We all have fears about doing anything new or seemingly
unpleasant. When I was in second grade they came out with the
polio vaccines that we received by injections - shots. All kids
hated shots in those days. So when Mom said, “be sure to come
home right after school so we can go get your polio shot,” I was
a wreck all day.
When all of the anticipation concluded and the shot was
administered, it was not in any way even close to as bad as I
had predicted.
Unfortunately, we do not out grow this ability to over create
bad things. Working with sales people on a regular basis I am
continuously amazed at how many experienced sales people hate to
Prospect, simply because they are afraid of rejection. Some
psychologist somewhere must have come up with the idea that
prospects that don’t want to see a salesman on a cold call are
somehow “rejecting” them. I think that is too far fetched. If a
prospect doesn’t want to see me, he simply doesn’t want to see
me, I am not being rejected!
We have a friend who has been in sales for over 30 years. He is
extremely well educated, but never really learned how to sell.
So for his entire career he has been servicing customers and
occasionally making some new sales. He is a wonderfully nice guy
who simply has created a mind set that is terrified of what he
considers that “rejection” I just mentioned. In reality his
fears are groundless, but remember, perception is reality, and
he perceives fear.
He was in our office not long ago and had a name that he felt
would be a good lead for our company and suggested he would
write this person a letter and then try to arrange a luncheon
meeting for the three of us.
Now, I am exactly the opposite of this. I suggested that we call
the prospect right then. My friend didn’t want to hear that, we
needed to “grease the skids” a bit. While we were talking, I got
a call and had to go to my office to answer it. When I finished
that phone call, I just called the prospect and got an
appointment.
I went back to the conference room and announced to my friend
that he didn’t need to worry about writing the letter; I had an
appointment with the prospect. He was shocked. “What did you
say?” “How did he react?”
I was kind of surprised at his response. Prospecting is one of
the most important steps in the selling process, yet so many
people are uncomfortable with it. Yet is the only tool - skill -
we have to get new customers. It is the skill we use to get into
a position where we can begin to employ our selling skills.
Without Prospects, we don’t need selling skills!
Of course, we created the BLITZ CALL® System for Prospecting and
Making Cold Calls, so I should be able to do this. But whether
you use our System, someone else’s, or your own you have to
actually do it.
Once you have a Prospecting system then you should learn it so
well that you can implement it on a moments notice. I tell all
of our trainees that they should know their BLITZ CALL by
memory. By not having to think about what you are going to say,
you can observe or listen to what the prospect is saying and/or
doing. This makes you much more able to respond correctly to
their words and actions.
Now I got that appointment by telephone, so obviously I couldn’t
tell what the prospect was doing. But I have made so many
Prospecting calls that I could pretty well know what to expect.
I didn’t need to sound rushed or nervous; I had the objective of
getting the meeting so that is what I did.
Incidentally, had I not gotten an appointment, I would not have
felt rejected.
You are in the same situation. With just a small amount of
experience you know what to expect in most business and
Prospecting situations that you will face. The whole foundation
for Prospecting success is based on planning and preparation.
Simply prepare your words for your Prospecting call and the
responses you expect the prospect to give.
When I comes to Prospecting, after you have planned and
prepared, the most important thing you can do is simply
Prospect.
Grow your business, increase your number of new customers, and
make the kind of money you want. And by the way, don’t worry
about it because it’s easier to do it, than to think about it
Sell Well and Often
Bill Truax
Bill@BlitzCall.com
© Copyright 2006 WJ Truax
