Prospecting can either be a huge time sink for you, or it can be an efficient, valuable part of your sales process.
What it looks like for you is going to depend a lot on whether you have a plan for prospecting or not. If you don't already have a prospecting plan, here's what you'll need to do to create one.
Determine which activities are appropriate in your market
Depending on the industry you're in and the work you do, you might find a lot of value in cold calling. Or you might not. You may find that participating in industry membership-based groups is a valuable use of your time, or you might find that networking groups are a distraction. Figure out where you'll spend your time most effectively in your industry.
Calculate a marketing budget
This doesn't necessarily mean that you should set aside money for commercials, radio ads, or online marketing, although any of those might make sense in your world. Decide which activities get you out in front of prospects, and figure out how much you can invest in those activities.
Estimate cold calls needed to meet your goals
If you're in an industry where cold calls are important, work backward to figure out how many cold calls it takes you to get to a sale. How much time do you need to be spending on cold calls, based on that number? Most people find they need to give more time to cold calling, not less.
Identify your target market
What type of people are your best clients? Is there a certain industry you should be focusing on? A size of company you work best with? A mindset you like to see in your prospects or strategic partners? Look for more of that when you're prospecting.
Establish action steps
Figure out what actions you need to take to reach your sales goals. How many cold calls do you need to make—or do you simply need to get better at the cold calls you're already making? Are you spending too much time in networking groups, or not enough? What activities can you do that will put you in front of your target market?
Put your activities on your calendar
Be as specific as possible—how many cold calls do you need to make in a week? How many people do you need to speak with at networking events? When are those events happening?
Estimate how long each of your tasks will take, and block it out on your calendar, at least for the next week, if not longer. If it's not in your calendar, and it's not in your comfort zone, it becomes nearly impossible for you to execute effectively.
When you know what you need to do and who you need to reach, you're able to create a game plan that helps you put it into action. You can revise your plan if you find it's not working for you.
The key here is to make sure you're being proactive and putting thought into your prospecting activities. That mindset alone will put you head and shoulders above many sales professionals.
