With ever increasing competition and sales expectations needed for growth, more businesses are hiring sales people, while others are transitioning some of their employees – including themselves – into a direct sales role. They are generating sales activity using social media, print and digital advertising, and search engine optimization to drive web traffic.
But they are finding these tactics are not the end all solution. In response, they are integrating direct sales and sales prospecting as part of their marketing mix to increase revenue for their businesses. Here are guidelines to launch a sales prospecting effort at your company:
- Prospecting can be the most time consuming part of the sales process involving regular planning, follow-up and qualifying to locate viable prospects among the unscreened leads in the marketplace. This requires your assessment of who potentially can be a customer.
- Develop a sales incentive plan for your sales people that weighs your budget, incremental revenue opportunities, and motivational value for the sellers.
- Review your current customer base to develop a profile of your typical customer. Start with your top customers and develop criteria to qualify and target prospects.
- Targeting qualifiers could include industry, geography, and company size by sales volume.
- Focus on your target market to improve efficiency and to leverage productivity in closing deals.
- Develop an introductory opening-line tailored to the business called on.
- Create a “prospecting” offer that is a special deal that gets the prospect’s attention to learn more.
- Anticipate what the sales objections will be and have responses prepared.
- Block out time for direct sales activities: cold-calls, follow-ups and appointments.