Rethink Your Expectations

Prospecting is not a one-time event. At the very least, it’s a campaign; while the very best insist it’s a lifestyle.

For a lot of sellers, the expectation is that you're supposed to pick up the phone, deliver the perfect message at the perfect time to the perfect person, and make a sale.

I wish it were that easy.

Cramming an entire sales process into a single sales call is not the point, and when the bar is set so unnecessarily high, it doesn't take much for someone to talk themselves out of it.

You’re done before you start.

And speaking of sales calls, a word or two about the phone…

If you’re not using the phone because you believe people don’t pick it up when it rings, you’re missing the point. A big part of creating opportunities is making your prospect fully aware that you’re in pursuit and you won’t be waited out like everybody else.

Making their phone ring is another way to remind them that you’ve got them professionally surrounded, and you intend to reach them. At the very least, voicemail is another inbox. Your prospect hearing your voice is a way for them to get more familiar with you. If you’re really savvy, you’ll take the opportunity to make them smile.

The excuses are plentiful: voicemails are transcribed, they’re deleted more often than they’re listened to even if they’re attended to at all… Sure, but do you really think your email is a silver bullet? How many of them don’t even reach the spam filter? Perfect is the enemy of really good.

The phone is a weapon, and a valuable one. If you’re trying to reach your ideal prospects, why would you leave such a valuable asset on the table? Ignore it at your own risk.

Set your expectations correctly from the start. It's probably going to take you a dozen or more attempts to reach your prospect. Are you prepared for that?

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