Marketing Times - March/April 2008 - (Page 18) fearless prospecting in a changing economy Steve Mccann During the past few years, the sales profession, as well as the economy, has changed dramatically. Cutbacks, downsizing, and a need to do more with fewer resources dominate many companies. For salespeople, this means a tougher time prospecting and a longer timeframe for converting those prospects into paying customers. As a result, many salespeople are either getting a lot more “no’s” as an answer, or they’re getting no answer at all from prospects. And the more “no’s” a salesperson hears, the more he or she develops a fear of rejection and dreads prospecting in general. That’s when prospecting procrastination sets in, and salespeople spend more time reviewing their notes, answering email, and tweaking sales flyers than spending face time with potential clients. To counter this problem, many sales books and training programs tout a “secret formula” or “key closing statement” that will make prospecting easier. Salespeople are taught how to lead prospects, how to counter an objection, and how to close the sale. The problem is that all those suggestions are focused on the salesperson and not on the one person who matters the most in the interaction—the prospect. Such salesperson-focused training and approaches may have worked in the 1990s, but they are simply ineffective today. To be great at prospecting when economic times are tough, you need to go beyond yourself and your fears and focus on the prospect. Only then will your fear of rejection and prospecting procrastination disappear. Use the following suggestions to revitalize your prospecting efforts and put your fear of rejection in its place. • Shift your internal dialogue. The physical act of picking up the phone or walking into a prospect’s office is not difficult for salespeople to do. What stops 8 marketingtimes
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