Knowing where you need to focus your time is one thing but making sure it happens is a whole different ball game. It can be easy to get caught up when pursuing a new prospect or closing a deal but it’s important not to let your process slide or lose sight of the rest of your pipeline. Here are 5 practical things you can do to stay a step ahead and keep your pipeline on track.
1. Centralise your leads
Use a CRM to centralise and manage cold leads, prospects, qualified leads and deals. Set up reminders and tasks to ensure your pipeline is fully up to date. Being organised will allow you to stay on top of things and manage your workflow efficiently.
2. Write a to-do list
Set out your daily intentions and tasks at the start of each day. Spending a few minutes thinking about what you need to achieve will allow you to prioritise where to focus your time that day and over the coming week. Section your day into time slots and block out time for the top priority and high-payoff tasks first.
Be sure to allocate chunks of time for e-shots, calling, follow ups and outreach – grouping similar tasks together is more productive that flitting back and forth.
Ticking off tasks as you go will build a sense of achievement.
3. Organise your inbox
Set up a view that works best for you, so you don’t miss the most important emails. Use folders to manage, organise and prioritise. Setting up email templates can really help speed things up. Show authenticity by personalising for each prospect before you hit send.
4. Follow up with flair
Prospects will expect to have several touch points with you and your company before they buy from you. Following up with a single email, phone call or voicemail are not going to cut it when your competitors are vying for their attention too.
Follow ups should be relevant and personal to your prospect to get their attention and stand out. Make it easy for them to set up a call at a time that’s best for them by including a Zoom or Calendly link.
Use your follow ups as an opportunity to highlight a solution you can provide to a challenge your prospect is having. Alternatively, identify an opportunity that aligns with their objectives or with growth within their sector.
5. Anticipate objections
Anticipate any objections your lead may have, whether that’s price, time, budget, or something else. Being prepared will save time and reduce potential hold ups to closing the deal.