7 top sales tips for prospecting

Prospecting is an essential part of the sales process but it should not be confused with the actual selling. Prospecting is to sales what marketing is to sales. It's important but it is not selling the product. How you prospect will vary depending on the products or services you are offering but these core sales tips apply to all prospecting.1. Make prospecting a habitYou never know where a prospect will come from but one thing is for sure. If you don't set aside time to prospect everyday you won't have enough people to talk to to make a living. Prospecting is just as important as an appointment and you should treat the activity the same.2. The purpose of prospecting is to weed out the unnterestedImagine for a moment you sold a financial product like mortgages and the list that you were prospecting from consisted of nothing but people living in low income parts of town. How many on that list might actually have an interest and be qualified to take out a mortgage? How much time would you waste if you went through your entire pitch on every call? The purpose of prospecting is to weed out those not likely to buy as quickly as you can leaving only the "gold" behind.3. Automate the processLong gone are the days of working off a Rolodex, 3x5 cards or a sheet with 50 names and phone numbers. It is essential that your prospecting (and all client contact) be recorded using contact management software. Detailed notes and follow up dates are crucial to consistent sales.4. Scripts are not just for telemarketers Scripts are essentially verbal presentations. You're probably comfortable writing a proposal because you know what elements have to be included and in what sequence to maximize the possibility of a sale. Think of a script in the same way. You need to identify key elements and when to include them. This also allows you to change them out and "test" new scripts to find the most effective.5. Rejection is a good thing It sounds crazy but it's true. Remember that you are trying to find the gold in your list by weeding out those who aren't qualified or interested and in all reality that's going to be most of the people on your list. So if you are asking the qualifying questions early and you are getting turned down, you've just saved yourself a ton of time. Getting rejected means you are one call closer to the gold in your list.6. Prospect your clientsProspecting does not have to mean cold calling. Your existing client base can be a remarkable source of referrals but you won't know just how good that source is until you ask them. If you've maintained good relations with your clients, and particularly if they are repeat customers, they'll be happy to pass on any help they can. Just be sure to reciprocate the favor when you can.7. Build Your BrandDeveloping a personal reputation as an expert in your field, or even as a giving person with integrity, will get prospects coming to you rather than you going to them. Brand building can take many shapes including being active in community groups, volunteering or even starting a blog. The more your name is out there, offline and online, the greater impact you will have on decision makers.All sales training programs include prospecting as part of their curriculum but it's important to remember that this activity must occur before any sales are made. Resources and time should be invested in perfecting prospecting techniques even ahead of presentation and closing skills. If you don't have anyone to talk to you're not going to sell anything.

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