Most sales or small business people don’t think of themselves as researchers. Instead, people tend to think more in terms of sales approaches, closing techniques, presentation skills. All of these elements are important and require diligence and attention, however, never underestimate the power of information. An old sales training adage says, “It’s easier to sell a qualified prospect than it is to sell an unqualified prospect.”
What does this mean? It’s not just about the money (i.e. it’s easier to sell something to a prospect who can afford to buy versus one that can’t). “Quality,” as I see it, means qualified. Part of being qualified is being able to afford, but it is also so much more. Qualifying a prospect means “knowing” a prospect. As I work, I strive to get to know useful information about my prospects and I store it in my prospecting database [Sponsored Link - Act! By Sage 2010
I collect information such as:
- What kinds of products does the prospect prefer versus others?
- When does the prospect make decisions about buying?
- How does the prospect research alternatives?
- What process does the prospect go through when buying?
- What preferences in the “means” (i.e. mail order, phone, Internet, person-to-person, trade shows, seminars, etc.) of buying are important to the prospect?
Understanding this information helps put me in the right place, with the right approach, at the right time. The fact that buyers have different buying preferences is no surprise. It tells you that taking one approach will not succeed with everyone. Allow for modifications to your approach and try to track your results. In the early days of my career, I did mostly telephone prospecting work [Sponsored Link - Learn how to telephone prospect - read Prospect Factory]. When I noticed some prospects asking me to send information through the mail, I listened and acted on it. In turn, I opened up a whole new means of outreach that successfully met the buying preferences of those prospects. [Sponsored Link - How to write letters for direct mail - The One Pager Manual.]
Make it a priority to collect useful information about prospects and to act on it. It’s like a gold miner who has been working one vein of gold and then suddenly finds another. It is exciting to find a new form of outreach that brings you closer in alignment with your customers. By working to research, understand and adapt to the buying characteristics of your customers, you will improve your sales and prospecting results.
Originally posted 2009-05-13 04:06:31.
