Before I make a sales prospecting call, I usually send the prospect an email first. Why? 2 main reasons: 1. Some people are more accessible electronically than by phone. (Smartphones, tablets, etc.) 2. A good excuse and context to reach someone via phone.
I came across a great article that I DID NOT write but thought it was relevant and had a great message. Enjoy! (I put in bold the really important parts for those of you who skim articles!) Cold calling. It sounds so…20th Century. Some industries still break-in their salespeople by putting them on the phone […]
This post is not about being quiet and listening to your prospect. Although it’s very important, I want to discuss another form of silence. We live in a very noisy world. Experts say that we get bombarded with at least 3,000 messages per day, both professional and personal.
I was engaged in discussions with a consulting in Seattle, WA about them using my services. They had 18 clients that they acquired through networking, referrals, and introductions. Their networked had been tapped out and they had to come up with an offensive sales and marketing plan to reach out to prospective clients who’ve never […]
Bad News: According to Jill Konrath, founder of SellingtoBigCompanies.com, in today’s business environment, you should expect to contact corporate decision makers at least eight to 10 times. If you’re trying to reach C-level executives, expect to make 12 to 14 contacts before you give up. (Source: http://www.success.com/articles/570-selling-to-big-companies)
Obviously it’s important to sell yourself, your product or service, and your company when you’re in front of a prospective client. It’s a fine line because you don’t want to come across a pushy salesperson but you want to be persuasive. If I tell you how great my service is, I may come across as […]
When companies inquire about our services, they sometimes ask if Connect 5000 gets compensated by the sales meeting or on a monthly retainer. There’s a formidable competitor of mine out on the East Coast who charges by the appointment. I believe like $700 a meeting. There’s no upfront fees and they only get paid if […]
Happy 4th of July to you! Can you believe how fast the 1st half of 2012 came and left? I met with a VP of Sales of a large health benefits organization here in town this week. She and I discussed whether the first sales meeting should be face to face or by phone. She […]
Last week I attended Jigsaw’s 3rd Annual Rainmaker’s Conference for 3 days in Las Vegas. I’m considered a “Rainmaker” because of my ratings and usage. Jigsaw is a community website wiki that was sold for $170M to Salesforce.com. They renamed it Data.com recently. As you may or may not know, LinkedIn shows you companies, names, […]
Here’s a great post from insideview.com, a great resource for sales folks! In sales, money is made when a salesperson goes beyond the initial cold call. In fact, about 80 percent of all sales are made after five to 12 contacts between the sales person and prospect. The sales person, when pinpointing a potential sale, […]
