5 Perspectives You Must Know Before You Start Prospecting

It’s always a big mistake to “show up and throw up.” It may have been a tactic that worked on your 21st birthday, but in sales when prospecting, you’re asking for trouble.

If you want to be the trusted advisor; here are the five key perspectives that you ABSOLUTELY must have BEFORE your meeting or call:

1. Prospect’s History: Where are they coming from? How did they get here? What do they know about you and your company? Are there any dealings that have taken place in the past between your two organisations? Is their company growing or dying?
2. Possible Objections: “No.” “But…” “Hmmm…” Are you ready for the objection possibilities? They could be about budget, authority, need, time, etc. How real are these objections? Might it block the deal, no matter what you do or say? Perhaps you could pre-frame these.
3. Beliefs: Are you going into this meeting to project your beliefs upon others? Are you at all aware of the decision-makers or their company’s beliefs and how this will they affect decisions and their view of your offer? All important to consider before going in head first.
4. Decision-making Style: Facts or figures? Gut feeling or more long winded. How does the decision-maker make their decisions? Are they towards or away people? Are the internal or external thinkers?
5. Capacity to Act Upon Your Words: Are you talking directly to the decision makers or spending your time with the pretenders? If you gained access to the decision-makers, what do they want to talk about – what are they focussed on?

These five perspectives help tailor your conversation. Rather than assuming what is happening if you asked even more GREAT questions you would learn what’s really going on.

If you are engaging the same way as you did 12 months ago and your prospective clients have changed how they make decisions (which they have), there is bound to be misalignment in the way you are communicating – how’s that working out for you?

If you want to help your client’s even more, learn about the causes that create the symptoms, solve those and you will have one happy client.

SG Partners offers sales training to suit your sales team and break down their barriers to growth, find out how we can help your business TODAY!