7 years ago
February 21, 2017

5 Powerful Sales Prospecting Techniques

Prospecting is the number one issue that many sales teams face. Learn how to master the art with these sales prospecting techniques. Read on.

Rhys Metler

Many sales people cringe when they hear the words sales prospecting—they despise having to do it. But it’s an important part of the job, and one that you need to master if you’re going to succeed in the sales field.

If you don’t love prospecting, it might be because you’re just not doing it right, and as a result, you’re getting tons of rejection. You’re using outdated and ineffective sales prospecting techniques that just don’t work.

But with the right sales prospecting techniques in your arsenal, you can boost your volume of leads to serve, engage, and convert to customers.

1. Warm Calling

It’s time to ditch cold calling. People simply don’t want to be bothered in the middle of the day by strangers calling them up trying to sell them something. It just doesn’t work. Instead, try warming up your prospects before making the first contact. It can significantly boost your chances of getting a warmer reception. Embrace social selling, get on social media, and try getting introduced via a shared connection. If the prospect has a blog, comment on it so he recognizes your name. Do what you can to familiarize the prospect with your name and your company before making contact. Switch your position from stranger to acquaintance.

2. Share Your Knowledge

Cold leads won’t want to talk to you because they don’t know who you are. The trust factor is critical to success in sales. You need to establish trust and credibility for them to hear you out. And a great way to do this is to share your knowledge with the world and become a thought leader or subject matter expert. Start a blog, write guest articles, speak at seminars and conferences, and share valuable content on social media.

3. Be Helpful

The sales role has changed in the past few years. It’s about more than just selling now. One of the best sales prospecting techniques you can use is just to be helpful. It seems simple, but it works. Be your current customers’ go-to support person, advisor, and guide. Give them helpful advice and recommendations and be honest and genuine, instead of sales-y. This is how you’re going to get referrals from happy customers. When you go the extra mile, your customers will sing your praises and be happy to offer you the names of some of their friends and colleagues who might be interested in your products or services.

4. Stop Selling      

As a sales person, it can be difficult to get out of the selling mindset, but that’s exactly what you need to do if you want to prospect effectively—because prospecting isn’t selling. It’s sourcing leads that can eventually enter the sales funnel—but many steps have to take place before the selling actually starts. If you go too hard, too fast, being aggressive and trying to get a sale right from the hop, you’ll lose out on opportunities because you’ll put the leads under too much pressure before having built a trusting relationship.

5. Send Content

If you’re sending out tons of sales emails and getting ignored in return, your email content itself might be the problem. Simply sending the same message to the same clients over and over again asking for a meeting or detailing your products features and benefits won’t resonate with the recipients.

Instead, you need to send them engaging sales content that is focused on their pain points. Give your prospects’ value through your communications. Show them that you understand their challenges, needs, and desires. Show them you have knowledge, ideas, and inspiration. By sending content based on your prospects’ current spot in the sales funnel, you can nurture them, build trust, and eventually, make them sales ready. Content is king—don’t ever forget it.

Use these five powerful sales prospecting techniques and you’ll see a boost in your lead volume.

Rhys Metler

Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations.

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