As sellers we often work in a haphazard manner.
We dart in and out of potential sales opportunities.
We drop everything looking for that next, big opportunity.
We multitask and say we're going to reach more people than we do.
We often come up short, leaving at the end of the day or end of the week feeling dejected.
It's a vicious cycle - but it doesn't have to be this way. With just two things in place, you can change from negative "never enough" feeling to one of accomplishment.
First, before we talk about those two things, think about brushing and flossing your teeth. Does a day (or half-day, or meal, for some of you) go by without brushing your teeth? Many people floss twice a day - others once. You know what happens if you don't, and it is a pretty safe bet that those reading this blog are good tooth brushers and flossers. You have a methodology (how you go about it) of brushing and flossing and you have a process (what steps you take on a regular basis).
I know this sounds so basic, yet many sellers do NOT have a regular routine or plan on how you go about researching prospects and also most sellers don't have a no-fail way of on-going follow-up for those not ready to buy. Why are we so inconsistent with this?
At the very minimum, you need to put these in place for better results -
- A regular process to go about finding new prospective buyers that fit your target buyer profile. This includes regular times blocked out in your calendar, and a plan for the tools that you use with some metrics to know how successful you are
- A regular system for connections you make with potential buyers who are not ready now to buy but are going to buy in the near future so that you can stay present in their mind through insightful follow-up, educational follow-up, and a genuine interest in helping them succeed.
How Sellers Do Follow-up Wrong
Many sellers have too many ways to capture information and it is not together in one safe repository (that's a container!) If you use your CRM for all of your follow-up emails and social monitoring, that is a great start. But what about those one or two Excel spreadsheets with other information, or voice mail messages that don't get transcribed?
Do you have future buyer information all in one place?
If so, tell us about it on this blog - we want to share your success secrets for finding potential buyers on an ongoing basis, and nurturing those relationships. We will continue to share tools, stories, and ideas that help with this important area of staying organized and not losing potential future opportunities.
A final note about feeling bad at the end of the day or week that you didn't get enough done - you can CHANGE that feeling by setting 3 big goals to accomplish daily which means 15 by the end of the week. Or 3 that end up taking 5 days to accomplish. Either way, measure this success and leave your desk feeling good about your efforts. It will change how you sell.
Lori Richardson is recognized on Forbes as one of the "Top 30 Social Sales Influencers" worldwide. Lori speaks, writes, trains, and consults with inside sales teams in mid-sized companies. Subscribe to the award-winning blog and the "Sales Ideas In A Minute" newsletter for sales strategies, tactics, and tips in selling. Increase Opportunities. Expand Your Pipeline. Close More Deals.
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