Sometimes life gets busy. Actually, life always seems to be busy. But sometimes, it gets very busy. And according to Entrepreneur.com, pushing off researching companies before you talk to a prospect is one of the first things to go when it’s crunch time.
Old and tired, the “my dog ate my homework” excuse is just that, an excuse. Salespeople must prove their good intentions to sell the best to their clients by knowing their needs, before they’re explicitly explained. Demonstrating your investment in a person or company, prior to them educating you with the same information, increases the likelihood you’ll actually close the sale.
So, next time things get busy, don’t let yourself slack off on doing your homework because maybe, the next time you meet with your prospect, they’ll be willing to give you an A.
testacr22 
Trinity Blank 
Caroline Marie Dawson
Good thought! I know this past year going through interviews for different internships being prepared was a huge aspect. I did my best to research not only the company but the interviewer as well. It usually paid huge dividends.
I”m with Brian, but be sure to know the interviewer’s professional history, not social history. Mentioning that you also like the TV show The Office, may be weird for them because now they know you are a stalker.
I recently sat down for lunch with one of my best friends, and her comments reinforced your post in full. Prior to her interview, she researched not only the company, but its executives and associates. It turned out this was a good move, because two executives grilled her for the prestigious position, and she was prepared to answer every question. But what was really funny was that one of the executives had previously been involved in a political scandal, and she was able to subliminally relate to his experiences that she had read about. She won’t know for a while if she got the job, but if she hadn’t researched the company in advance, she without a doubt wouldn’t even stand a chance.