Do you fear prospecting?

Why do so many salespeople fear prospecting? What is so scary about prospecting? If you find a new account to call or stop in and see, what is the worst thing that can happen? Maybe you get turned away. Perhaps the person is not there. On the other hand, if you are lucky enough to reach the target, you might hear they are happy with whom they are using. So what! Not the end of the world! But what happens if they have a need? How can that change things for you? Management increased your goal; one new prospect may be a huge step in meeting your goal.

Prospecting is the quickest way to change your forecast. Like Nike says, “Just do it!” Do it more than once. Don’t rely on just one avenue, either. Use all the tools at your disposal – the phone, email, social media, and stopping by in person.

Statistics show it takes at least 6-8 attempts to gain engagement. Your competition may stop after one or two tries. Keep going; it pays off! Think of your messages as mini advertisements. Always state them from the prospect’s perspective. What do they get because of your products and services? That should be first in your message or introduction.

Don’t believe the statistics? Pick 10-15 prospects and try reaching out to them weekly for up to eight weeks. If you don’t reach them, leave a message-block time on your calendar to prospect these accounts. Watch the appointments roll in. Just do it!