Finding New Customers: Does Strategy Matter?

An old sales coach of mine once said ‘You don’t have to like making cold calls, you just have to make them!’ For some old school sales pros, strategy is for losers. The key is activity, activity, and more activity. Remember, every ‘No’ is one step closer to a ‘Yes’.

If that works for you, I’m not going to disagree that taking action is a critical element in any business development effort. The real question is: Can a sound strategy make your sales efforts more rewarding?

• What if we could remove the targets who will most likely say ‘No’?
• What if we could minimize the number of ‘tire kickers’ or ‘proposal hounds’ on your call list?
• What if your marketing efforts generated in-bound interest allowing you to start your day with prospects needing your help?

If we could replace the ‘what if’ above with a solid, repeatable strategy, would it make life any easier for you? Let’s consider how that might happen:

A Plan of Action

Let’s start with your prospect list. Where does it come from? Is it full of people who see value in what you offer? Is calling on the phone the best way to reach them? If not, how quickly can you find a new list, or a new way to connect?

Once you’ve got your list and outreach solved, do you understand the value you offer to your prospect? Hint: it probably has very little to do with price, features, or benefits. How will their life change once they do business with you? What will they gain? What will they give up? Are they even able to make the decision to buy? You are free to make your sales calls WITHOUT this knowledge, but you’ll spin your wheels and spend too much time with prospects who are dead ends. 

If you’ve gotten this far, you know your prospect, you understand your value to them, now you need to know what you are selling. Are you trying to make a huge sale on the first call? Or maybe you are wasting your eager prospect’s time with literature and infobabble because you are afraid to ask for the sale. Either way, you’re doomed to frustrating results. You need to know what you are selling: the first call may only be selling an agreement to have a more in-depth conversation later, or perhaps the chance to send information and follow up. Limit your pitch to the quality of your relationship – don’t go whale hunting with a cane pole.

So Make It Happen

Ideally, you have a marketing and sales strategy that builds a Road Map to your best prospects. These are folks who are waiting for you to help them. Calling on them is not as much selling as it is consulting. You still need to make the call, but it is not an endless string of hang ups or cringe-worthy scripts to try and get an appointment.

If this is not how you are doing business today, contact us see what a strategic Road Map could do for your company. Oh, and while you are at it, register to become a Leadstra Insider. You’ll get access to lots of cool information that we guarantee will help you.