Prospecting is the foundation of a robust sales pipeline. Yet, 78% of all prospecting efforts fail, and more than 40% of salespeople say prospecting is the most challenging part of the sales process. Call duration matters: the first 30 seconds make all the difference in getting someone to listen to you or ignore you.
Do you know exactly how to grab someone’s interest in the first 30 seconds so they talk and are genuinely eager for more? Like most salespeople, you most likely answered “no.”
It is clear why you find prospecting to be such a challenging and discouraging experience if you are trying to sell without sharing the measurable, encouraging end results of what you’re selling that create an unbreakable case around why a prospect needs to listen to you within the first 30 seconds of a call.
In this sales training article, we share actionable advice on overcoming prospecting challenges and how to improve it for better sales results.
Lack of Prospecting Training
Many account managers and salespeople have never been taught the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of successful prospecting. Sales training frequently concentrates on closing deals and managing objections while overlooking the critical skill of generating leads and aggressively sourcing business.Solution: Invest in comprehensive prospecting training that covers the principles and offers practical advice for success. Ensure that sales teams understand the value of prospecting and have the ability to do so effectively.
| Takeaway: By hiring dedicated sales development representatives to manage the challenging and time-consuming prospecting process, you can increase productivity and successfully connect with decision-makers. Contact Our Sales Consultant Team Now! |
Reliance on Existing Accounts
Many salespeople rely on leads and existing accounts for their business, with less than 10% actively prospecting and sourcing leads. This reliance restricts their ability to grow and power their sales pipeline, jeopardizing their sales targets.
Solution: Encourage salespeople to develop a proactive approach and make prospecting a significant part of their daily practice. Emphasize the significance of constantly sourcing new business to maintain a strong pipeline.
Over Dependence on Email and LinkedIn
8 in 10 prospects prefer talking to a rep via email. (Spotio)
While email and LinkedIn are effective prospecting tools, they should not be utilized in isolation. To be successful, salespeople must be comfortable with cold calling and other prospecting strategies.
Solution: Provide sales teams with a diverse set of prospecting tools and approaches. Encourage exploration with various ways until they discover what works best for them. Include role-playing activities to boost your confidence in cold calling..
Lack of Prospecting Strategy
Prospecting issues can also be attributed to a lack of structure, minimally acceptable standards, and discipline. Salespeople may need a defined approach for engaging prospects and securing additional meetings.
Solution: Create and implement a clear prospecting strategy. This should include thorough scripts outlining what to say and write to increase engagement, lower rejection, and secure new appointments. Ensure that salespeople use this plan consistently.
Fear of Rejection
Fear of rejection is a common and important impediment to successful prospecting. This fear creates an aversion to the unavoidable rejection related to daily prospecting.
Solution: Provide salespeople with the tools and resources they need to overcome their fear of rejection and gain confidence. Provide sales coaching on addressing objections and creating resilience.
How Hunt Grow Consulting Helps in Prospecting
Hunt Grow Consulting improves sales teams by providing modern, adaptable in-person and virtual training that delivers results. Our training programs focus on creating the mentality and skill set required for successful prospecting. We provide:
- Comprehensive training: It includes the principles of prospecting, lead generation, and proactive business sourcing.
- Tools & Techniques: It offers several prospecting strategies, including cold calling and digital marketing.
- Confidence Building: It includes assisting salespeople in overcoming their fear of rejection and developing resilience.
- Strategic Planning: It entails developing specific prospecting strategies that engage prospects and prevent rejection.
Sales teams can leverage Hunt Grow Consulting’s experience to improve their B2B prospecting efforts, fill their pipelines, and achieve greater sales results.
Conclusion
There’s an old saying, “if you keep doing what you do, you will keep getting what you get,” which is no longer valid. In fact, if you continue to do what you’re doing, you’ll end up losing more in the long run. To stay ahead in today’s competitive economy, sales teams must be proactive in adapting to change and skilled in prospecting. This demands a shift in thinking from what is comfortable to what works, no matter how frightening the prospect of everyday rejection may be.
Having a thorough understanding of the sales prospecting process, a defined strategy, and the discipline to stick to it can give sales teams a consistent flow of new business and keep them ahead of the competition. Everything begins and ends with prospecting. Without a comprehensive sales funnel, you are only delaying the inevitable.
