How to Do Sales Prospecting the Right Way

1. Follow the prospect before you connect with them.
2. Find them in groups. Join and engage in groups where your prospect is active.
3. Hype them up. Follow the prospect's activity and help to up engagement.

We need to study prospects and be relevant when we reach out to them.

Steps to find an authentic common ground that gives traction to the relationship:

• Lean on customer relationship management (CRM). CRM technology helps to keep all your interactions with your prospects at your fingertips - the email you sent, notes from all your meetings, the pitch deck.
• Research your way into their world. If it's a publicly-traded company, read their investor reports.
• Find the channel that sticks. If the prospect doesn't answer the phone, try to connect on LinkedIn. Be as relevant as you can.

Questions to help you qualify a prospect:

Is this the right person?

• Does the prospect match your ideal customer profile?
• Are they interested in your product?
• Can they influence the deal or even decide to purchase?

Is this the right company?

• Is it in your territory?
• Is the industry a good fit?
• What’s the size of their organisation?

Is this the right project?

• Is the department funded to pay your price?
• Will the project be a priority for the company?
• Will the team be using the product for the right use case that will create an impact?

You won't get far with prospects by repeating the same general information on your company's website.

To go deep with them, you'll need to learn their accent and become knowledgeable about their lives at work. Learn about specific industry trends, their companies and their lives.

It's not about closing the deal but about closing every step of the deal.

• Obsess over the next step. End the conversation with a question. "Can we connect for five minutes after you've taken a look?"
• Advance but qualify. Prospecting is about moving forward. Don't over-focus on a deal that won't be worth it. Ask at every stage if the prospect is still a fit.
• Selling is a team sport. You won't have all the answers and need to lean on those who give you the information you need.