Tom Hopkins - Quota-Busting Prospecting Skills: Strategies to Make Prospecting Fun & Profitable

Quota-Busting
Prospecting Skills

Strategies to Make Prospecting Fun & Profitable

How to Master the Art of Selling Series

Book 3

By Tom Hopkins

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Hopkins, Tom

Quota-Busting Prospecting Skills: Strategies to Make Prospecting Fun & Profitable

ISBN: 978-1-61339-775-6

1. BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Sales & Selling / General

2. BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Marketing / General

3. BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Training

CHAPTER 1

Youve been hired by a good company to represent a product you believe in. They have offered you product knowledge training and some company-generated leads. If you have read the first two books in this series, New to Sales and The Mental Edge in Selling, then youve been through the early phase of sales training, getting an idea of what youre facing. Where do you begin to make money in this business? Its by finding the people who need what you have to offer. This area, called prospecting, is often the biggest maker or breaker of sales careers.

Take a look around your company. How many salespeople are lying around the office like beached whales? Im talking about the ones who say things like:

I dont have anyone to call today.

Oh, I hope some hot buyers walk in soon.

I wish the company would give me more leads.

Our advertising is a joke. How am I supposed to meet people if we dont do good advertising? Nobody calls us from our ads.

Im waiting for an important call and want to be available so Im not doing anything else right now.

Those are the people whose careers will be broken by not mastering the art of prospecting. Those who excel at prospecting never have nothing to do.

Its sad, but the average salesperson doesnt really believe that getting to know people is the key to every door in selling. Theyll say, Its all in who you know without understanding that most people are knowableif theyll just take the initiative to contact them.

As the last of the audience was leaving the auditorium at the end of one of my three day, high-intensity seminars, a gentleman in his mid-sixties came up and said that hed been in sales nearly forty years. I had noticed him taking copious notes during the lecture, and I was impressed that anyone with his extensive background would be eager enough to learn new things by attending the training.

I enjoyed your seminar very much, Mr. Hopkins. However, you could have shortened it.

Was it too long?

Not at all. I learned a lot. But in two minutes flat, you can give your next audience a secret thatll guarantee their success.

He spread his arms wide. After pouring forty years into this business, I know the secret of selling success.

Just a minute, I said. You know the secret? My life is devoted to helping salespeople. Pleaseshare this secret with me.

After looking at me for a moment, he said, Tom, thats exactly what Im going to do.

There was a charge of expectancy in the airmaybe even of reverencewhen this great master of selling walked over to the board, picked up a felt pen, and drew this figure:

There it is, Tom.

As I stared at his drawing, the charge of reverence leaked out of the room. Then I looked around, hoping I wasnt alone with this man. I was. Putting on a friendly smile, I said, So thats the big secret, eh?

Exactly. Every month you talk to thousands of individuals who are struggling to make good in sales, dont you?

Yes, but a large percentage are already doing anywhere from good to great. They come to my seminars because they want to become even greater.

RightIm in that category, and youve got a truckload of splendid techniques to help us. But the thing is, techniques count for nothing if theyre not used. Tom, if you can get this one point across, youll achieve your goal of helping everyone who hears you become successful in sales.

Yes, but

He lifted a finger. Tom, if you can motivate everyone to use my secret, theyll overcome every obstacle to earning big money. His hands flourished. And the secret is: See Twenty People belly to belly every day.

Suddenly the air was charged again. He clapped his hands together and went on, Get them to do that and they cant fail.

He was right. All my years in selling convince me of it. Never have I heard a formula for success that beats his for truth, simplicity, and practicality. Put your belly button near twenty others each day and youll soon be living on top of the hill. The key to making more money is to see more people.

Now, I know not everyone reading this book will be in a type of selling thats done face to face (or belly to belly). You might be in telemarketing. You might conduct sales over the Internet, relying on e-mail and video conferencing. Thats okay. The premise still stands. If youll meet twenty people every day, you cant help but succeed in sales. Even if they dont need your services, theyll likely know someone who does. Its all in who you get to know.

While the ink is still drying on your new business cards, you should be preparing a list of everyone you know in the contact management program in your computer. Start with Mom and Dad, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Dont forget Grandma and Gramps, either. Then move on to your best friends and neighbors. Use your address book. Use your Christmas card list, if you have one.

You might be thinking Im crazy here. You might be selling highly sophisticated equipment that Grandma wouldnt understand if you spent a week showing it to her. Why would you want her on your business contact list? Because Grandma knows a lot of other people. She loves you and wants you to succeed. Shell be bragging about you at church, at the senior center, at the doctors officeeverywhere grandmas go. And you know what? Someone will hear or overhear her mention that dear little Johnny or Jean is helping people with fancy computer equipment and doing quite well. And guess what happens next? Someone asks her about you, gets your contact information, and good old Grandma has just sent you a lead. Be sure to thank her.

Once you have your list complete, draft a short and to-the-point letter about your new position. Be sure to explain the benefits your product offersnot the features, not the technical details. Dont tell too much, just enough so people get the gist of what youre doing. End by asking them to keep you in mind when the subject of whatever it is youre selling comes up and offer to serve them, their relatives, friends, or clients most professionally. Send that letter to everyone on your list.

Heres a sample you might consider:

Dear John and Mary,

Something exciting has happened in my life. I have recently been hired as an associate [salesperson, consultant] with [name of company]: This company is one of the largest [best, fastest-growing] in its field. I have learned a great deal about their products and services and feel confident in representing them.