Prospecting

There is no two ways about it, prospecting can be tough, but adopting a smart strategy can take the stress out of the search for new business.

Sales growth relies on identifying and making contact with potential customers; standing still is not really an option when market shrinkage or stagnation is the result.

Networking is a great prospecting tool and should be a key part of your weekly prospecting plan.

Networking activity has been instrumental in building my business. If you are looking to grow your contacts and get involved with a group of supportive local business owners, then taking part in networking events is something you should seriously be considering.

We recently featured in a blog article on the BforB website. Read on to see how BforB has helped my business grow. 

How are you going to make 2017's goals achievable? If the goals you set in January last year did not become a reality, what are you going to change this year to make them happen?  It's not about the goals you set, but what the process is to achieve these goals. Repeating the same behaviours that do not lead to success, will ultimately result in another failure. 

An unusual title, but the event that gave the title led me to ponder, “Why do people hate picking up the phone and prospecting?”

There is a real parallel here with my experience with the skunk and sales people making cold calls . Read on to understand why.

Does this sound familiar to you?

Prospect A says, “This looks very good. I think there’s an excellent chance we’ll do business.” The salesperson thinks, “I’ve got one.”

Prospect B comments, “Your price is higher than we expected.” The salesperson thinks, “I’ll have to cut the price to close the deal.”

Prospect C reveals, “We were hoping for a shorter delivery time.” The salesperson thinks, “I’ll have to push this through as a rush order to get the sale.”

My Mum was a funny lady and during my youth, she was constantly throwing riddles at me.

Some of her riddles came in pairs and the pairs typically had a point.

One such pair of riddles has been a huge lesson for me as I have gone through life. Here they are.

Riddle 1: What did Tarzan say when he saw the elephants coming down the road? “Here come the elephants.”

Riddle 2: What did the elephants say when they saw Tarzan coming down the road? Nothing, elephants don’t talk.

Two weekends ago, I got to take my youngest daughter to a 4-year-old’s birthday party. I’d forgotten how elaborate some of these parties get, and this was a nice reminder. The parents of this little boy had hired an animal trainer to bring some rabbits and let the kids see them.