Sales prospecting is the act of finding new clients, which is especially crucial for fresh start-up companies that do not necessarily have a strong customer base yet. However, prospecting is beneficial to every company because it helps to transform prospects into customers who are genuinely interested in buying your products.

There are many different prospecting techniques out there that you can employ in order to target potential customers. However, rather than having you do extensive research on which ones work, we will save you the time and show you which strategies are the most effective prospecting techniques.

Know Your Target Buyer

Even though somebody may show interest in your company, they may not necessarily be a prospective client. These individuals, also known as leads, can only become prospects if they also meet the criteria of a company’s target buyer. In this sense, a prospective customer may not even have had any interaction with your company, but they have to fit the attributes of your target client.

The only way to be certain of whether a lead or a potential client fits the description of your target buyer is to do your research. Firstly, you have to know the ins and outs of your own company before you decide what kind of prospective customer you are trying to find. Once you decide what kinds of characteristics you are looking for in a potential client, then you can move on to step two. Now, you have to find out more information about the leads that you already have to see if they can be your ideal prospective buyer. This research may also include looking into prospective buyers who have not yet shown an interest in your company.

Connect With Your Prospects

Now that you have done your research and found a couple of potential buyers who fit in with the ideal of your target buyer, it is time to communicate with them. You have to make the discovery call, which is your first method of contact with a prospective buyer. Your goal is to convert them from only a prospect into both a prospective client and a lead. One major way to make this discovery call in the technological age is through email. Research shows that the amount of people who look at their emails at least once a day is 91%—only 9% away from all consumers. In order for your prospecting with these potential buyers to be effective, you must also try to schedule a meeting with them to give them more information about your company. Once you peak their interest, they will become a lead on top of a prospect.

Close the Deal

The sign of a truly effective prospecting venture is a closed deal. If the prospect, after connecting with you and meeting with you, decides to finally purchase a product, then you know that you have effectively closed that lead.

However, even if they decide not to engage in a transaction at the time, then you should not be discouraged. You have to nurture your relationships. Gently prompt them into giving you a reason for why they do not prefer to make the purchase at the moment. If they express interest in purchasing the product later on, then make sure you follow up with them at a later date. However, if they explain to you that the product is not exactly what they are looking for, ask them for a couple of suggestions on how to improve the product. You can then relay their advice to your company in order to improve the quality and the versatility of the product, which can help your company acquire a more diverse client base in the future.