Tweet

10 Things You Need to Know About Your Prospects

Written by: Ilise Benun

Article Overview: It's important to understand your prospects, but it can be hard to get inside their heads. Here are 10 things you need to know.

10 Things You Need to Know About Your Prospects

1. Your prospects need you. Do you imagine that by promoting yourself, you are intruding on or interrupting your prospect? Are you thinking, "They won't want what I have," or "They've probably already got someone." Well, as Stock Photography Guru, Rohn Engh, likes to say, "At this very moment, your prospects are waiting for you." Whether it's true about a specific prospect is irrelevant; if you approach each prospect with that frame of mind, you'll make a better presentation.

2. Your prospects want to look good. Things are kind of scary out there. No matter the industry, from construction to graphic design, things aren't the way they used to be -- not for you and not for them. So what they want from you, over and above what they're asking for, is that you make them look good; that's your real job.

3. Your prospects are, well, lazy. That means you have to do some of their work: help them find you, help them contact you and then, of course, help them work with you. The fewer obstacles they have to surpass, the more likely they are to follow through, and the more likely you are to get the work.

4. Your prospects have got a lot going on. Don't lose sight of their big picture. In the office, there are interruptions galore. They can't get anything accomplished, their desk is a disaster area, their voice mailbox is jammed, their e-mail is stacking up. In a word, things are out of control. You are just one of the many things they are trying to focus on. Now try to ask: why aren't they calling me back?

5. Your prospects act on impulse. We all do this: we see something interesting, we get excited, we call for information and when it comes, we put it in a pile. Determine as quickly as possible if you're dealing with an impulse inquiry and waste as little time as possible with them. But don't write them off entirely; just put them on your quarterly mailing list and let them come back to you. Real needs and desires will stand the test of time.

6. Your prospects need to pigeonhole you. Although you hate it, let them do it; in fact, help them. Give them a box to put you in, and a label to put on your box. (I'm speaking figuratively here.) There's plenty of time to tell them more later about your full range of services.

7. Your prospects may not know what they need. Listen to them and provide a solution to their self-defined needs. Offer a few alternatives for them to choose from. If necessary, explain, without trying to persuade, why what they say they want might not be the best thing for them. Then, let them decide.

8. Your prospects need time. It's not always a put off. Believe them when they say they have to think about it, or that they have to sell the idea to someone else. We all need time to think, time to get ready, to adjust, to clear our plate. Give them the time they ask for, and then keep in touch, reminding them that they were interested. And remember that some things will never come to fruition. That's life.

9. Your prospects are people. Your relationships are not with companies; like it or not, they're with human beings. And relationships are more important now than ever because, with everyone moving around, you better believe they're taking the Rolodex (or Wizard) along.

10. Your prospects are just like you and me. Don't forget: you are a prospect to someone out there too. Which defenses do you use? How do you want to be treated when someone is marketing to you? How often do you want someone calling? How much freedom and time would you like to have to think about a product, to ask questions and to make your decision? How do you want to feel about the process when it is over?

Related Articles
  You Cant Serve Everybody so Disqualify Most
  Sales Competencies and Your Competition
  Summertime Blues
  Discover the Secret Multiplier
  How To Close More Sales

Article Tags: big picture, desires, desk, disaster area, e mail, frame of mind, graphic design, guru, impulse, interruptions, little time, many things, obstacles, pigeonhole, prospects, quarterly mailing, rohn engh, stock photography, test of time, voice mailbox



Related Forum Posts
Re: Email Etiquette - [quote="jvprosperity":24jznj58] The P.S. suggestion is good but it depends on the type of communication (e.g. Autoresponder series verses one off emails to Clients or Prospects)[/quote:24jznj58] Andy, You are right. I was mainly referring to Auto Responder emails. To end a normal email, I attach signatures. Takuya
Simple way to avoid Cold Calling - Gary, A chiropractor I work with hates cold calling (me too!) and he uses a technique to warm people up to using his services - it's so simple! In Sales your dealing with 3 pools of people: 1. Strangers 2. Prospects 3. Returning Customers You need to move people from one pool to the next. We'll concentrate on #1 and #2 as it's most relevant to your question. My Clients does the following (you just have to tailor it to your situation - be creative). My Client (we'll call him Bob) Bob leverages his time and resources to only get people that need his offer (pain relief) to put their hand up. Dealing with Strangers can get expensive and they don't like to be told what to do as they have no trust or relationship built with him. So to get Strangers to put their hands up he writes up an offer with a free report on a particular pain relief - let's say lower back pain (note: he can simply just change lower back pain to neck pain and have a new report). and uses multiple marketing vehicles to promote the Free report - magazines, newspaper, forums, postcards, private clinics etc. The only people picking up this information are the very people Bob would like as customers as they have Lower back pain. Bob's Free report ends with him stating his services and includes a Free in-house Consultation with no obligation. You'd be surprised at how easily Bob converts Strangers into Prospects. Note: They become prospects when they ask for the Free Guide and in exchange provide their contact details. This gives Bob unlimited opportunity to contact them for the Free in-house consultation with no obligation to continue using him. At this stage Bob's ability to close the sale lies in his office providing good customer service, Bob's ability to help the prospect and provide value at the free in-house consultation. Notice, he hasn't had to pick up the phone to COLD-CALL his Stranger pool or his Prospect pool. Hope that example helps to increase your prospecting!
Re: Seth Godin: Star Fish v Long Tail - Thanks for sharing, David. I always enjoy the interest it brings me when I read these types of things. Things that make you think to consider other possibilities, no matter how obvious they may seem. Cheers, Emma
Re: What is your biggest challenge? Today? - The Big challenge i face many days, is the challenge to stay on schedule. Things always pop up, like family plans and social gatherings. I always end up procrastinating. I've heard it's a very common situation, so does anyone have a resolution to that?
Franchisng - This is a ll excellent information. I guess I am in a limbo about this. I have a great business that has the potential to be an a amazing franchise. But I am bogged down with the day to day work that franchising seems overwhelming. I also don't know if I actually want to take the risk to expand. Do you tamper with a model that works well? Things to think about! Anyone been in this situation?


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

SEO Gurus, Software and Ebooks

Reverse Mentoring

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.