4 sales techniques for better prospecting 

Finding the right prospects isn’t easy, but it’s important to make sure that you’re targeting the right people to stand the best chance of converting the lead and making a sale for your business. Here are 4 techniques to help you achieve greater success with sales prospecting. 

Identify your customer 

Who are you selling to? Create a list of job titles to target. A marketing company, for example, would look to sell to a marketing director, marketing manager, CTO or head of digital. Do these people have influence in the buying process, or are they the decision maker? It is worth asking this question when you are prospecting. 

What sectors are you targeting? Having a focused approach here is key. Consider the following: What sectors have you sold to previously? Where have you had great traction? Which sectors align with the product or service that you’re selling?

Sharing case studies of similar companies that you have worked with will show prospects that you have experience and knowledge within their sector and help to build trust. 

Find your USP 

You’ve probably been asked hundreds of times before – what’s your USP? It’s so important that you know what your unique selling point is, especially if you’re in a crowded market. This is what sets you apart from the competition, and being able to explain your USP clearly will help convince a prospect to buy from you. 

This needs to be unique to your business, but here are some areas to consider when defining your USP: 

Cost

You are cheaper than the competition. 
You are more expensive, but better quality. 

Better value

You use higher quality materials and better technology than the competition.

Reputation

It’s not just you saying that you’re great, you have brand advocates, loyal customers and the reputation
and reviews to prove it. 

Business size and location

You are an international/global business – your competitors don’t have the same reach. 
You are bespoke and local – you attract customers looking to support a small, local business. 

Added support

You nurture your customer through every step of their journey. You deliver what you say you will and have examples to prove this. 

Exclusivity

You provide a limited product or service that your customer can’t get elsewhere. 

Growth

You have grown your business by 120% in the last year and are focused on growing your customer’s company in the same way. 

Experience/expertise

When a customer buys from you, they get the experience and knowledge from your team of experts. 

Create an elevator pitch

It’s time to get your messaging on point. Think about Who? Why? How? and What? 

As a business: 

Who are you? 

Why would someone buy from you? 

How do you do what you do? 

What’s in it for your customer? What do they get from buying from you? 

Ultimately, this is what it boils down to. Whether consciously or sub-consciously, your prospect will be making an evaluation based on what they’ll get out of buying from you.

First impressions count

You only get one shot to make a first impression, so make it count.  

To be authentic, you need to believe in the product or service that you’re selling. People buy from people, so build a relationship with your prospect before you try to sell to them. Don’t ask your prospect for anything yet – you need to let them know what you can give to them and how you can add value to their business. 

Our weekly coaching calls provide the opportunity for salespeople to practice sales techniques like these with their peers. If you or your team are interested in anchoring what you’ve learnt, contact us to find out about our sales transformation programme.