Some people believe that customer prospecting depends solely on the volume of people reached.
They think that the number of emails sent or phone calls made is the number one criterion for evaluating the work of a sales department.
But the reality is far more complex, so here are a few tips on how to become more effective in customer prospecting.
Target for greater efficiency
When it comes to customer prospecting, quality is far more important than quantity.
That’s why you need to target your prospects, not contact complete strangers who have no interest in your business.
To target effectively, the preparatory research phase is absolutely crucial.
During this phase, here are the best practices to implement:
- Start by asking your customer service department for as much information as possible about both happy and unhappy customers.
What works to make customers happy?
What, on the contrary, irritates them? - Talk to your most satisfied customers.
What do they like about the products you offer, and what makes them come back to buy from you rather than a competitor? - Determine the ideal profile of your prospects, based on that of your best customers.
Start by identifying the different profiles, then create one or more personas to target those customers who are likely to be most enthusiastic about the products or services you offer.
What to do once the profile(s) have been established?
For your customer prospecting to work, you then need to take action.
Not just by following classic recipes, but by using the weapons of Web 2.0:
- Use Google Alerts to track target profiles and the events that may prompt them to buy
- Track relevant information about your industry, including on various social networks (LinkedIn, etc.), then cross-reference it with your CRM.
- Send emails and make personalized calls
That’s the theory.
But in practice, it won’t work the first time, and you’ll need to make constant adjustments as you go along.
In addition to more precise targeting, your customer prospecting must continue to be based on quantified objectives.
To get the best possible results, aim for quality first and foremost, but don’t forget quantity either!
