There can be nothing more daunting to a salesperson than to be handed a list of prospects to begin calling on. The list usually has hundreds of names and, at first glance, it looks like you have a mountain to climb. In some ways, it really is a mountain as you prepare to introduce yourself to new people. Who knows what this list has in store for you. One thing is for sure, it’s going to be a lot of work as you head into the unknown world of cold prospecting.
“Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” as Dorothy and her entourage declared in the Wizard of Oz as they embark on their yellow brick road. You have your own golden path to follow, but instead, you find dead leads, rejections, and voicemail hell, oh my! Yes, prospecting is an adventure for sure and it can be an exciting one if you adopt the right attitude. Here are some helpful reminders if you’re starting with a new list of prospects.
- There are no witches – No one on your list can hurt you. They can’t physically attack you, they can’t have you arrested because you asked for their business and almost none of them will be downright nasty to you. There isn’t much to be afraid of other than ‘no thank you.’
- Be persistent – There may be rejections, objections, and other flying monkeys along your journey, but push beyond them. Don’t let one ‘no’ hold you back. That one ‘no’ does not represent the rest of your list. Keep on going until you get to the end.
- Work steady – Prospecting is exhausting and although you must remain consistent, you have to choose a pace that you can maintain. Don’t burn yourself out by burning through your prospects just for the sake of getting to the end.
- You will make new friends – Somewhere in your list are people who will like you, be glad that you called, and actually need what it is that you are selling. Who knows, there may be a few new friends for you to make along the way. They just don’t know it yet.
- Your treasure awaits – Work through your list with full knowledge that there are nuggets of gold to be uncovered. There may be a lot of sifting, but it is there somewhere, you just have to find it and there is no other way to do this than to begin your prospecting. Good luck.
