Prospecting for Sales
I. Generating leads 4
A. Directories 4
1. Business directories 4
2. Professional organizations 4
3. Trade show directories 4
4. Business registration lists 4
5. Competitors customers 4
6. ...others 4
B. Activities 4
1. Mail shots 4
2. Advertising 4
3. Trade shows 4
4. Customer referrals 4
5. Web site 4
6. ...others 4
II. Qualifying leads 4
A. Genuineness of need 4
B. Urgency of need 4
C. Authority to decide 4
D. Authority to buy 4
E. Ability to pay 4
F. Timescale for purchase 4
III. Prioritizing leads 4
A. Revenue potential 4
B. Location 4
C. ...others 4
IV. Cold-calling 5
A. Objectives 5
B. Sales pitch 5
C. Outcome 5
V. First meeting 5
A. Preparing 5
1. Objectives 5
2. Knowledge of the customer 5
3. Benefits to the customer 5
4. Possible objections 5
5. Qualifying questions 5
B. Meeting 6
1. Introduction 6
2. Assess needs 6
3. Present benefits 6
4. Highlight added value 6
5. Handle concerns 6
C. Follow-up 6
1. Lead sheet 6
2. Thank you note 6
VI. Managing leads 6
A. Account details 6
B. Key managers details 6
C. Business type 6
D. Origin of lead 6
1. Canvassing 6
2. Cold-calling 6
3. Referrals 6
4. ...others 6
E. Action points 6
Purpose: To help you successfully prospect for sales. The more efficient the prospecting the more time you will have for actual selling. Prospecting is not something you do just once: the various phases will need to be repeated as circumstances change and you better understand your markets and the needs of your customers.
Directions: You can use this template in various ways, for example as a checklist to remind yourself of the key points, as a tool for teaching others, or as the starting point for a visual representation of a specific campaign. Modify it according to your needs.
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Related OpenMind templates:
* Preparing to Sell
* Preparing for a Negotiation
* Presenting Effectively
I. Generating leads[W1]
A. Directories
1. Business directories
2. Professional organizations
3. Trade show directories
4. Business registration lists
5. Competitors customers
6. ...others
B. Activities
1. Mail shots
2. Advertising
3. Trade shows
4. Customer referrals
5. Web site
6. ...others
II. Qualifying leads[W2]
A. Genuineness of need
B. Urgency of need
C. Authority to decide
D. Authority to buy
E. Ability to pay
F. Timescale for purchase
III. Prioritizing leads[W3]
A. Revenue potential
B. Location
C. ...others
IV. Cold-calling[W4]
A. Objectives
B. Sales pitch[W5]
C. Outcome[W6]
V. First meeting[W7]
A. Preparing[W8]
1. Objectives
Main
Fact-finding
Selling
...others
Alternatives
2. Knowledge of the customer[W9]
Customer profile
Customer industry
Customer business
3. Benefits to the customer[W10]
Increased revenue
Increased productivity
Higher quality
Better image
...others
4. Possible objections[W11]
Too expensive
Not the right solution
Worried about support
...others
5. Qualifying questions[W12]
See Qualifying leads
B. Meeting
1. Introduction
2. Assess needs[W13]
3. Present benefits[W14]
4. Highlight added value
5. Handle concerns[W15]
C. Follow-up[W16]
1. Lead sheet
2. Thank you note
VI. Managing leads[W17]
A. Account details
B. Key managers details
C. Business type
D. Origin of lead[W18]
1. Canvassing
2. Cold-calling
3. Referrals
4. ...others
E. Action points
[W1]Before you can sell anything you must know your products and your markets. You must then find potential customers; people who may be interested in your product or service. There are many ways of doing this: through business directories, mail shots, mailing lists, web sites, and so on.
[W2]Once you have a list of leads, select those candidates who are most likely to need your product and who are also in a position to influence or authorize a sale. Accurate qualifying will increase the leads to sales ratio and optimize the use of your time and resources.
[W3]It's a good idea to prioritize your leads. Take into account such things as the size of the potential customer, the likelihood of getting a sale, the revenue potential, the opportunity for further sales, and so on.
[W4]When contacting people who are not expecting you, whether face to face or by phone, always be friendly, polite and enthusiastic. Keep track of each call or meeting. Mix easier calls with more difficult ones.
[W5]Customers can usually tell when you're reading from a script, so if you do prepare one, try to use it only as a guide. Avoid open-ended questions, and give people alternatives of desirable outcomes (such as meeting dates etc.)
[W6]Do not be discouraged by unsuccessful calls: they are the norm for cold-calling.
[W7]The first meeting is always important. If you make a bad impression you may never see the customer again.
[W8]Plan the meeting by listing and researching all the points you need to consider. Start by determining your main objectives and alternatives you can fall back on if need be.
[W9]Be knowledgeable about the customer and his or her industry and business. This will help you highlight the benefits most likely to be of interest and generate confidence and trust in the solutions you propose.
What are the likely reasons for the customer's interest in your product? What concerns might he or she have?
[W10]Think of all the possible benefits your product or service might bring to this particular customer so that you can focus on them during the meeting.
What product or service does the customer currently use? How will your product or service be better?
Consider likely benefits at both organizational and personal advancement level.
[W11]Try to list all the objections this particular customer might have and think about how you would address them.
[W12]By referring to the qualifying leads checklist, think of how you can phrase questions in order to get the answers you need to qualify this customer and refine your knowledge about him and his business.
[W13]Find out what the customer actually needs so that you can, if necessary, re-align your approach and present your product as a solution that will meet those needs.
Limit the discussion of features and benefits to the areas highlighted by the needs assessment phase.
[W15]In case of rejection, try to find out the reasons. This might give you new information or pointers on how to develop your technique.
[W16]Update the lead sheet for the customer and send him or her a note of thanks for his or her time and attention.
[W17]Keep track of your active leads using suitable software such as a database or spreadsheet. Make sure action items are entered in your diary and set electronic reminders as appropriate.
[W18]Recording the origin of the leads will help you identify the methods which generate the most useful leads, in other words the ones that convert to sales.
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