Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Update Your Prospecting Method

With every new technological advancement out there, the world of sales is changing. Are you changing with it? Today sales trainer Mark Hunter explains how changing your prospecting methods will keep you in touch with your clients, and keep them reading your messages!

Has it been years since you really refined and updated your prospecting process? Try to do it at least every quarter to capitalize on changes in your industry and in the economy. Without a doubt, I truly believe your sales motivation — and your sales success — is impacted by how well you prospect.

Every quarter it is essential to assess the effectiveness of your prospecting process. Too many companies with which I consult only assess their prospecting process every couple of years...or even longer if they don't see a significant loss of new customers. This is really too bad!

By waiting this long, they're missing out on major pieces of business. Here's an example of what I mean. Over the past year, the percentage of emails being read on a Blackberry, iPhone, or other smart phone has increased significantly. This means how you write your message must change. More messages are being deleted before they're even opened, based solely on what the first 10 – 20 characters of the message! That never used to be the case, but technology has enlightened us to this reality.

Another example is the percentage of voice mail messages that are not being transferred to text form for delivery. Again, this forces you to think through how you prospect. I say this is a prospecting problem and not a customer problem, because your prospects aren't going to tell you if they're blowing off your messages. They'll just do it and you'll never know.

In what ways have you changed your prospecting to keep up with technology? Share in the comments!

Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com

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