I have to either find new buyers and get them to come to me or go and find them.
Inbound leads are great but for me, as a salesperson, there is nothing better than finding a potential buyer who has a problem that I can solve and opening up a dialogue with them.
It in most cases will take time but when it’s done the right way, it gets results.
I am often asked which one should I use?
The answer is whichever one will get your potential buyer to respond. In reality, it may take all 6 before you get a bite.
So if you haven’t hit your numbers, are fed up at not achieving what you feel you can and then try 1 or better still ALL of these methods to find new buyers!
It works and not only am I going to share a free guide with you, I am also going to be kicking off a new 45-day ‘Find New Buyers’ challenge in January to ensure 2024 gets off to a good start.
Want in? Register here. It will be free. It will be fun. It will make a difference.
Click here if you want details of what we will cover and I will send them through to you but we will cover WHAT you need to do and HOW you need to do it.
Here is a feel of what we will cover.
Prospecting via email is the most common method used by those trying to find buyers and it can work but it’s become more challenging than ever.
Buyers get hundreds of emails per week, and so their ‘Delete Antenna’ is incredibly high. I see so many prospecting emails which get it so badly wrong.
They ‘WE’ all over the potential buyer and just make pressing delete so easy. Want to know what ‘WEEING’ over buyers is? Join the Challenge.
There is a way to do it well and the starting point of this is your Subject Line and the first 2 sentences of the email. If you get these wrong or make them so generic that it doesn’t create curiosity then you will fail with emails to potential buyers.
Social
Prospecting via social media (such as Linked In or Facebook) is another potential way to engage with buyers. If done again in the right way. We have all seen the cringeworthy Linked In messages that we get sent which connect with us and then go on the Sales push so quickly.
Yep, they turn my stomach in the same way as they do with you. You can be direct on social media if you know who you are engaging with but very often you don’t and so you have to tread carefully.
My simple message around social prospecting is to Add value. Share insights that create insight and difference for the other person. And don’t stop after 1 or 2 engagements. If you think they are ideal customer for you why would you stop?
Phone
The part of sales which sends cold shivers into business owners and even salespeople is finding new buyers. Most people dislike calling people because they don’t know how to do it and don’t know how to respond when they get the typical reactions which cold buyers get.
They also try daft phrases like ‘How are you today’ which make them sound like a salesperson and not genuine. The ones that do attempt it do it without understanding the real problems and desires the person they are speaking with has. They don’t think about the buyer. They think just about what they want. It’s why they fail and say it doesn’t work even though 78% of buyers say they are happy to speak with a salesperson if they add value.
If you want one simple idea to make a better outbound call, follow this approach.
- Be honest – We don’t know each other…
- Be clear about what you want – But do you have 24 seconds to let you know why I called you today
- Build credibility and create intrigue – The other Directors that I work with who have a similar role to yours…
- Ask a question about a key problem – Have been finding the challenge of xyz difficult and it is preventing them from doing xx. How are you dealing with this issue right now?
Want to know how to respond when the buyer says they are not interested or they don’t have time? Join my 45-day challenge and get the answer.
Letter/Card
Direct mail and letter communication have been written off as methods of buyer engagement but this is wrong. When done well, they work. They really do work. They are a fantastic way to bypass Gatekeepers and get through to the buyer. They will often give your letter or card more time than they would an email.
How should you do it? One small bit of advice.
Handwrite the letter. And the envelope. The buyer will think it’s a personal communication which can help them open it. From there it’s down to your message to make an impact.
I have 2 or 3 REALLY creative ways to do cards or letters, and so come along to my 45-day challenge and let me show you how!
Video
So this is one of the most powerful methods of prospecting that combines calling, socials and emails. This is not about doing videos that you then share on social media but it’s about using simple tools such as Loom to do videos that (if the buyer watches) can allow you to add value and showcase who you are as a person.
Video prospecting is a new way to find buyers and is impactful.
Want a simple tip on how to prospect using video?
Have an image of your buyer in the background with the video you do. It shows them that you are personalising your approach and ensure the video is no longer than 2 minutes. Any more than that and you will lose the buyer.
Do try video prospecting though, it really works well.
Face-to-Face
The final method of prospecting is going to see someone directly or trying to meet them at an event. This has to be done with care as interrupting a buyer when they don’t expect it can cause them to rage against you if you don’t treat them and the situation with respect.
How can you do it well?
Be respectful but create curiosity. Also, be direct and to the point and be able to provide them with something (remember those old things called business cards 🙂 ) which they can take away with them. If what you share is intriguing and solves a problem for the buyer then you stand every chance they will be intrigued to find out more.
So there you have the 6 methods of prospecting – 6 methods which when used on their own can have an impact on finding new buyers.
When you combine them together as part of a complete and focused ‘Prospecting Strategy’ then whilst there is no guarantee of success, the results are often very strong.
Buyers do want and require solutions to problems and if you focus on solving a specific problem for a specific audience then why wouldn’t they be keen to chat?
There again you could always hope it all comes together just like I hope it won’t rain tomorrow or I hope I win the lottery….
Take control. Hope isn’t a strategy.
Come and join my 45-day Find a New Buyer Challenge and put your destiny back in your own hands and not someone else’s!
