{"id":13217,"date":"2021-04-02T11:00:24","date_gmt":"2021-04-02T16:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.navitor.com\/blog\/?p=13217"},"modified":"2024-06-28T16:53:34","modified_gmt":"2024-06-28T21:53:34","slug":"7-days-to-successful-prospecting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.navitor.com\/blog\/7-days-to-successful-prospecting\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Days to Successful Prospecting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s cut to the chase, prospecting probably isn\u2019t on your list of favorite things to do. But it is a very important part of sales. It\u2019s common for distributors to put it off \u2013 because there are so many important tasks to get done. Yet just like all the other phases of the sales process, prospecting requires focus and effort.<\/p>\n

In addition to your concentration and energy, employing effective practices that actually fetch more well-qualified leads keeps you from wasting your valuable time and might just make you a little more partial to prospecting. Hey, if it works, it\u2019s more fun to do, right? The following fresh sales prospecting tactics can help you find better leads and convert them to customers more often. Take advantage of these action-oriented methods that offer short-term and long-term planning tools for better engagement that eventually lead to customer conversions.<\/p>\n

Make prospecting a priority
\n<\/strong>Start by reimagining your workday and dedicate at least two hours per day to your future success. Research shows 82% of top-performing salespeople spend four hours or more a day on selling.<\/em><\/strong> By prioritizing your time this way and blocking off 2-hour increments, you\u2019re making an investment in you<\/em><\/strong> that will pay off big time. Once you\u2019ve allocated time each day, commit to performing one of the seven actions below to turn into a lead-generating powerhouse. These can be done in an order that feels best to you, and remember, shoot for progress, not perfection.<\/p>\n

Day 1 \u2013 Create your current customer profile
\n<\/strong>Start easy by pulling together a list of your top five customers and your top five most profitable customers. Creating an ideal customer profile negates the chances of wasting your time and efforts chasing unproductive leads. Use your customer profile to start building your ideal prospecting list. For example, if one of your top clients is in the banking industry and your contact is the Branch Manager, Google \u201cbanks in my area\u201d. Jot down those search results. Then go to LinkedIn and search \u201cBranch Manager\u201d in your area and start searching for those specific banks. When you find that International Bank\u2019s Branch Manager in your city is listed right there, add her to your prospecting list\u2026.and continue this process. Identifying 50-100 people for this list is a great start that will last you a couple of months.<\/p>\n

Your prospecting list is probably one of the most important assets within your outreach. You\u2019ll be sending great content soon; you need to make sure you\u2019re targeting the right audience. LinkedIn<\/a> is a first choice for top sellers to build a highly targeted B2B prospect list. The customizable search feature allows for plenty of filters to narrow down your search and find the most qualified prospects.\"\"<\/p>\n

Day 2 \u2013 Assess your social pages & website
\n<\/strong>Take an honest look at your website and your social profiles. When was the last time you really gave each a much-needed update? Freshening your pages might not seem like a big deal, but don\u2019t underestimate the importance of making updates in terms of looks, functionality, and content. With the majority of your potential customers spending more and more time online, regular and well-executed renovations can help your business grow. Set three priorities for the short term and three priorities for the long term. Check out some pro-tips in our Reaching New Audiences webinar on how you can start updating your website<\/a> so it can be used as a selling tool.<\/p>\n

Day 3 \u2013 Make three updates to your short-term list
\n<\/strong>Social media is one of the most important aspects of digital marketing, making it incredibly easy to spread the word about your products and service<\/p>\n

s. Starting there is an easy and stress-free way to increase your business visibility fast. Your top priority can be maximizing your profile<\/a> with a great (and current) profile picture and an i<\/p>\n

mpactful cover photo. Consider free image sites like pexels<\/a> for stunning cover photos. Add a call to action in your profiles that pushes traffic to your website, blog or newsletter and prompts more engagement, like \u201cFollow\u201d, \u201cDiscover More\u201d or \u201cSign Up\u201d. Your \u201cAbout You\u201d section should be engaging and creative, conveying your value proposition and the benefits of working with you.<\/p>\n

Day 4 \u2013 Create three prospecting emails
\n<\/strong>B2B buyers check their email multiple times a day. As marketers, we can\u2019t ignore the importance of a strong email marketing strategy.<\/p>\n

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Make sure you are using your company email address to add legitimacy to your pitch. Avoiding Gmail, Hotmail or AOL email addresses will keep your emails from automatically landing in junk mail folders. Including a great subject line and concise but personalized content will get and keep a reader\u2019s attention. Communicate like a real person and show the benefits of your offering. And don\u2019t forget a strong call to action. Check out sample subject lines, opening statements and email content ideas here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Day 5 \u2013 Create three social posts for the next week
\n<\/strong>We hear a lot of distributors questioning the value of social media. And yes, social media can be frustrating because you can\u2019t tie it directly to sales. But social drives awareness. Awareness leads to conversion. Some of the benefits of social media are:<\/p>\n