As you begin 2022, one of the first areas that most companies focus on is growing their business by getting new clients. And so, the discussion revolves around how do you prospect in the best way possible? Many of your salespeople will probably be busy servicing your current clients, and yet you want new clients. So, what are some of the better ways to do this?
There are many ways for you to be successful in prospecting. Yet, many companies don’t do as much prospecting as they would like to do, probably because prospecting is one of the most difficult and unpopular parts of selling. Because our business is helping companies with their B2B lead generation and appointment setting, we would like to share with you 5½ ideas to help you succeed in your prospecting.
1. Before you even start prospecting, you should understand how you got your current clients:
a. Advertising, cold calling, referral, social media, email, website inquiry.
b. Their vertical market(s), or subsets if you are mainly in one market.
c. Their location, and how sensitive you or they are to distance.
Much of this information is probably located in your CRM. This information will help you focus on the right markets, territories, and companies.
2. The first and easiest groups you should consider when prospecting, are your current markets and territories. Are you servicing all the potential companies within your current markets and territories? Because you’ve found a way to successfully sell to them, you will find that these are probably the easiest markets for you to get more clients faster. This group of prospects are likely to be productive for you, as you have references that the prospects will be familiar with. And, you should always seek out your current clients for references within these markets.
3. Next, you could focus on new markets similar to those you serve now. As an example, if your market is machining, then a natural relationship could be to go after other types of manufacturers related to that field. Because you are familiar with the terminology in the machining marketplace, much of that terminology is probably used in other manufacturing businesses too. This should make it a lot easier for your salespeople, marketers, and the rest of your company to assist in the sales process, because they are familiar with how these companies work.
4. The next thing you could look at is acquiring a list of the companies within the markets you want to expand into. There are a number of ways to get a list, and probably the best is through established list vendors. They will have lists of the companies you will be interested in, typically by vertical market, territory, subscription to industry media, and membership in related associations.
You’ll want to know what kind of information these list providers can give you. As an example, you would probably want the senior people in the areas you specialize in, with their position in their company, their phone number and email address, as well as physical location and website. The list vendor should also have information on company size, so that you can eliminate companies that may be too small to profitably service.
5. Whatever method you use to acquire a new prospect, you will almost certainly be engaging them first on the phone or in an online meeting. We have found that having a sales script is important for entering a new market. Of course you know your business and products, but you need to speak to the prospect’s situation and the way they would probably do business with you. Be sure to include the top 4 or 5 questions you need to ask the prospect.
5½. We’re calling this only ½ an idea because it is easier than prospecting and will generate a faster ROI. As you know, the easiest clients to sell to are the ones who have bought from you before. You are in touch with the larger ones all the time. For your smaller customers, that you usually can’t find the time to contact, call them up and talk to them about the issues they are facing, and try to work with them on other products and services that you provide. They will appreciate the attention. They will buy more.
Many companies started or increased their online business in the last two years. Other than receiving a few automated emails and the product they ordered, there typically has been little or no contact with them and no effort to develop additional business. Are you going to call them or just wait until they decide to go back onto your website – or a competitor’s? Yes, include accounts that have gone dormant. You will be surprised how most of these will be happy to hear from you.
We know this can be a crazy time of year, working on your goals for the year, looking at how you can achieve these goals, and what resources you may need to be successful.
If you believe you may need more resources than you already have, especially if your salespeople are busy with your current clients, then let us help. We specialize in helping companies prospect for new business with B2B lead generation and appointment setting, and a range of customer and prospect qualification programs.
With all the disruptions you have gone through over the past two years, and with the new ways of doing business, you may need some help navigating your way through all these changes, and that is where we can help you.
New outbound campaigns, B2B lead generation, B2B appointment setting, client outreach, revival of dormant accounts, and expansion, is how we can help you grow, and we’ve been at it for 21 years.
Contact us today, and we will get back to you ASAP, to discuss your needs and how we might help you.
There is no charge for this, and most companies learn a lot, just by talking to us.
So, don’t wait. ACT NOW
Send us an email at inquiry@yorkc.com or, to go directly to our contact page, click here: yorkc.com/contact/
