Prospecting - Why Do I Push Face-to-Face Prospecting? © Article

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Prospecting - Why do I push Face-to-Face Prospecting? ©

Face to Face Prospecting is the way Prospecting started years ago. Then came telemarketing quickly followed by voice mail. So face to face is back and a wonderful tool for the field sales professional. Here is why you should give it shot.

Author: Bill Truax

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I am often asked this question, sometimes with a really sarcastic tone. I know that telemarketing is much more popular. You can make a lot of calls in the same amount of time that you make one face to face call, but look at the numbers - because the numbers don’t lie.

What is the success rate of your telemarketing calls compared to face-to-face prospecting? And how do you do face-to-face prospecting these days anyway?

If you are a field sales professional, then you find yourself driving around your territory often - probably every day. Now ask yourself, “How often do I drive past a potential customer – prospect – and not stop?” Probably a couple of times every day.

Why don’t you stop? If they are a prospect, you can see the building and tell a lot about the company – some field intelligence right from your car.

How many cars in the lot? Is the property well maintained? In the lobby you will see how they accept visitors. Is there reading material? Is it current? Do they have a receptionist or just a phone? Do sales people need an appointment?

(Of course, if they just have a phone, you can telemarket from their lobby!)

When you are field Prospecting you discover all these things on a regular basis. You even get to talk eyeball to eyeball with your potential customer a lot. I visit with a lot of prospects when they have a sign that says “Salesmen seen by appointment only.”

As you will learn, that initial call should only take about 4 minutes. Since you are in the field every day and most of us can find 8 minutes for prospecting, then you can make 2 new Prospecting calls a day.

Here are the numbers once again 2/day = 10/week which = 400 prospecting calls per work year – allowing for 40 work weeks, with conferences, training and vacations figured in.

How would 400 Prospecting calls a year change your life?

Save the phone calling for some of the follow up that you will have to do.

You know you get voice mail most of the time anyway, why not leave voice mails about the customer’s order rather than how you would like to meet them.

After all, you will be their supplier by then, not a telemarketer. Let your competition leave the prospecting voice mail.

Sell Well and Often,

Bill Truax
Bill@BlitzCall.com
© Copyright 2007WJ Truax

About Author

Bill Truax is a Sales Management Consultant living in Cleveland, Oh. He has written 3 books and recorded 2 CD’s on his Blitz Call® Prospecting System and conducts a variety of skill based seminars, workshops, and train the trainer programs. Visit his website at http://www.BlitzCall.com and sign up for his Free Prospecting Success Tip of the Week

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Prospecting - Why do I push Face-to-Face Prospecting? ©