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If you want to make more money—and minimize the risk of making less—you should do more prospecting. Contributor Dave Fellman looks at the prospecting process and how to arrive at the ultimate goal of prospecting: a first meeting with a potential new customer.
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About Dave Fellman
Dave Fellman is the president of David Fellman & Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm serving numerous segments of the graphic arts industry. Contact him at [email protected].
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Discussion
By Dean Bott on Feb 22, 2021
A common discussion with our sales team revolves around the "tools" needed to capture a suspect's attention. What do you recommend?
Printed Brochures/Sell Sheets?
A great WebPage to direct them to?
Blog post that may interest them?
Call/Email Scripts?
Target Marketing to increase awareness prior to a sales call?
Others???
By David Fellman on Feb 22, 2021
Dean, my answer would be All Of The Above, but with special emphasis on call/email scripts. Assuming that we're talking about an outside sales team, the process I recommend is an introductory email followed by a phone call, with the ultimate goal being a face-to-face conversation. (By video call now, of course, but I'm confident we'll get back to physical selling.) So, a short introductory email, promising to call soon to follow up, then the call, all of which should be scripted to make sure it's all compelling, effective and to the point. No wasted words! BTW, one question that always comes up about emails, what's the "killer" subject line? My answer, don't get too cute! If I were you, for example, my subject line would be Dean Bott, Thysse Printing & Design. (NOTE: I'd add Printing and Design because your name alone doesn't make it clear what you do, and that's important, especially at this stage of the "awareness" process.) If I read that subject line, I'd ask myself: "What about Dean Bott from Thysse Printing and Design?" I'd be inclined to read on.
By Dean Bott on Feb 22, 2021
Great guidance, Thank you David.
By Robert Godwin on Feb 24, 2021
Good article, primarily because it stayed with the basics. The more sophisticated nuances of selling evolve once the basics are in your comfort and confidence zones. I wrote on this topic in my blog. All are welcome to peruse. https://rentapress.com/blog/month/2020-6
It is a 3-part discussion on selling techiques I have observed and used.