notepads, golf balls or umbrellas, use them. There are all sorts of things people will be pleased to receive as gifts, even though you may not think so. We should not pre-judge what is important to them. Desk items are especially useful, particularly when the competition comes to call.
Use letterhead on all your correspondence.
Be sure to do this all the time. Is there ever an occasion to write a personal, informal note to a customer? Sometimes we do, particularly if it’s a special occasion that you are congratulating them on, or something where you just want to add that personal touch. Why not get some good notepaper (not the usual office supply) with your company logo and your name and telephone number on it, when you wish to "personalise" your contacts.
And what about those personal moments? How many of us find out about our customers birthdays, their families birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions that are important to them? Those small details make all the difference, and can often be the difference between retaining an account and losing it to the competition. Always remember that whilst you may be dealing with a large corporate or institution, first and foremost you are dealing with people. It’s the little things that count!
Put yourself in their shoes for a moment… whom would you prefer to deal with… the person who takes time to find out about you and what is important to you, or the person who just comes in to do the deal? Can I suggest that if you wish to learn more about building relationships you read that old favourite "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie; written in 1935 and still going strong!
The critical point here is that you need to keep your name and product in the minds of those who might be in a position to refer business to you, and using letterhead, even for informal notes, is a simple way of doing that.
Remember this! Referrals are the most important source of sales, no matter what you sell. If you show a genuine interest in the people you meet through your personal and business contacts, then they will want to help you make sales. So make it easier for them by leaving cards, giving gifts and using letterhead.
Continued in Part Four
Part Three Prospecting for More Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Lawrence Atkinson's Website.
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Networking
Take the time to build your personal network. Many of us do so without thinking about it greatly, but there is a major benefit in applying as much thought to your network as to a complex finance or building application. Here are some tips:
Leave business cards.
You would be surprised how many people still do not carry an adequate supply of cards with them every day. You will never know when you might need them.
It's important to recognise that there is new business to be found amongst your friends and acquaintances. But you can't expect your social contacts to be your only source of business growth. Your network has to reach out into every area of your daily life.
Although you may not think so, as an example, your hairdresser, your accountant, your mechanic and your grocer can all help you make sales. Of course you can't expect them to sell for you, but if you have built friendly relationships with them they'll be pleased to help people find you.
So help them to help you. Give them a stack of your business cards. Then, if anyone asks them where they can find someone involved in whatever it is you do, they just have to offer them one of your cards.
Secondly, leave company gifts with good clients and prospects
This should go without saying. If you have any give-aways, such as pens, notepads, golf balls or umbrellas, use them. There are all sorts of things people will be pleased to receive as gifts, even though you may not think so. We should not pre-judge what is important to them. Desk items are especially useful, particularly when the competition comes to call.
Use letterhead on all your correspondence.
Be sure to do this all the time. Is there ever an occasion to write a personal, informal note to a customer? Sometimes we do, particularly if it’s a special occasion that you are congratulating them on, or something where you just want to add that personal touch. Why not get some good notepaper (not the usual office supply) with your company logo and your name and telephone number on it, when you wish to "personalise" your contacts.
And what about those personal moments? How many of us find out about our customers birthdays, their families birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions that are important to them? Those small details make all the difference, and can often be the difference between retaining an account and losing it to the competition. Always remember that whilst you may be dealing with a large corporate or institution, first and foremost you are dealing with people. It’s the little things that count!
Put yourself in their shoes for a moment… whom would you prefer to deal with… the person who takes time to find out about you and what is important to you, or the person who just comes in to do the deal? Can I suggest that if you wish to learn more about building relationships you read that old favourite "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie; written in 1935 and still going strong!
The critical point here is that you need to keep your name and product in the minds of those who might be in a position to refer business to you, and using letterhead, even for informal notes, is a simple way of doing that.
Remember this! Referrals are the most important source of sales, no matter what you sell. If you show a genuine interest in the people you meet through your personal and business contacts, then they will want to help you make sales. So make it easier for them by leaving cards, giving gifts and using letterhead.
Continued in Part Four
Part Three Prospecting for More Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Lawrence Atkinson's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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