A key to a successful organization is establishing what a good prospect looks like (and doesn't look like), then training all of your team to keep their eyes and ears open for that person. It's not just the job of your salespeople. It should be everyone's job!
One of my clients has adopted this idea. They made sure that all of their staff knows what an ideal prospect looks like for them. And they've had great results!
Their office manager is a great example. Prospecting is not really in her job description, and it's definitely outside her comfort zone.
Despite that, she has had three conversations with people in the past year that led to sales for my client. In this client's case, that's thousands of dollars. And that's conversations she had outside of the workplace, not part of her role as an office manager.
Now, she might not say that she's prospecting, but they've built an environment where it's comfortable for everyone to keep their eyes and ears open for an ideal prospect.
Remember, sales is all about intentional conversations with the right people. In order to create that sort of environment, you have to do several things:
- Identify what a good prospect for your organization does (and doesn't) look like.
- Communicate that information with your entire staff.
- Reinforce the importance of sales with your entire staff.
- Publicly thank your team members when they demonstrate the behavior you're looking for.
Observing things like the vehicle a person gets into, the clothes they're wearing, or who they're talking to, can lead to intentional conversations. But your team has to know what they're looking for, and be ready to start intentional conversations. They need to make observations, then start conversations based on those observations.
The challenge is that most of us are far better at avoiding conversations than beginning them. It takes practice, and an environment where it's encouraged. Everyone on your team should be looking for new prospects!
