Productivity is Everyone's Responsibility

Myths of Sales Prospecting

What Your Sales Mentor Never Told You

Sales prospecting is a key activity for most sales driven small businesses. Take the time to revisit your assumptions about sales prospecting...the results will surprise you.

For years, I dreaded the prospecting part of sales. The constant rejection was excruciating until I learned the myths toward sales prospecting.

The 5 Myths of Sales Prospecting

Myth #1: Prospecting is sales.

This is the number one mistake made by small business owners and sales reps. Prospecting is a separate function from sales. Just as marketing is distinct from sales but closely linked.

Prospecting is simply discarding all the unqualified leads and retaining the "gold". The job of prospecting is to find qualified leads that may buy your product. Only after this process is complete, should the selling begin.

Myth #2: Prospecting is a numbers game.

The old school of prospecting for business relies on contacting large numbers of cold contacts. However, quality supersedes quantity. You must find prospects that have a propensity and possible motive to buy your product or services.

I know of a large financial powerhouse, who provided sales reps with contact lists for mortgage and investments. The only problem was most prospects lived in a low income area and were highly unlikely to buy any financial product.

Myth #3: Scripts are for kids.

Many sales people insist on prospecting without any script. Scripting provides the framework of a successful prospecting campaign. It allows you to test what key benefits and qualifying questions work. The script must be personalized by the individual so the presentation does not sound "canned".

Myth #4: Prospecting takes time.

Prospecting takes only a few minutes to determine if the lead wants your benefits and can afford your company's product or service. Don't waste time on people unmotivated or unable to buy. Remember to focus on the "gold".

Myth #5: Close them on the appointment.

Far too many sales reps focus on setting the appointment. "Would Friday morning or afternoon, be better for you?" Next week only 20% of appointments show. What went wrong?

Prospects will sometimes find it easier to agree to an appointment rather than saying they are not interested. If a prospect is remotely interested, then offer a much subtler approach...send them an information package. This allows you to build interest and turn the lead from warm to hot.

Sales prospecting done right can have a huge impact on your sales revenue. It doesn't take an armor suit and great courage to deal with the fear of rejection during prospecting. Just keep an open mind to challenge the old school of sales and the myths of prospecting.

Top Five Traits You Gotta Have to Sell

Stellar sellers and entrepreneurs share great commonality, including personality traits. An entrepreneur will excel because he has such enthusiasm for his service, and his ebullience is embraced by prospects accustomed to the same-old, same-old hackneyed pitches. A great closer will possess an aura of competence and zeal that makes him top of the board each month.

To understand the valuable qualities in selling, we asked what characteristics allow a salesperson to transcend the trite.

1. Creativity. Having an appreciation for the non-obvious solution is a must if a sales pro is going to outpace the pack. While an average salesperson depends on business cards and leave-behinds, a true rainmaker brings a "unique vision to his work that makes him stand out”.

2. Passion. Genuine love for a product gets salespeople through the inevitable dark times, and it makes their offers all the more irresistible to their clients. Passion, like creativity, cannot be faked, so it has great weight with customers.

We rank passion as the number-one characteristic a salesperson needs. You must believe in what you sell. This belief is communicated to the prospect invisibly.

3. Integrity. Why are used-car salesmen so poorly regarded? Because the perception is that they lack integrity and that they'll say anything to get the sale. We think integrity tops the list of qualities salespeople need. "We're building a relationship, and it's imperative that the customer trusts the salesperson."

Feeling good about a purchase is a hallmark of buying from a salesperson with integrity. "Trust brings [customers] back, and that's a key factor to the success of any salesperson,". The importance of selling with integrity has been heightened by the recent poor ethical and financial performance of huge corporations. "Customers still buy the salesperson."

4. Tenacity. Shelving feelings of rejection to keep plugging away is another essential requirement for sales success. "It takes personal courage to get up every morning and say 'I am going to be the best,”. It also requires a certain steely quality to persist in the wake of one dismissal after the next. "Sales requires someone who can always see possibilities, even in difficult situations."

5. Commitment. The sales cycle for any big deal can typically take months, even years. Keeping an eye on the prize, while continuing to sell to other prospects simultaneously, takes commitment. "Selling is never easy,". "You must have a burning desire." Success is the result of a person's "willingness and intent to make things happen."

On the flip side, certain traits will surely doom any salesperson to the also-ran heap: lack of integrity, for instance. Integrity means the person will always attempt to do the right thing for the company and the customers.

We also guard against not being prepared when trying to make a sale. "You can't just pick up the phone and call a prospect because your contact manager says it's time."

And, of course, there's the ultimate vice: dishonesty. "You ruin the chance of repeat or referral business."