Sales is the best deodorant in business. Staying on top of the prospects mind is critical to achieving sales success. With limited budgets for most startups, entrepreneurs need to be innovative in finding ways to stay on top. In business to business sales, 5 practical ways to stay on top:
- Research each week short articles on items like leadership, time management, motivating employees, etc. that would be relevant to most senior executives. Use a service like Mail Chimp or Constant Contact to customize emails to blast to them. Make sure the article is less than a page with using a list format usually the most effective.
- Calling your prospects is still important to staying on top. Find key times to reach executives. Typically their secretary/gatekeeper may be before 8, during lunch or after 5. Have a quick message along with defined next step ready. There is usually little danger of excessive follow up. Executives appreciate hustle as much as they may be annoyed by the calls.
- Mail three dimensional nurturing items like books with a personalized note to your A prospects. Find less expensive things to send your B prospects like printed out white papers. Three dimensional items have the greatest chance of being opened and possibly handed around. Definitely leaves a positive impression!
- Utilize LinkedIn to build connections all around your prospect both inside and outside their company. Get people around them talking about you!
- Write articles frequently. This will build your credibility and give you another item to distribute to your prospects!
These are relatively low cost ways to stay on top of your prospects’ minds. It is important to stay disciplined weekly performing these tasks. This is the easiest thing to put off especially when your pipeline is full but will cost the sales person once the pipeline starts to empty.
