Prospecting versus Stalking
Thomas Szaky shocked his parents a few years ago when he decided to drop out of Princeton University to start a business marketing worm poop. To their dismay, he explained his organic plant food would be made from worm droppings and be packaged in recycled pop bottles as house plant fertilizer.
But the 26-year-old Canadian had the last laugh when his fledgling company landed the Wal-Mart account. First-year sales from the Wal-Mart exposure and distribution exceeded $25 million!
Each week, thousands of inventors, manufacturers’ agents and sales people try unsuccessfully to get their products stocked on Wal-Mart shelves. So how did a young Mr. Szaky nab the business at mighty Wal-Mart?
“I don’t know” he says. “I made sixty one phone calls and the last one finally worked. I guess it was just sheer persistence.”
Selling is often defined as ‘a transference of confidence’. Your persistent pursuit of product knowledge in a changing media landscape coupled with a clear understanding of how your products can achieve your prospects’ goals will build the confidence that in turn creates persistence.
But do you understand the difference between persistence and stalking?
Calling a prospect 61 times in pursuit of an order for your station can be stalking.
How do you feel if every time you see a particular individual they are trying to sell you something?
Preparing a series of valid business reasons for a prospect to meet with you separates stalking from persistence.
A valid business reason for every customer contact means creating an agenda or having a mission which benefits the customer, whether they buy during that meeting or not. It may be a helpful tip to grow their business, you might give them a lead or some useful marketing statistics, or deliver news that affects their business.
Consistently planning a valid business reason for every call demonstrates respect for your clients’ time and clearly positions your interest in growing their business.
Click here to arrange a free online demo of how we can help you create more valid business reasons for prospects to meet with you, and to increase your sales.
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