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Test: Do Your Sales Prospecting Habits Maximize Your Connect Rate?

Posted by Peter Caputa on Mon, Oct 29, 2012 @ 01:01 PM
 

When I talk to businesses who are using inbound lead generation, but who aren't seeing the sales that they want, I usually start with questions that identify what they're doing wrong (or not doing) at the top of their sales funnel. If the top of the sales funnel isn't predictably full, sales usually falter at the bottom. Maybe not right away. But, someday, they'll dip if they don't have the ability to predictably find qualified sales opportunties amongst the leads they've attracted.

I've only ever spoken to one person who was doing everything right. So, don't feel bad if you fail the test.

Here's the list of questions I usually ask:

  1. Do you call leads as soon as they complete a form on your website?
  2. Do you call leads as soon as they revisit your website again, ideally while they're still on your website?
  3. How often do you sit down and prospect? Do you have time blocked off every day? Do you do it every day consistently? How much time? How many leads do you call per day? Why that number?
  4. What is the cadence you use to attempt to connect with them? Do you call them once and then wait awhile to call them again?
  5. Do you try to connect live first by calling them? Do you also follow up with an email? Does your voicemail and email say the same thing? Do you leave them both at the same time? 
  6. Do you connect with them on social media? If you connect on social media, do you just connect or do you respond to something they've posted in order to start a conversation? 
  7. Do you have a series of voice-mail and email messages that you leave in succession that reference your earlier attempts and their lack of response?
  8. How many attempts do you make in order to try to connect with a lead, before you give up? Do you actually give up or do you try calling them again after a period of time? 
  9. Do you use the information they've shared on your landing pages and the information your marketing software collected in order to personalize your message? Is the message about their interests with an offer to provide further assistance OR is it about you and what you want to talk about?
  10. Do you work the company or just the lead? If you get a lead, do you determine other contacts at that company that might take your call, who might influence that company buying from you or might have information on how the company operates? Do you ever just call the decision maker even if they aren't your lead?
  11. When you get a lead, do you determine if you have any common connections on Linkedin, so that you might be able to get an introduction from someone they trust confirming your expertise? 

Without the dialog, you may not know the right answer to the questions. If you're unclear whether you're doing something wrong or not doing something you should, ask a question in the comments.

Usually, companies aren't doing the first few things right. If you got to question 11 and think you are doing everything you should be doing, please inquire here: I have openings.

Sales experts: What questions am I missing?

Comments

There goes the secret sauce! This is a good list, Pete. As you know, I've worked with a few inbound marketers and was always amazed when I found that the questions on their forms were totally unrelated to the questions that needed to be asked on the sales call. Furthermore, when the questions were relevant, they didn't use the answers properly when they did get in a conversation. Finally, they stayed in email too long. As you've said, "They need to engage with their vocal chords."
Posted @ Monday, October 29, 2012 1:23 PM by Rick Roberge
Fantastic detail Pete. There's probably a whole other post on what to do once you connect.... how NOT to talk about your product/pitch too early but rather lead with questions that are of most interest to your prospect. This may mean that in the whole connect call you don't even get to your pitch and that's ok.  
 
One other thing I'm learning is how to be brief on emails. I thought I was brief but I'm learning that brief is really 2-3 sentences. A tickler of information that's relevant and that's it.
Posted @ Tuesday, October 30, 2012 4:54 AM by arjun moorthy
@Rick. At this point, if I can help any of our 1,000 partners or 8,000 customer turn more leads into sales, I have more to gain by sharing than keeping it secret! :-)  
 
@Arjun I was interviewing someone yesterday and I asked her whether she enjoys cold calling. She talked about how she makes it fun. She recounted a call she made where the guy said, "You finally got me. I feel like you're stalking me." Many salespeople would have gotten nervous, spit out their positioning or just plain shut down. She laughed and said, "Uh. Oh. Are you making fun of me already?" in a voice that an actor would do if they were being curt or coy. She knew that the right thing to do was lighten the mood by getting the prospect to laugh.  
 
Email brevity is critical. We've been teaching our reps that over the last few weeks. It's hard for wordy guys like you and me. But, critical.
Posted @ Tuesday, October 30, 2012 7:03 AM by Peter Caputa
This raised an interesting debate, and common perspective when I asked others about this post. The factor is the "Big brother creepy factor". The debate was based on the answer I hear all to often, "It depends". 
 
It depends on: 
-your customer and their buying process 
-your industry and common perceptions 
-your uvp 
-what you sell, software vs professional services. 
 
And while all having an impact, the 'it depends' answer is very easily made into an excuse to not pick up the phone and pursue actively. 
 
The question I have is, if you really want to help people, if you really believe that you can, then doesn't it just seem wrong NOT to pursue them- even if you run the risk of being too aggressive?  
 
Missionaries are aggressive because they are passionate about their beliefs and about helping others, but they are still respectful. This can apply to any business- but for inbound sales and marketing companies? Come on, you have the cure for their growth ailment. You could be changing lives. Doesn't ignoring that give you a twinge of guilt for not following up? For not doing everything you can, within reason? 
 
Thanks for the post and reminder Pete. Here is your soap box back. 
Posted @ Friday, November 09, 2012 9:59 AM by Carole
Well said, Carole. You, Arjun, Rick and I know that many salespeople are unwilling to prospect. They're plagued with need for approval, fear of rejection and lack the skills to do it. Many just don't know what they should be doing.  
 
That said, while this might seem aggressive, the goal is to be helpful and professional all through the process.  
 
Thanks for weighing in. Now get back on the phone. :-)
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