Todays Innovative Sales

• Prospecting. The internet and social networks afford us with a universe of prospects and a wealth of information but it is still starts with who are viable prospects in the backyard. If you haven’t located those, don’t go any further. However, secure buildings and locked doors make it more efficient to identify the names of the companies in those buildings and then research online. Google Earth is lot of fun and can be an excellent tool for both of these.
• Cold calls: The cold phone call and the cold email are both methods that can and should be used in tandem as part of an integrated approach. Can’t get a prospect to answer the phone or return a call – the cold email approach can be very effective but the point is that it is the content of both that will make a difference not the methodology!
• Qualifying. There are two types of qualifying – pre call and post contact. Pre call qualifying is where you go on the internet and find out about the company or organization so you can craft a meaningful approach. Qualifying a prospect for new business almost always requires a ‘high touch’ either by the phone or a live appointment. PS. Use social networks to learn more about the person you are calling and see if you can find a picture so you can visualize the person you are speaking with on the phone.
• Site Inspection. If the prospect is local or within a reasonable distance, the personal site is always best. However, increasingly, either people are too busy or they are at a significant distance such that doing a telephone site online on the website is a viable alternative. Point out the features of the hotel that relate to what they told you during the qualifying process on the web site just as you would if it was a live site inspection. Have a script that you can use for each. Don’t forget, they have probably qualified the hotel by going to the web site and/or the Facebook page to view the pictures – one good reason to post good and plentiful pictures there.
• The Close. Unless you have done a masterful job of all three of the above and the prospect says or emails ’send me the contract’, you will have to ask for the business at some point. This is preferably a ‘high touch’ in person or on the phone process. It is just too easy for a prospect to squirm out of an email close if there is any doubt. They will not send a read receipt or respond to emails, much less phone calls.

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