Proactive Teleprospecting and Some Thoughts off the Cuff
I've been thinking lately that life is kind of like a series of sales situations, and if you never ask for the sale, you're always going to get a "no." So, I think that not only in life, but in teleprospecting, we should always strive to be initiators and be proactive.
Taking initiative is a key component in helping our BDR's at AG Salesworks succeed. Taking the initiative does not mean being pushy or too aggressive. It does mean developing and implementing a specific call-plan relative to our targeted audience. We should concisely and directly state the purpose of our call and make sure we clearly understand and define the decision making process of the organization. It also does mean recognizing our responsibility to make things happen with each and every call. We should, depending on the stage of the call, find out decision makers, whether or not projects are in place, or even how "active" that project is. Sound easy!?
Being proactive is important to teleprospecting, too. As Stephen R. Covey, the well known author of "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," points out in Habit One we want to be PRO-active as opposed to being RE-active. You should check out this article by Caidian Johnson for additional thoughts on applying Habit One to your sales process. We want our teleprospectors to be that way, too. Here at AG Salesworks we direct our BDR's to seize the initiative to do whatever is necessary, consistent with correct principals, to get the job done and qualify a potential sales opportunity. We encourage people to be resourceful and to take initiative to be the best they can be. Creating an atmosphere where people can seize opportunities and solve problems in an increasingly self-reliant way as their skill set develops is something that my colleagues and I focus on a daily basis.
Additionally, here are a couple quick thoughts to keep in mind when prospecting:
- Know what you're talking about. Have a strong understanding of what the company does, how they operate, and their competition. This will allow you to understand where they stand in the market space and what you are up against.
- Always be prepared. Who the heck knows what you will come across on any given day? So it's important to really listen to the person on the other end of the phone and open your ears. If it sounds like you caught them at a bad time, then you probably did. Quickly, understand if they are the best person to speak with involved in XYZ. IF not, then move on and politely set the expectation that you will follow up at a better time. Don't forget to ask when that follow up time may be
- Keep the ball in your court. Know when to let go of the conversation and when to own it. If you are doing all the talking then chances are that you are not doing your job. It is our responsibility to use our listening skills and extract the pains from the conversation. Once you have made the decision if this person is a qualified opportunity then take control. Let them know the next steps of our process and what to expect from this point forward.