For more than 10 years, I have committed my Friday mornings to making 10 phone calls to grow my business. This has proven to be one of my secret business growth strategies, and it has worked extremely well … until recently. On average, I used to make 10 phone calls and speak to at least three people—setting up meetings, securing proposals. It was always a great way to end my week on a high note. People always seemed receptive to the phone calls because they were in a better mood on Fridays, and I was able to move the numbers on my sales dashboard.
Well, during this past year my success rate at reaching a live person or even getting a returned phone call or e-mail has diminished. So, on behalf of my clients and sales community, I decided to do some research on what it takes to have more purposeful sales conversations with prospective buyers and clients. I started interviewing a cross section of buyers—CEO, general managers, human resources managers, VPs, purchasing buyers and a director of marketing. These roles represented a variety of industries—hotel, media, community college, insurance, pharmaceutical, etc.
My first question to these buyers was, “What does a salesperson have to do or say to get a first meeting with you—and what medium works?” I was so amazed at the value and diversity of the responses I received that I decided to host a webinar with a live panel to share the powerful insights and advice I was hearing. The result was “Turning the table: Clients tell us how you can win their business was the result.”
In today’s multi-media world, time is limited and there are so many more communication channels to manage now than there used to be. What medium is most effective for salespeople to reach out to clients? Responses uncovered in our webinar ranged from “handwritten letter” to “BBM.” One of the most startling responses we heard from several panelists is that good old fashion telephone calls and voicemail are being ignored by most.
So much for the common courtesy of what many used to say on their voice mail—”Leave a message and I will return your call within three hours or by end of day”! The director of marketing for a large community college put it bluntly: “Unsolicited sales calls, we tend to ignore them to be honest.”
It seems more and more that a vendor has to be connected through someone to get a chance at breaking through. Some of the “Turning the table” panelists told us that if you catch them on the phone they’ll talk to you—but you have to quickly create a compelling reason for them to meet. You have to do your research on the company and the role of the person you are calling and then immediately communicate how your offering will help them generate additional revenue, give cost savings or address a pain point. The sad reality? Our powerful panelists said very few salespeople are doing a good job of articulating a good reason to meet.
Some panelists told us that referrals are a way to get your toe in the door. Out of respect for the referral name, buyers may feel compelled to listen to you.
In summary:
- Do your research on the company and contact person. Visit the company website, Google them, and check them out on LinkedIn or Facebook to learn more about how you can “connect” with this company and person.
- Quickly articulate a compelling, customized message on how your service offerings will help this person. Be prepared to explain the benefit of meeting with them.
- Use a variety of media to reach and connect with this person. The options include phone calls, referrals, LinkedIn, BBM, direct mail and handwritten letters. The effectiveness of the medium will vary depending on the person you are wanting to meet with. Use a variety of touch points to reinforce your strong, compelling message.
According to our powerful panelists, very few salespeople are putting in the work to prepare for their first contact with a client. This means an opportunity for you to differentiate yourself—if you’re willing to put in the work.
If you would like to listen to the full “Turning the table: Clients tell us how you can win their business” webinar (approximately 75 minutes), visit www.teneoresults.com. The recording link is on our home page.
Thought Provoking Question: How much research and customization are you doing to create a compelling conversation with a prospective buyer—just to earn a first meeting?
