Prospecting can sometimes feel like hunting for werewolves, particularly if there is no full moon. And what better time to talk about werewolves than at Halloween, right?
Yes, prospecting can be a scary, time consuming and frustrating process. There are lots of ghouls, goblins and things that go bump in the night out there that can derail your efforts to secure new business and achieve your revenue goals. If you don’t have a solid game plan to reach your intended targets, you can spend a lot of time, energy and resources chasing your tail, with little or no return on investment (ROI).
So, what is the best way to maximize the return on your prospecting investment, and avoid getting caught in the jaws of the prospecting beast?
It starts with the basics. With coaching clients I refer to it as “werewolf marketing”. Here are the steps to follow using the werewolf example to improve your prospecting ROI …
- What does a werewolf look like? First, profile your ideal prospect(s).
- Where do werewolves hang out? Next, determine the demographic targets to source new customers – i.e. market/industry segments, geographic markets, company size, etc.
- What resources, tools and training are required to capture a werewolf? From folklore we know that we’ll need a map, gun, silver bullets and a flash light to bring down a werewolf. Have you ever fired a gun? If no, you’ll need firearms training too. The same holds true for prospecting for new business. Identify the resources, tools and training needed to achieve success.
- Who has experience hunting werewolves that I can work with to improve my odds of securing new business via my prospecting activities? Connect with synergy partners or a business coach who has relevant expertise or established relationships with your ideal prospects to help pave the way.
You get the point. Go through these basic steps in advance before you pick up the telephone or start any canvassing efforts or fund additional marketing programs to source new business.
Don’t get bitten by the prospecting beast! Do your homework upfront and follows these steps in order to save time, energy and resources, and take the fear out of prospecting.
Happy hunting!
John
COPYRIGHT © 2014 John Carroll