Try These Six Prospecting Tips

Prospecting for new business is similar to working out. You know it's good for you and it will produce positive results if you do it routinely.

Professional sales people prospect daily. It's important to block off specific time on your calendar for prospecting activities such as phone calling and e-mailing. Treat your prospecting time with the same respect as you would any other important appointment, otherwise, there is a tendency that it will slip through the cracks.

This is not the time to check your e-mails, play solitaire on the computer, make a personal phone call or chat with your associates. Stay focused.

Be prepared, get organized and take good notes. It's critical to have a computerized contact system to record remarks and suspense future contacts or appointments.

Use a script. Practice it until it sounds smooth and natural. Set aside time to role-play with an associate over the phone. By taking turns presenting and critiquing you'll gain confidence, polish your script and be more effective.

Avoid the temptation to sell over the phone. Your objective is to gather information and make the appointment.

Strike while the iron is hot! When working with a new prospect, it's important to make contact quickly. Prospects are perishable.

No matter how interested a prospect may appear, don't wait for them to call you. You are only one of many competing interests for your prospect's time and money.

Avoid the temptation to badmouth your competition. Make head-to-head comparisons, not personal attacks. They make you look unprofessional and petty.

Emphasize the benefits of your product or services. Play to your strengths, not the weaknesses of your competition. Let your prospect draw his or her own conclusions from your comparison.

Rejection is a natural part of the sales process. Don't take it personally. Learn from rejection, use it as a feedback mechanism and look for ways to improve your presentation.