Sales 101: if you approach prospecting as a disciplined science, you will learn how to work smarter, not harder

Prosales, April, 2004 by Rick Davis

Too many people believe that selling is an art form, an inherited talent to schmooze with people. It is true that some selling skills are "art;" however, many others are pure "science." When you can recognize the difference, you quickly discover that the best way to build your career is to first approach selling as a discipline, just as a great painter must first learn the skill of brushstrokes, perspective, and composition before painting the first masterpiece.

Similarly, prospecting skills fall into the category of science and, when mastered, they make the art of selling much easier because they often can enable people of average talent to outperform even the most gifted salespeople. Yet way too many experienced salespeople remain without a reliable prospecting methodology. To them, prospecting feels like attending a "Sales 101" seminar, and they leave it for the rookies. But this is a huge mistake because prospecting is Sales 101, and without prospecting skills, the more advanced skill sets of qualifying, presenting, and closing have no foundation upon which to build.

The four most important prospecting skills are appointment scheduling, database management, territory management, and prospect rating. A salesperson that develops a prospecting methodology they can rely on creates a foundation that solidifies their career path.

Appointment Scheduling

The first lesson in prospecting is appointment scheduling. Whether it is meeting over the phone or a face-to-face encounter, an appointment requires a planned time. Many salespeople troll aimlessly through their territories hoping to "catch the decision-maker" waiting in the office, as if a chance meeting will somehow result in a positive discussion. Don't fall into this mode, because success rates rise dramatically, as much as triple your productivity in my estimate, when planned meetings take place.

Therefore, a "cold call" should he defined as a contact with the intention of scheduling an appointment. Even when a cold call occurs as a physical visit to a prospect, proper decorum requires that the salesperson not impose or interrupt someone's day. In this case, all too often a salesperson selfishly assumes that because he or she has arrived at the office the prospect should gladly take time for a handshake, coffee, a product dissertation, and a few jokes.

Database Management

Many salespeople don't adequately and systematically manage the abundance of information available to them. As a result, poor database management skills are perhaps the most astounding failure of salespeople in the 21st century. Yet there are numerous software programs available on the market to facilitate basic database management skills (e.g., Act!, Goldmine, Dbase, Outlook, etc.) And if those programs don't suffice, a simple filing system can be just as effective.

A great Sales Leader recognizes that knowledge is power and that his or her leverage in the marketplace is founded on the ability to know the business details of customers and prospects. Many salespeople will proudly boast of their ability to remember personal information about prospects such as hobbies, birthdays, and spouses' names, but they fail to recognize that it is more important to understand the business issues such as fine customers' market challenges, operational methods, and their decision-making processes.

You need to build a database that includes a separate record for each prospect and customer (database record, profile sheet, index card, or whatever system you use) to highlight both personal and business information, plus basic information, including name, company name, address, phone numbers, etc.

Database methodology must become a priority in your career. Your filing system should be updated daily and it should include prospects and customers hi the same physical location or computer file. Most importantly, you must use only one database method. I've seen salespeople create multiple databases, keeping business cards wrapped in rubber bands (eventually to be entered into the database when procrastination is overcome), while using a computer database for customers and a folder with prospect information written on beverage napkins. A system like this is doomed to create confusion and inefficiency. Thus, create one database that you update daily.

Territory Management

Building a high-quality database is the means--not the end--to a successful sales career. The purpose of a database is to create ready-made productivity in your career. For it to be effective, however, you need to use the information, not just have the information. For example, part of your database record should reference the zone of your territory where each customer or prospect is located. If you first sort by zone and then alphabetically, you can avoid useless windshield time and create instant productivity because you can quickly reference your database records to locate a potential prospect or customer to contact (for a cold call) when there is a lull in your daily activity.