Sales Success: 5 Powerful Prospecting Tips

In the average salesperson's day, 75 percent of the time is spent on something other than face-to-face customer interactions. By increasing your customer time to consume at least 50 percent of your time, you will increase your contacts, appointments, sales and income. Consider this five-step prospecting process to help you achieve this.
First, use a customer-management system (CMS) like salesforce.com. Tools, such as salesforce.com, help you document and track your sales activity. Today, many companies provide similar systems like ACT or Goldmine. Salesforce.com is internet-based and includes sales-tracking software. It's a time saver and organizer.
Second, determine your metrics. Selling is a numbers game and a relationship profession. The sales process helps you distinguish yourself in the relationship. The metrics help you to win with the numbers. By knowing the numbers, you can predict your success by your sales activity, which you will track with your CMS.

• How much money do you want to make?
• What's your average commission per sale?
• How many sales do you need to close each month to achieve your income goal?
• How many appointments and proposals do you need in order to make a sale?
• How many point-of-sale contacts (by email, phone or mailing) do you have to make to set an appointment, whether that's on the phone or in person?

Third, you need a good list of prospects. Begin with your current accounts. What types of companies are you selling? What are others selling? Who are the top sellers selling to? What are your best competitors doing? Your analysis here should help you determine who to contact. With the internet, you can learn just about anything about any client. Put all of this information in your contact database. Refine your list as you progress, and start contacting them. Warm-up all cold contacts this way:

• Send brief intro letter with useful information about your industry and your company
• Send an email with industry info attached
• Send a newsletter that provides helpful information
• Send an email about a useful Webinar or seminar that will be of interest to the prospect.
• Connect with a person you know who knows the account

For the most part your prospects and customers are being contacted by many different sales reps. Distinguish yourself by providing information that helps your customer with their customers. Then, make your sales calls for a meeting.
Fourth, discipline yourself by organizing your schedule to make calls and other contact efforts regularly. One company sets aside a SalesPower day every week on which they do their admin, warm-up contacts and phone calls for appointments. They use the rest of their week to visit potential customers face-to-face. Another company requires 50 qualified daily phone calls. A study of their metrics proves that they secure 8-10 quality appointments per week. The key is to schedule your time, all of the time. Prospecting is the fuel that fires your sales engine. Without it, your sales career can't get anywhere and you lose money.
Fifth, be persistent. Persistence separates the winners from the losers. More prospecting means more rejection; but remember, it isn't personal - it's just the way it is. Stay positive by reading motivational articles or sales books, listen to inspirational CD's or study other self-help books. Also, attend regular sales training at your company or elsewhere.
Sales superstars do what others don't do or don't do enough. These five prospecting steps will be powerful for you if you execute them consistently. Finally, remember this, "Excellent selling is excellent service, and excellent service is excellent selling."

By the way, do you want to accelerate your sales career and achieve your goals? If so, check out this complimentary goal achieving guide: http://wcwpartners.com/5-laws-of-goalpower-download/#
Or, do you want to rapidly improve your sales today, learn more about prospecting and successful sales in order to make more money? If so, check out Rick's Superstar Sales book: http://wcwpublishing.com/wcw-programs/performance-improvement-books/superstar-sales/#
Rick Conlow is the CEO of WCW Partners, a management consulting and training firm. Rick has helped organizations increase sales 218%, improve repeat-and-referral business by 20%, increase customer retention to 99%, reduce complaints by 60% and achieve 34 quality awards. You can reach Rick at: rick@wcwpartners.com or 888-313-0514.

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