What is sales prospecting?

B2B Sales prospecting is a technique within the sales process. It involves research through which potential customers, who were previously completely unknown to the business, are sought. Thanks to this technique, it is possible to find consumers who best match the profile for each company.

It is one of the most important parts of the sales process. Often, prospecting is overlooked by the seller, who is mainly focused on making a good first impression when presenting themselves or on closing their deals quickly and beneficially. These aspects are very important, of course, but they are not everything.

If the seller dedicates the necessary time to search for the ideal customer or new consumers using sales prospecting techniques, the development of the sale improves. It is preferable to spend periods finding segments more aligned with the product although initially, this may seem like a waste of time. If the potential customer is better understood, it will be much easier to close the sale. In this way, the overall time it takes to settle the offer is reduced, optimizing the process.

Reasons to implement sales prospecting in a company

B2B Sales prospecting has numerous benefits for a company. The most notable and important is the increase in sales. By targeting new potential customers, turnover skyrockets.

On the other hand, your products or services are promoted more explicitly. Presenting them to strangers ensures that the reach extends further than if they were merely kept within current customers. The same applies to the company’s brand, which achieves better positioning by making itself known.

Moreover, one thing that differentiates some sellers from others (besides their sales skills and techniques, of course) is their database. The list of clients, both real and potential, is invaluable for many companies. Therefore, managing to increase that database can make a difference between members of the sales team. But growing this amount of data through sales prospecting requires work and effort. It is necessary to deeply understand and implement a series of techniques that we will see below.

What techniques are included in sales prospecting?

1. Cold calling. This involves the classic door-to-door visits to homes or businesses. Here, one must identify and deal with the potential customer to try to close a sale or arrange a subsequent appointment.

2. Telephone calls. This is one of the most used and well-known techniques. It involves making phone calls to identify potential customers. The phone numbers can be taken from databases, directories, or even lists of former clients.

3. Emails or letters. This involves sending digital or physical letters addressed to decision-makers to introduce oneself or the product or service being sold.

4. Social networks. The great power of social networks can also be used for prospecting. The most useful social network for this purpose is LinkedIn, as it allows a large number of professional contacts to be made.

5. Referrals. This involves using the contacts of intermediate people for the introduction of potential prospects.

6. Fairs and events. Attending conferences and fairs where potential prospects may be found can be a useful way to make contact with them.

How to convert strangers into customers using sales prospecting?

To succeed in converting strangers into customers, follow the tips listed below:

1. Consider that cold calls or visits might be warmed up. This means that it’s possible to gather some information about the people you are going to call or visit beforehand. Maybe you can even introduce yourself via an email. There will always be a first contact, but there are ways to soften it so that the direct interaction is less cold.

2. Show that you know everything about your product or service. There should not be even a hint of doubt concerning the sales matter. You must be the most knowledgeable person about it. For this, preparation and study are essential. You must dedicate time to training.

3. Don’t forget the customer once the sale is closed. Become more than a seller and be their support. If you follow the process and position yourself as a consultant, you will be the first person they recommend. Remember to call and keep in touch with the consumer.

4. Prepare a script for calls and visits. You mustn’t forget to include a greeting, an introduction, explain the reason for the call or visit, and start conversations with questions.

 Be prepared for rejection and refusal. And, of course, if you are making a phone call, never forget to schedule an appointment.

5. Set goals, schedules, and persevere. You must accept that you will not always get a yes and prepare for that. However, refusals should not discourage you. Set daily schedules for prospecting, mark the goals you want to achieve each day, and persevere until you achieve them.

In conclusion, the sales prospecting process can help your company achieve the set objectives. Practice, test, and improve. It is the only way to become a total expert in sales prospecting.