SalesDog Quick Tip

Sales trainer Lori Richardson has a sales blog on AllBusiness.com that I highly recommend - it's well written and her posts are always content-rich. She recently wrote a "Sales Prospecting Tip Sheet" to help make your prospecting a success. Here are a few of her tips:

• DIVERSIFY - Mix up how you contact your more probable prospects. Call early in the day, call at 5pm.
• BE CONSISTENT - You must set regular time slots in your calendar to do this! Once you set the times, honor your commitment to yourself and to growing your business.
• GET FEEDBACK - Ask trusted advisors to let you "call them" with an introductory call. Find out how you can tighten what you say - especially in voice mail messages which are nearly always way too long.
• SEPARATE research time, calling time, and updating time. Work like a machine - create a smooth process so that you do research at a different time, and you are able to crank through calls and email messages.

A consummate student of learning, Lori immersed herself in "how to" books, strategies, and professional development programs from an early age. She's walked on hot coals, watched and studied masters in diverse fields, and sold "in the trenches" - on straight commission - and otherwise - for more than 30 years. Visit Lori's website at www.scoremoresales.com.