Sales Prospecting Perspectives is pleased to bring you a post from Michaela Cheevers, Business Development Representative at AG Salesworks.
Let’s be honest, the hypnotic pull of the television can be hard to resist after a long day of work. I know I’ve been a victim to it more times than I’m willing to admit! With the influx of new fall television shows, I’ve drawn strength from one of my favorite TV personalities, Olivia Pope – the leading lady of Scandal. As a strong female character known for being a "fixer" for high-profile celebrity scandals, she is passionate, non-judgmental, and determined. Here are some sales prospecting methods I've learned from Olivia Pope that have helped me when B2B prospecting.
1. Trust your instinct.
Olivia Pope is famously guided by her “gut feeling” which often turns out to be spot on, but frequently keeps her team wondering if she has lost her mind. However, if you’ve been in the industry as long as Olivia, chances are that you know the signs for when you need to move forward with a project that will give you positive results. When having an initial call with your prospect in B2B inside sales, trust your instincts in terms of the direction the call is heading. If it seems as though your prospect needs some time to think things through before committing to the next step, back off a little bit rather than pushing them too hard and potentially scaring them off. As the saying goes, “Great things take time,” and by handling a prospecting conversation correctly from the very beginning, you make less work for yourself in the long run.
2. Use your resources.
Olivia Pope has a team of gladiators who help her dig up dirt on a case and get the job done. While you may not have access to your own personal team when prospecting for sales, you do have access to your professional network of colleagues and business connections, as well as a plethora of tools made available by the ever-expanding knowledge base that the Internet provides. These tools are a great way to make cold calls into warm calls. Whether it be researching a company on LinkedIn to determine the right person to speak with based on job responsibilities, or strategizing with a seasoned colleague on a particularly challenging prospect, always use your resources to make your tasks that much easier and more efficient.
3. Don’t be afraid to be fierce.
Too often, sales reps are immediately characterized as pushy and aggressive, and that sentiment could lead to a negative mindset, especially for your prospects. Don't be afraid to be fierce and show them you're not that type of salesperson. Your prospect may pick up the phone, bracing themselves for you to corner them into a product or service they don’t think that they can benefit from; but you will pleasantly surprise them if you focus more on them through your research than your product or service. Don't feel guilty encouraging prospects to that extra step after hearing the initial “no" when you know you could really help solve a major business challenge your prospect is facing. In that case remember to just think like Olivia Pope. If there is one thing Olivia Pope knows how to do, it is how to stick up for her client. The next time you have a conversation, think from your prospect's perspective. If you know your solution is right for them, don’t be afraid to speak up and let them know. After all, you should never push for something that is not a fit, but you should always advocate for a solution that can truly benefit a potential customer.
Olivia Pope - and the real-life Judy Smith - are experts in crisis management, and inside sales reps need to be just as prepared in sales conversations. What other inside sales tips have you learned from TV shows for sales success?
Michaela Cheevers is a business development representative at AG Salesworks. She helps her clients find fully qualified sales opportunities in order to grow their sales pipelines and generate meaningful business relationships. Always looking to help others, she looks forward to connecting the right people with the best business solutions.
