Rule #7 : You never have to like prospecting, you just have to do it
- Prospecting is defined as actively searching for qualified potential buyers. I experienced firsthand how much salespeople dislike prospecting and cold calling. Cold Calling is hard, but it is ALWAYS a good exercise. It forces you to make efforts to connect with someone about whom you know NOTHING.
- I had several calls this past summer where the person I called had passed away. This was always tough to manage because what can I say to that? I’m sorry? Knowing information in advance about a company before you make a cold call makes a tremendous difference.
Some perspectives that help
- Don’t put too much pressure on yourself when making cold calls. I made over 3,600 cold calls last summer and was averaging 1 successful cold call per 30. That is a lot of NO’s. You must focus on the end result, not what you have to do to get to the end result (risk rejection). Its not personal if someone says no to you. Realize that cold calling is a numbers game and you just have to hit the phones and the streets to make a difference.
- One of my biggest takeaways from class is that people have to qualify to do business with you.
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