Sell Smarter 02: Prospect Meetings and Credibility Killers

BY Courtney Huckabay
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In this episode of the Sell Smarter podcast we discuss scoring a prospect meeting and credibility killers.

[SCRIPT]

Hello there, I’m Doug LESSELLS.  WELCOME to the NEW Sell Smarter podcast from SalesFuel!  We’re taking your sales to the NEXT LEVEL every month with our top tips and WINNING STRATEGIES so you can re-​energize and ENGAGE in just three short minutes.

[SEGMENT 1]

Want to score that meeting with your top prospect? You need to take specific actions to differentiate yourself and your product. Ryan Warner with Salesforce points out that most reps limit themselves to email and the phone when they reach out to prospects and GIVE UP after two attempts. Warner offers some tips to STAND out.

Communication METHODS
You need to hit the prospect at EVERY level. Be a little different. Since everyone ELSE is using email and phone calls, try a little direct mail. People LOOK at direct mail – especially if it’s a personalized piece that congratulates them on a promotion. Or you might send a BOOK or copy of a STUDY you know will be of interest to them. Even if they don’t take any action on what you send them, prospects will remember your name or your company or product name when you reach out AGAIN, a few days LATER, via email or telephone.

Communication TIMING
The second major strategy recommended by Warner is timing. Soon after you send out your mailing, start following your prospect on SOCIAL MEDIA and SHARE his posts. Do this for several days, but also send an Email. Your FIRST sentence should be about something that interests your prospect – nothing about YOU. Then, you can move into your pitch and ask for a meeting. By the start of your second week, make CALLS. Warner recommends reaching out between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.  If you don’t get a response, reach out again in the next day or two, between 8:00 and 9:00 A.m. You’ll be most apt to catch people at their desks then. If after the second and third time to try to get a response the prospect STILL hasn’t responded, Warner doesn’t like to give up. He tries to connect with a different person in the organization. Give these tips a shot to reach your prospects.

[SEGMENT 2]

At some point in your sales career, SOMEONE will ask a question that you can’t answer. What will you DO? Thanks to insight from Fast Company contributor Annette Grant, you won’t have to PANIC. Her tips can help maintain credibility when STUMPED for an answer.

One suggestion is to PROJECT your answer into the FUTURE.
When asked about an unfamiliar topic, you’ll likely STUMBLE trying to think of a THOUGHTFUL response. Or, you might RAMBLE and try to come up with A PAST EXAMPLE — only to flounder. Instead of getting tied up recounting PAST experiences … you can answer more HYPOTHETICALLY AND strike a positive, FORWARD-​looking note at the same time,” she explains.

Another tip is to show GRATITUDE for the question.
Any question that provokes a NEW way of thinking is VALUABLE. Be HONEST about your INABILITY to answer, explain that you’ll need TO LOOK INTO IT, and offer THANKS for the opportunity to LEARN. Doing so shows your commitment to getting him or her an ANSWER AND CREDITS the BUYER for asking a valuable question.

These are just two examples to give you guidance for those moments when you just don’t have an immediate answer.

That’s it for THIS edition of the Sell Smarter podcast.

Remember, you can always get MORE great insights every day at SalesFuel​.com and in the SalesFuel MOBILE app.


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