When the sales that are achieved are not enough, the key question to ask ourselves is, are we really doing everything possible and effective to achieve them?
From here many options will arise that may make us think about this important issue of a professionalized sale and will lead us to seek new sources of improvement in this essential aspect to achieve it.
One of these aspects consists of establishing the sources of sales opportunities in each activity since it constitutes one of the keys to the activity that generates consistent sales results and that occurs through the application of a methodology that must become highly productive. and professional.
This qualification does not make it exclusive to medium and large companies, but is also easily applicable in any small organization and even in micro-enterprises.
Starting from the fact that each product or service, company, brands, etc., constitute a panorama of possibilities and strategies extremely difficult to specify, I would turn this article into an endless proposal of alternatives and very extensive feasible possibilities to read.
For this reason, we will refer to the aspects that will allow each person to take these instructions and translate them for each particular case, avoiding leaving out any of them.
The «Prospecting»
This term represents the methodology that each organization carries out, methodically and consistently over time, to procure in detail all the sales possibilities it has to develop the management that translates them into results.
The first step is to determine the feasible profile (s) of individuals who would be interested and in economic conditions to have an interest and predisposition in acquiring our offer.
In this way, all those who meet the conditions described in the profile can be grouped into a group or groups (specific markets, vertical markets, geographic markets, etc.).
From here arise the zones, centers, areas, associations, groups, etc., which bring together or concentrate a possible number of possibilities to attempt the action of sales development.
The preparation of such prospect profiles constitutes the sieve that will allow us to focus attention, interest and the sales action itself.
A list of people containing their names and surnames, as well as their address and / or telephone number, etc., are simply referential data that are of no use until each and every one of these people is not really contacted and qualified.
Only there, and even when they have not bought in that first contact, they should be attended to in a planned way in all that advice that may represent them necessary and useful until they make their best purchase decision.
For this to be possible, it is necessary to use a data management method that allows an organized and rational action in its subsequent processing until the result described above is achieved.
Today, when we can count on state-of-the-art technology accessories, it is unthinkable to try to retain in memory everything that is done, done and told us by each of the numerous contacts that are made daily in search of sales. And those who really want to continue with old methods, risk serious risks of losing almost concrete opportunities simply by not having access to more up-to-date and simpler methods of being able to carry out a more organized and productive task.
The keys of a contact
The seller who contacts a potential buyer, but after the interview cannot be in a position to establish if they have requirements or problems that are satisfied or resolved with their own offer, a possible date of realization and if they are financially able to become a clients, represents a clear example of not having been properly trained for the important management that must be carried out in and for the company.
These aspects are what allow to establish the qualification of prospects and organize the sales development tasks in the future, in a way in which they are not called unnecessarily, or they are interviewed without having the report or information that they may have requested, etc., causing lackluster management to damage the incipient sales possibilities that existed.
In this way, a management method is being defined that requires permanent reviews, adjustments and improvements to make it more efficient. The reward provided by this effort translates into terms of consistent and growing results over time, even in times of economic recession.
Finally, isn't this the end we were considering at the beginning of the article? Who or who depend on us to generate the actions that are required to start harvesting them right now?
© Copyright 2003, by Martín E. Heller
