Prospecting – The most difficult part of the sales process according to 42% of sales professionals, according to studies. But why is it so challenging?
Let’s face it: prospecting isn’t a simple chore that can be accomplished quickly; it’s a time-consuming procedure that is usually put off until all other tasks have been completed. However, no new sales will be produced without a sales funnel packed with high-quality leads. That’s why it’s vital to understand that prospecting kicks off the entire sale and, to a large extent, determines whether the deal will close.
The math is simple: the more leads you generate, the greater chances you have of closing a deal. So, let’s take a look at 9 tactics that can help salespeople change their prospecting game.
9 Tips For Sales Prospecting:
When it comes to prospecting, Leadzen.ai can be your knight in shining armour. It’s an AI-powered lead prospecting engine that boasts smart contact finder tools and email address finder which can benefit everyone from marketers, salespeople to recruiters in finding company contacts and business leads.
Prospecting is one of the most time-consuming and demanding tasks that salespeople face. However, if done correctly, it can be a thrilling experience that sharpens your sales skills and allows you to locate the perfect buyers for your products.
1. Make a profile for your ideal customer.
There are a variety of people to target, as well as different industries and company sizes. However, where should you begin?
Spend some time figuring out who your ideal customer is by searching your own B2B database. What are the names of your top five clients, for example? Which of your customers are the most profitable? What are the most cost-effective options etc, and then create a profile for each of these groups.
Then determine the issues that your ideal clients are facing and how your solution might be able to assist them. This technique will assist you in concentrating on the ocean’s largest fish.
2. Determine how you can meet your ideal prospects.
Start by investigating how you met your “best” customers. Was it a trade expo or a conference? Or through a recommendation? This can help you decide where you are spending your most “profitable” time.
Then, think about their online presence. What social media platforms, news feeds, and other digital periodicals are they most likely to use or visit?
If you work in B2B sales, for example, the vast majority of your potential business leads are likely to be on LinkedIn. As a result, you’ll need to be active in that area as well. You may utilize Leadzen.ai‘s search and commenters tool to discover nearly everything there is to know about a prospect. Leadzen.ai can provide you with the most comprehensive and verified data and also the relevant information about a particular LinkedIn Post which you use to warm up your first approach.
3. Maintain a regular schedule for working on your call lists.
If you have a long list of prospects, sort and priorities them based on the information you have about the potential client. The more information you have, the more likely you are to close a deal.
To begin, never underestimate the importance of a phone call. According to data, in the previous 12 months, 69% of buyers accepted a call from a new salesperson, and 27% of sellers felt that phoning new contacts is very/extremely effective.
Another idea is to generate a list of open-ended questions for each potential group. Instead of a scripted sales speech, you need a dialogue in which you may discover their pain points, needs, and wishes. If you can maintain an engaging conversation, qualifying leads gets a lot easier. Finally, stay connected. If you maintain consistency, you will undoubtedly convert the cold-calling prospect into a loyal customer.
You can enhance your cold calling experience with the best lead prospecting solution aka Leadzen.ai. The intelligent lead prospecting software delivers real-time and verified data which you use to increase your sales conversion rate.
4. Send personalized emails
Do not believe that email is no longer a viable sales tool.
According to a Rain Group survey, 80% of customers prefer to communicate with vendors via email, demonstrating that email is still relevant.
One thing, however, is quickly becoming obsolete: mass or bulk emails. Personalized emails are now in charge, with a 26% greater open rate than mass emails.
Do some background research first, and then compose a personalized email to meet the prospect’s demands. You must ensure that you immediately capture the attention of the audience and impress them with your approach. With Leadzen.ai’s email address finder, you can increase your chances of converting the prospect into a client as it scours through tons of data available and provides you with only the verified email addresses.
Second, make sure your email is suited for both desktop and mobile devices. Because more than half of all emails are read on the go, make sure your email looks good on mobile devices. Mobile-optimized emails have a 15% higher click-through rate than non-optimized emails.
5. Inquire about recommendations.
Nothing beats a satisfied customer, because satisfied customers promote enjoyment to others.
As a result, it’s no wonder that word-of-mouth influences 91% of B2B buyers’ purchase decisions, with a 50% to 70% referral-based transaction completion rate.
Immediately after a transaction, ask your customers for referrals; it’s a no-cost opportunity you can’t afford to miss! A whopping 83% of customers would gladly suggest the company if they had a great experience. Keep in touch with current customers to verify that they are happy with your product/service and company.
6. Establish a social media presence.
If you haven’t already worked it out, social media isn’t going anywhere.
Potential buyers look for information on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube, to name a few platforms. As a result, if you don’t show up, someone else will! Start small and take baby steps if you’re not sure where to begin. Make a profile on one of the social media networks you think is relevant to your field.
If you’re a B2B business, make sure you’re on LinkedIn. Investing in your LinkedIn profile is crucial since 82% of customers indicate they use LinkedIn to research vendors before responding to contact. Consider that having a social media presence is an addition to your prospecting arsenal, not a replacement.
7. Send prospects stuff that is relevant to them.
Salespeople understand that content helps prospects move through the sales funnel more quickly, but do you know what kind of material to offer and when to send it? Do you want your prospects to be interested in meeting you or taking them to the next level? This means that the content you submit should address the specific terms and concerns of your audience.
This is not always the case, however. Rather than focusing on their potential customers’ problems, many companies’ material concentrates solely on their products, features, and services.
With 69% of buyers looking for research data that is relevant to their business, you must use your content to deliver answers and value to your prospects. Demonstrate that you know where they are in the purchase process, what their issues are, and that you can help them move forward with knowledge, ideas, and insights.
8. Show off your sales skills in video form
Video is gaining traction as a marketing and sales outreach tool, according to recent trends. You can display your face and pose as a sales representative, providing information, quoting figures, and delivering your best sales pitch. Everything is carried out regularly but in a distinctive manner. People do, after all, buy items from each other. So, get out there and show the world who you truly are! Including a video in your email marketing campaigns can boost open-to-reply rates by as much as 8X.
9. Follow up with the prospect
On-time follow-ups are a consistent strategy to strengthen a relationship and exhibit your commitment and dependability. Anything you do to improve your chances of making a sale counts, from sending a simple “just checking in” or “thank you” message to delivering a full proposal or product specs on time. To turn a lukewarm lead into a burning one, you’ll need to put in some work.
According to research, if you haven’t received a response to your email within 24 hours, you should follow up because “you have a 21% chance of getting a response to your second email after the first remains unanswered.” Managing follow-ups, on the other hand, can be difficult, which is why you should make use of the features in your CRM system to keep on track.
Get ahead with leadzen.ai:
We hope that these suggestions have given you some ideas on how to improve your prospecting skills as a salesperson. We understand how challenging it is to generate leads. Especially if you wonder “How do I find someone’s contact information?” With Leadzen.ai, you’ll be able to generate the necessary leads fast and easily, putting you ahead of the competition.