Salespeople look for opportunity. Yet sometimes getting the first appointment or even connecting with the decision maker seems impossible. You might say you have “a snowball’s chance in hell” of moving the deal forward. Unless something changes, unless “hell freezes over.” Then your snowball’s chance doesn’t look so bad.
It’s the same way with certain clients and prospects. Your chances of getting that appointment may seem impossible. What could make your chances look better today than they did yesterday? What could make them look fantastic tomorrow?
How can you make the seemingly-impossible possible?
By finding the valid business reason you need to move forward with the prospect, that’s how. Who you know and what you know will improve your odds of finding a really strong, door-opening, valid business reason.
- Get Active: Get on LinkedIn. If you’ve created an account on LinkedIn and you’re not active, start today.
- Get Connected: Reach out and grow your network. Work LinkedIn like an online Rolodex and invite all of your clients and every potential business partner you meet to connect.
- Get Informed. Follow your prospect’s companies. Follow the people who work there. Identify who has influence over the purchase of your product. Set your antenna to pick up the prospect’s changing needs.
Those three alone will make a big difference in your sales approach, but why stop there? Tip the scales even more in your favor by adding these:
- Set Goals: How many connections could you have by the end of the year? Quality is better than quantity, but don’t use that as an excuse.
- Join Groups: Not the groups for your industry, but your clients’ industries. That’s where you will identify opportunity.
- Like, Share, and Comment. Let people know you liked what they posted and have similar interests. Share or comment. It’s better than donuts.
Don’t assume yesterday’s impossibilities are today’s reality. Connect. Research. Listen. Become aware and participate in what’s being shared online. It may provide the valid business reason you need to get the appointment.
Editor's Note: This post was originally published September 11, 2014 and has been updated.
