Do you get that special feeling when you find a prospect who fits the description of your ideal target candidate? They’re in the same field of business as many of your other clients, they’re in a position of buying power, and there’s plenty of contact information for them. Your solution will be perfect for them!

Get out of that mindset.

The fact of the matter is, you don’t know if the solution you’re providing will be perfect for a prospect until you learn about their problems, points out Michael Hinshaw in his CustomerThink article. You cannot assume that you can provide the same solution to a prospect just because you have solved a problem for a client in a similar position in the past. Don't go into a sales meeting acting like your product or service is the godsent answer this prospect has been looking for without even asking the prospect any questions about their needs or desires. You’re going to look like you’re trying to win over the prospect with confidence, not quality. 

So, when you find someone you think you can helped based on just the top layer of information you can find online, do some more digging. Are there any articles on the prospect’s company that imply that they could use assistance you could provide? Also, make a discovery call. Introduce yourself and ask a few questions to see if your product or service could be the right fit for the prospect. Then schedule a time to meet to discuss wants, needs, and solutions in depth.

Remember how your mom told you that making assumptions is a bad idea. Your focus should never be primarily on your products and services; it should be on the prospect and what they need. Only when you’ve uncovered the need should you focus on what you can offer.