5 TOP TIPS: Making contact with new prospects
Many people find contacting the most difficult of all sales activities. This is likely if we are ‘cold-calling’, but if we have manageable list (not so large that we cannot follow-up all the contacts made), and we have a few useful techniques for winning their attention and gaining their interest, then we stand a good chance of doing business with them.
Here are 5 tips designed to help achieve good and profitable contacts every time:
1/ Make sure your prospecting has been effective and you have identified those who will be most likely to understand why you have contacted them; what you are offering and will have an interest in hearing more from you.
2/ Try and identify the Decision Maker before you make contact, or at least a named employee. Asking by title may well draw a blank, whereas receptionists or ‘gatekeepers’ are likely to respond positively if you can use a name.
3/ Make friends with the Gatekeeper. They are not interested in fulfilling your need so simply ask for their help. Many will deny an approach; ‘I need to talk with…’ whereas few will deny a plea for help.
4/ Apply ‘AIDA’ to the conversation (if this is not familiar email or call and I’ll explain!).
5/ Try to emphasize the benefits of your product or service which are relevant to the role of the contact; a buyer will be interested in price and delivery, whereas an MD (or FD) will be more focussed on return-on-investment and cost-effectiveness.
These are just a few tips; there are many more tips and techniques you can use to great effect. If you would like to discuss these or learn more, please call or email.