How Not To Burn Your Prospect List.
If you're in sales, you know that prospecting is a huge mainstay of your job.
But you need to do it right if you want to avoid just burning through your prospect list.
What do I mean by that?
Here is a real-world example:
Recently, I had an exciting meeting with a senior sales leader. We discussed effective lead generation and top-of-the-funnel campaigns.
So, I asked about the prospect engagement techniques his business currently uses.
He mentioned that he has a team of BDRs who cold-call suspects from a list of prospects / suspects.
I inquired about what they say when someone answers the phone.
This is what he told me:
"Hi, it's (caller's name) from (business name). We provide (insert a generic service)."
I asked about the typical response they receive, and he said it's often something like:
"We already have something like this, thanks for calling."
He proceeded to explain how his team then handles these kinds of objections, namely by trying to convince the prospects that they do need his services after all.
I pointed out to him how this approach feels from the buyer's perspective:
Essentially, someone you don't know interrupts your day to convince you to buy something they don't really know you need. And when you express disinterest, they argue with you. This approach feels combative to your prospect, and can leave buyers feeling bothered. or even ambushed.
So I invited the sales leader to collaborate with me on developing alternative wording.
Within just a few minutes, we came up with a more effective engagement approach that accomplished all of this:
We made the language all about the buyer, focused on their benefits (what's in it for them).
We intrigued them, and we piqued their curiosity, so that they’d want to know more about my client’s business.
We created what I call a Lean-Forward Moment to engage them in a meaningful business conversation, instead of a blatant sales pitch.
So, my sales prospecting tip for you today is this: NEVER start your prospect engagement with "we." (Here’s why).
Instead, focus on addressing your prospect's needs and interests.
This way, they can immediately see the relevance to their own situation and engage with you.
For more valuable selling tips, please feel free to contact me directly, or check out my other sales articles.
About
Peter Strohkorb
Peter Strohkorb is the Founder and Principal of Peter Strohkorb Sales Advisory, the international Sales Acceleration Advisory firm with a growing list of clients in the b2b services and tech space in the USA, in Australia and in the UK.
Our motto is "More Sales, Faster" and that is exactly what we deliver to you, our clients.
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