As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the number one reason I receive calls is to help security companies find and win new business. Our world of prospecting for new business has changed significantly. I’ve determined that there are three primary reasons for this dynamic, and am sharing each one with you, one at a time, over three consecutive days.
Today, I present the #2 reason we don’t prospect anymore…
The old way of prospecting doesn’t work anymore.
In less than 50 words, below is a synopsis of the prospecting experience most sales professional have had since 2006:
“Less and less people are scheduling appointments with me. I need to stay persistent. Wow, something is really wrong with my technique. Wait a minute, no one is getting results – maybe it’s not me. I can’t keep spending time banging my head against the wall. Maybe prospecting is dead?”
And here we are, working 60 hours a week, managing current accounts and responding to requests. I don’t mean this in a bad way. Smart professionals stop wasting their time on useless activity, so shifting activity to managing current accounts is an intelligent decision. However, it’s not growing your market share.
The old way of prospecting doesn’t work anymore. Unfortunately, no one has defined a new way of prospecting for our industry, and the noise is confusing: “You should be gathering a huge following on Twitter.” “It’s all about blogs.” “No one answers the phone anymore.” Etc. Etc. Etc.
Solution: First of all, prospecting is still relevant and necessary in 2019. Secondly, it’s not that much different than it used to be, but it is different. You still need to use phone, email, and personal calls. Finally, if you do it right, the ratios are higher than they used to be – which makes it much more enjoyable.
I can’t deliver the answer in one blog post, but I can reveal the basic shift in philosophy. It’s no longer solely about quantity (i.e. throwing as much mud against the wall to see how much sticks). Today, it’s about targeting, and creating a relevant reason for your prospects to see you. There are several other elements that make it easier – social media, blog engagement, and text messaging – but it still comes down to you making the calls, emails, and dropping by in person.
Looking forward to presenting our third and final reason tomorrow.
