Best of Sales Prospecting Weekly Everybody Prospects! Prospecting is the continuous activity of exploring for and qualifying new people to meet and talk with concerning your business, whether seeking your next client or landing your next job. For job seekers, sales professionals, business owners and college students. One Answer per Day will Bring People Your Way You know, people with great connections don?t have them by accident. Someone had to work to build that asset of human capital. Forget About Solving Problems, part 2 Steve Mariotti was a new math teacher charged with bringing a class of unruly inner-city youth up to passing standards for their math exams. Yet Steve knew that if he did not aim higher, he would not be able to make a difference. Forget About Solving Problems One expression I hear that often makes me cringe is PROBLEM SOLVING. It expresses a paradigm that's about making something go away. If this is all you care about, then another problem will simply take its place. These Days, a Common Connection Just Isn't Enough Fundamental to networking with new people, either for a new job or customer, is a common connection. But what if that connection isn't enough? Man Gives Right Arm for Meeting with Prospect Phil Reese, vice president of Small Business Payroll Services, LLC tried for a year to get his foot in the door of a certain prospect...with no luck. Then he tried a wedge. The One-Man Brand In today's economy, when EVERYONE is in business for him- or herself, we hear quite the buzz about personal branding. But what is a brand? Dude, You're Losin' Me... Engage people with a concise, results-focused story. You will emotionally connect with your prospect, and also define your value proposition. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Few of us actually follow the instructions on most shampoo bottles; if we did, we would never get out of the shower. Yet there is some infinite wisdom in those three little words. Just Two or Three Nuggets... Don't get overwhelmed. There are countless ways to prospect for your job search or business sales. All you need are two or three gold nuggets. Not Everyone Online is Online. Suppose you meet a successful executive at a business function. You go back and look her up on LinkedIn, only to find a minimal description, no photo and three connections... The 12 Laws of Social Media Prospecting How can we use social media to prospect for business? Here are 12 laws to follow. No matter the media, the laws are the same. Your Network is Sacred Do you know why some people are hesitant to use social media? Ever wonder why not everyone you meet will immediately connect you with everybody they know? Avoid the Twitter Trap! When using Twitter to prospect and attract followers, look out for the Twitter Trap...a big room where most "peeps" are talking to everyone, and listening to no one. Folks, if You Can't Say Something Nice... If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. It's a timeless rule. When you say something negative about another person, you make yourself look bad, and spread bad karma. Want to Get Connected? Become a Connector. Ever encounter someone who just knows everybody? They have an uncanny knack for making acquaintances and forming connections with people they meet. He Who Dies with the Most Toys...Still Dies. There is an important lesson from history and world affairs that we can apply to ourselves in business networking and prospecting. The Ball is Forever in Your Court. Don't Drop it. There is a saying (and I don't know if it is very common) that goes, "If you don't make the call, someone else will." I don't think that's always the case, nor is it the worst thing that could happen. Boost Your Callback Rate in Three Steps If you wait for prospects to call you back, you will wait forever. So whose callback rate are we talking about? Yours. Ask. Then Shut Up. A senior colleague and I were heading to a meeting. He warned me that when he places our solutions on the table, and asks our prospect to make a decision, there may be an awkward silence... Once an Eagle.... Recently I attended my nephew?s Eagle Scout Court of Honor. The experience reminded me of a discussion I had with Ronald F. Mayer, a seasoned producer for AXA Advisors. [ Back ]

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