Mark Hunter's Blog, page 25

The Aftermath of Being on Autopilot

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Two cups of coffee, one unexpected, but I sure learned a lot.

What did I learn from two cups of coffee in twenty minutes? 

Let me set the scene for you. I was meeting a friend for coffee. I bought my coffee and  sat at the table and thought, “I better check my phone just to make sure I’m in the right place.” I’m so glad I did, because it was absolutely the wrong place. 

I quickly hustled about 10 minutes away to a different place to get a second cup of coffee. 

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Two cups of coffee, one unexpected, but I sure learned a lot. 

First, look where you’re going before you go there.

Stuck in a Rut

It’s amazing how we get stuck in our rut, because when I left the house for this early morning coffee, I just naturally drove to the place where I normally go. It was the wrong place.  

You have to really know where you’re going before you go there. I would have saved myself about 20 minutes because it was 10 minutes in one direction, 10 minutes back in the other direction. Twenty minutes lost. 

Okay, that’s definitely not the end of the world. But you know what? I would not have lost anything if I had taken two seconds to look at my phone and double check where I was going to meet that person. 

What Might You Be Missing?

How many times do we miss things because we assume, or because, well, this is what we always do? What do we miss  because we fail to take two seconds to check, two seconds to simply verify? 

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My only consequence was an extra cup of coffee (which for those of you worrying, of course I drank them both! I’d never waste a cup of coffee!) and some wasted time. But I’m going to be remembering for a while that I should never leave the house to go meet somebody without first noticing–where am I going?

 

Looking for a little more motivation than just Friday mornings? 

The Sales Hunter University offers great opportunities to boost your sales skills, as well as your mindset. 

Choose Level 3,  ‘All Access’ and we can meet during my open office hours, or you can attend my live coaching sessions each month. 

Level 3 also gives you access to all of my Masterclasses, past, present, and future. This month’s Masterclass is all about Email Prospecting. Plus, a Weekly Sales Kickoff video I send out each Monday.

Isn’t it time you made an investment in your success?

Copyright 2021, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog.  Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.

 

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Email Phrases You SHOULD Use

People want to buy from those they know, like, and trust. Likewise, your emails are much more likely to be successful if your prospect views you as a partner, and not a vendor. 

How can I achieve that through the simple medium of email? Let’s explore phrases you can use to get your digital foot in the door.

Welcome to Part II of my Email Prospecting series. Did you miss Part I? Find it here. 

Video: Part II, Email Phrases You Should Use

1. Ask people their opinion.

Opinion right now is a critical word.  I love asking this especially in a phone call, but it also works in an email.

2. Ask them their views.

“What are your views on this? I’d like to understand how you feel about this…”

Opinion and views are important right now because we’ve been locked up for the last year and a half, and people really want to communicate.

Allow them to dialogue with you. This may be the spark to get them to respond to you, or for them to see you differently. Remember, your objective is that they see you not as a vendor, but as a partner they want to work with.

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3. Ask a question.

E-mail is not show-and-tell time.

Prospecting with email is about helping people think.

A great way to achieve that is by asking a question.

4. Repeat something they shared with you earlier.

They may have shared something in a phone call you had with them, or maybe even an e-mail exchange that goes back a year or so earlier. 

Put that back in email.

When you put something into an email that is specific to what they shared with you earlier, they think, “Wow. This person actually cares. They actually listen. They even value my opinion and want my views.”

Of course, you’re not always going to have that. I understand that you don’t always have something that they shared with you earlier. And that’s okay. But if you do have something, you should absolutely use it.

5. Use industry terms.

Firstly, make sure you know the industry. The worst thing you can do is quote a term or use a phrase out of context regarding the industry.

This is one of the reasons why it pays to be focused on the industries that you prospect, because when you can use an industry term, you’re automatically seen as an insider. It raises your credibility.

Again, you want to be seen as a partner, not a vendor.

6. Reference a person they respect.

They don’t even have to know them. Now if they DO know them, that’s great, but if they respect them, that works too.

It may be the head of the trade association. It may be someone else who is successful in the industry. Reference that person. Again, it demonstrates that you know the world that they’re coming from.

Or, you may know that they’re into sports or they’re into another niche and you reference a person. What you’re trying to do is get them to realize that you’ve done some homework on them.

via The Office on GIPHY7. Use their name.

Don’t just use it once, use it twice. This is a best practice I can’t stress enough.

A lot of automated email systems will put your person’s first name up at the top. That’s great. But put their name somewhere else in that email. Why? Now this demonstrates that:

You really care about their opinion.This email is to them, not to 10,000 people.8. State a number or a list.

What do I mean? For example, you might share six things that are happening. When you state a number, then you have something specific to share. 

“Hey, we just got the new report on these 3 things…. Email me, call me and I’ll be happy to share it with you.”

“I’ve got these 5 things that are new standards…I’ll be happy to share them with you. Call me.”

Again, it’s of interest to them. It sparks something.

This demonstrates that you have something definitive for them.

9. State a specific date.

The specific date might be the end of the month, or a key thing coming up.

This triggers a reader, because it begins to create a sense of urgency in the mind of the prospect reading it.

via General Hospital on GIPHY10. Include a specific activity in the company.

There may be a specific activity that just occurred in the company. Mention it.

This allows them to see that you’ve done your homework, and that you care about them. You understand them, which is absolutely key for you. 

 

Are you feeling prepared to write some powerful prospecting emails yet?

This list of phrases to use is just a sneak peak into all the amazing content in this month’s Masterclass.  It’s time to study what works, and what simply does not. 

My Email Prospecting Masterclass is open for enrollment through June 24th. For just $59, I share so much more than just the phrases listed here. We study everything from:

Email strategiesWho to emailHow to find someone’s emailWhen to emailHow to craft the beginning, middle, and end

Plus, I include several email examples and templates to read through and analyze. You have SO MUCH to gain from this Masterclass. 

I want to help you see and achieve what you didn’t think was possible. The Sales Hunter University is a great investment for those who have big goals and are ready to grow and learn.

If you sign up for Level 3, you get this month’s Email Prospecting Masterclass, PLUS every other past Masterclass offering. Other perks include one-on-one coaching with me, open office hours so we can chat, and an invite-only online community group. 

If you’re ready to level up, I really recommend Level 3, All Access. 

 

Great Selling!

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Copyright 2021, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog.  Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.

The post Email Phrases You SHOULD Use first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

Don’t Get Caught Swimming Naked

Incoming business feels great. Having people who want to buy from you does, too. But when our profits surge, do we keep our measurements in check?

I am struck more than ever by the old line, “Volume covers up a lot of sins.” Certainly, you can substitute the word volume for profit, but either covers up a lot of sins. This is a practice I’m seeing more and more. 

I was just having breakfast with a gentleman, and we were talking about the state of the economy, and how it is coming back fast. However, this growth creates a lot of sloppy habits.

on GIPHYLessons from My Past

I learned this years ago when I used to manage McDonald’s restaurants. At one time, I managed the second-highest volume McDonald’s in the world. Actually, it was in Fairbanks, Alaska. We were practically printing money. It was unbelievable. Nevertheless, our controls were out of control.

A year or so later, I was managing a much lower volume McDonald’s in another part of the country, and it was much more difficult. I had to stay on top of every control possible to make sure that I was delivering profit. 

Even at my very young age, I quickly learned how volume covers up a lot of sins, and that is what’s happening right now.

As the economy takes off, it’s easy for us to think, “Hey, we’re good. We are so good. Business is incredible.” But really, all we’re doing is reaping a lot of incoming business. We’re the benefactor of a lot of people who want to do business with us. 

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Expect the Best, Plan for the Worst

Stop and ask yourself this question, “In the haste to grow the business, are we losing control of the measurements?”

Because here’s what always happens: eventually, business turns. It always does. And when it turns, suddenly we’re thinking, “Whoa, what happened to our business? Or more importantly, “What happened to our profits?“

Keeping control of your measurements in good times as well as bad is not going to hurt you in terms of growing your profits. Furthermore,  it will certainly help you maintain your profits when the tide goes out. 

That’s an old line Warren Buffet used to say. “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.” That’s exactly what’s happening. A rising tide lifts all boats. We’re seeing it right now. 

Be careful, watch your measurements, stay in control. Don’t let volume cover a lot of sins. 

Take care.

Emails sent to junk? Rotating through the same ‘catchy’ subject line to get your prospects to open, and maybe even… reply?

Stop wasting your time with prospects who don’t open your emails, or worse–writing emails that your prospects will never read!

You need my Email Prospecting Masterclass. I’m going to teach you my proven strategies that I have shared while training thousands of other salespeople/sales teams.

It launches on The Sales Hunter University June 10th, and is open to the public until June 24th. At $59, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Of course, Level 3 ‘All Access‘ members get access to every masterclass every month, as well as all previous masterclass offerings. It’s time for a skills upgrade! Choose ‘All Access’ membership and also receive live coaching, office hours with me, an online community, and access to our vault of sales content. 

Copyright 2021, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog.  Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.

 

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The post Don’t Get Caught Swimming Naked first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

10-Step Checklist for Prospecting Emails

Email is a great tool for prospecting, when used correctly. It can be your foot in the door, or your foot in your mouth.

Do your prospecting emails need some fine-tuning? Or perhaps it’s time to start from scratch.

Welcome to my 4-part series on Email Prospecting. I hope you keep coming back each week for more insights! 

Let’s go through a 10-step checklist to make your emails more effective.

Video – 10 Step Checklist for Prospecting with Email

 

1. Will the subject line generate interest?

If the subject line doesn’t generate interest, why in the world is a person going to read the rest of it? They’re not. That subject line must connect with them.

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2. Does the first sentence create a hook?

Remember, if you read an email on a smart device, you’re only seeing a part of it. So, if that subject line or that first sentence doesn’t pull you in, they’re not going to read further. They’re going to delete it.

The first sentence must create a hook that says, “Hey, I want to take a look. I want to read the rest of the email.”

Need more guidance with example emails and templates? Check out my upcoming  Email Prospecting Masterclass.

3. Is it timely or current?

We all have too many priorities going on right now. We all do. You may be sending out an email that’s really important, but if it doesn’t fit into that person’s top priorities, they’re not going to spend time on it. They’re definitely not going to spend time reading it. So, you must make it timely or current.

4. Have I followed the one-swipe rule?

The one-swipe rule is if you can’t read the prospecting email with only one swipe on your smartphone, it’s too long. I call it the one-swipe rule and it is more important than ever. Now is not the time to write a novel.

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5. Is the CTA (Call to Action) clear?

You can’t put in three or four Calls to Action. It can only be one. And it’s got to be clear and concise.

Focus on what is the exact next step.

Most likely the next step is, “Hey, call me.” Or,  “Let’s set up a time to talk.” Because remember, you’re sending out a prospecting email. They probably don’t know you.

Now, let’s not kid ourselves. You send out an email with a CTA. Are you going to get a high level of response? No, but you’re in sales. You better ask for the order and the order is the CTA.

Read more about effectively prospecting with email.

6. Am I using the person’s name twice?

It’s very easy in automated systems to have the person’s name appear up at the top of the email. That’s no problem. Go one step further, put it down in the body of the email. That second or third sentence. Why? Because now it demonstrates that you really customized it. This is to them personally.

Using the person’s name twice is one of the big differentiators between people viewing your email as a mess, and your email being seen as a personal message for him/her.
 

7. Is the email message focused on one thing?

Don’t offer up a buffet of five or six things. Concentrate on one thing. If you have five, maybe six things you want to share, that’s five or six emails. Instead, focus on one thing. Make it clear, and make it easy.

If it’s too complicated, the customer’s not going to read it.

They’re not going to pay attention, and definitely not engage with you.

8. Have I eliminated all non-confident sales speak?

What is non-confident sales speak? Well, one of the biggest ones is, “Just checking in.” Man, that’s totally garbage. Or, “Hey, I know you’re busy. You probably haven’t seen this email, so let me send it to you again.” That’s terrible.

You have to be precise. You have to know that you have the ability to make an impact with that person. And if you have that ability, you want to be direct. Don’t sit there and play around with phony sales speak.

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9. Do I have a clear next step in the cadence?

After I send out a prospecting email, what comes next? Is it a phone call? Is it an email? What’s the next step that you do?

One and done with prospecting emails is just a complete waste of time. There has to be a clear next step in your cadence.

Learn more about how to include that next step in my upcoming Masterclass.

10. Do I know how I will measure results?

You may want to think measuring results is the number of people who call me back, or respond, or go download this. Yeah, that’s fine.

However, what I want to look for is: do these prospecting emails ultimately result in qualified prospects? That’s a measurement worth studying.

Sure, I have to start off with initial measurements in terms of the open rate, and things of that nature. Nevertheless, a prospecting email is about getting you to engage with the customer.

We’re off to a great start with this Prospecting with Email series, watch for parts two, three, and four here, on YouTube and social media.

This checklist is just skimming the surface of my new Masterclass offering: Email Prospecting. I dive into 10 detailed lessons, including some email examples. Follow along with the interactive videos and comprehensive workbook, and really up your email prospecting game. 

This Masterclass goes live tomorrow, June 10th . Check it out for $59, I know this course will affect your daily work habits tremendously. 

This Masterclass is available for just a few weeks, and then it’s gone. UNLESS you are a Level 3, ‘All Access’ member of The Sales Hunter University. All Access members can enjoy all of my previous Masterclasses as part of their membership.

Not just that, but ‘Level 3’ members can attend open office hours with me, receive live coaching, and interact in an exclusive online community group. 

 

Never miss a blog post by subscribing to my weekly emails at the bottom of my webpage. Just enter your name and email, and click subscribe. 

 

Great selling! 

 

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Copyright 2021, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog.  Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.

The post 10-Step Checklist for Prospecting Emails first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

My Best Travel Year Yet

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When changes happen, big or small, how do you react?

In light of the pandemic we’ve all experienced for the past year and a half, someone recently asked me, “So, do you miss traveling?” I had to laugh. 

I said, “ “Well, it’s kind of funny, but I traveled more in 2020 than I’ve ever traveled before.” In fact, I was in Pakistan, Singapore, Australia, and almost all the European countries. I’ve been all over the place, digitally, because of the internet.

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It’s one of the travel lessons I learned in 2020. I can be anywhere. It’s amazing how tech allows you to go anywhere. We used to think that we had to get on an airplane. Surely that’s the only way to get there!  

Business Without Borders

In fact, there were a lot of potential clients in countries around the world that used to say, “Oh, Mark, we’d love to bring you in, but we just can’t afford the travel. Maybe someday when we’re big enough.”

Then  the pandemic comes along and suddenly, traveling is out of the question. Instead: Can you do Zoom? Can you do Teams? 

We have absolutely changed the norms. We’ve changed the paradigms.  

Just because the situation doesn’t allow something, does’t mean it is impossible. All it takes is any small or big change. 

Read more about adapting to a new normal.

I’m finding myself a hundred percent more productive now than I was six months ago, nine months ago, a year ago. Why? Because of what transpired in 2020.

I could not do anything about the pandemic. All I could do was respond to it, and adapt.

 

It’s not too late to attend the conference designed for salespeople like YOU. 

I’m personally inviting you to this year’s OutBound Conference in Atlanta. 

OutBound is the only conference focused exclusively on sales prospecting, pipeline, and productivity. There is nothing like it.  I’d love to meet you in person, but it will be offered online, too.

Join me June 15-18! Use my code, mark100, to save $100 off your ticket. 

Head on over to get your tickets, check out the speakers, and learn about the conference.

Copyright 2021, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog.  Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.

 

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The post My Best Travel Year Yet first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

Filling the Sales Pipeline

You don’t have to live by the peaks and valleys most salespeople experience in their sales pipeline.

Are you looking to see more progress in your own workflow–from prospecting, to closing the sale and creating a customer?

Check out these 10 tips for filling the sales pipeline.

Video – Filling the Sales Pipeline

1. Simplify the process

Don’t make it difficult for your customers to do business with you.

I am amazed at the number of salespeople who focus on landing the big sale. It’s a great idea, but can also cause the customer to slow down. Or, they might not make a decision if you are asking for too much.

Instead, make it easy and focus on getting an order first. Then, once you’ve landed the order, move toward expanding business with that customer. 

via GIPHY2. Set Goals 

When setting goals, you may ask yourself: “How many prospecting calls will I make this week? How many sales calls will I make this week?”

Alternatively, the measurements you really should be concerned with are: 

What is the percentage of customers  I can create out of qualified prospects?

For example, let’s say you have ten qualified prospects. Are you able to close five? Converting 50% of your prospects into customers would be a great goal.

And what is the speed? Or rather, what is the length of time it takes?

Those are the two measurements that are the most important. In other words, think about the number of people you want to be contacting each week, or the number of conversations you want to have each week. In addition, consider your optimal timeline for those prospects.

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Looking to convert more prospects and close more sales via email? Look out for my Email Prospecting Masterclass going LIVE on June 10th via The Sales Hunter University.

3. Review Customer Outcomes

Yes, I’m selling a product or a service, but I’m also helping customers achieve an outcome. It’s so important to consider the outcomes I’ve helped existing customers to achieve. 

Then, what are the outcomes I’m helping current customers to achieve? Once I’ve determined this, I can focus my time on a clear set of outcomes.

 

4. Target your prospects

When I understand what those outcomes are, I’m not going to spend time with people who just don’t fit with what I can sell.

Besides, I don’t want to spend time with people who aren’t capable of buying. Certainly, I don’t want to spend my time with people who are not in a position to buy for two or three years. 

Instead, I target my prospects.

 Aim for prospects who can do business with you right now.

Read more for tips on How to Make Prospecting Work.

 

5. Use simple messaging

It isn’t rocket science, don’t overcomplicate it.

I see too many people send out emails inundating people with volumes of information. However, simple messaging is what people want to see. 

When I send out a prospecting email, I want it to be one single swipe on a smartphone.

In other words, if I can’t read it in one swipe, it’s too much. 

via GIPHY6. Manage your time. 

You’re not going to fill the sales pipeline in one fell swoop. It’s going to take time. 

Consider the amount of time you  have to spend truly prospecting, or qualifying prospects. How much time do you need to really get people close to buying and closing deals? It is important to understand each of these elements. 

When I manage my time, I create a smooth flow, not like most salespeople who experience peaks and valleys.

 

7. Follow up 

The sale happens in the follow-up.

It doesn’t happen with just one call.

It’s one of the key reasons why I talk a lot about the bottle of shampoo. Rinse and repeat.

The process is not complete if you don’t reconnect with your prospects.

8. Send clear messages 

In addition to being concise, I want my messages to be clear. 

In clear messages, I’m posing one question, or one statement.

Also, I’m very straightforward on what my CTA (Call to Action) is, and I direct them toward that next step.

I have clear messages in every phase of my sales process.

 

9. Stay focused 

When I am absolutely focused on filling the sales pipeline, I don’t allow myself to get distracted by shiny objects.

Many times, people are working it, but they get some inbound business and think, “Oh, now my pipeline’s full.”

That’s not the case at all. In reality, you just benefited from some inbound business. That’s the rain barrel–simply accepting what comes to you. 

When I talk about filling the sales pipeline, it’s about being a rainmaker. Meaning, I strive for so much more than just the business that comes my way.

Of course, I’m going to take business that comes in, but I’m also going to be focused on making things happen by being a rainmaker. 

Read more about How to Be a Rainmaker.

 

10. Check your attitude and your motivation

Your attitude is going to affect your ability to fill the sales pipeline dramatically.

When you have the right attitude, you see opportunities that other people don’t. It’s amazing how your conversation changes. 

What is motivation? Motivation means you’re organized, focused, and ready to make it happen.

 I know people who are very motivated to get something done, but they’ve got a very poor attitude. It takes both. 

 

Great selling.

Are you or your sales team looking to reach higher and gain a decisive competitive advantage? I’m personally inviting you to this year’s OutBound conference in Atlanta. 

We’re safely filling the Georgia World Congress Center with 1,000+ attendees from around the world, who are all pumped to dive deeper into their sales career.

OutBound is the only conference focused exclusively on sales prospecting, pipeline, and productivity.

There is nothing like it. I’d love to meet you in person, but it will be offered online, too.

Use my code, mark100, to save $100 off your ticket. 

Head on over to get your tickets, check out the speakers, and learn about the conference.

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Copyright 2021, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog.  Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.

The post Filling the Sales Pipeline first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

Short-term Thinking Clouds Long-term Success

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How many times do we get caught up in something very short-term, so much so that it begins to shape our thinking long-term?

 Recently, I was stuck in a major rainstorm in Dallas. I pulled into a parking lot at a Barnes and Noble. Yeah, I’m addicted to bookstores. I get it. Maybe you are, too. 

It was getting rather dark outside and it started to drizzle. 

I went inside, and was perusing the aisles no more than a couple minutes when the skies opened up and the rain came down hard.

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Stuck Inside, or So We Thought

Suddenly, no one was leaving the store. Not a single person. People were just lined up at the door, waiting. 

And as the rain began to stop, I looked outside and the parking lot had become a giant puddle. I mean as in, put your waders on, folks.

Of course, people began commenting, “Oh man, I can’t deal with this,” or “this is such an inconvenience because…”  And I thought, “Hold it,  just wait a couple minutes.” 

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No Storm Can Last Forever

Not five minutes later, I made it to my car no problem as the sky began to clear. 

In reality, that pop-up storm was a short-term problem, but people were allowing it to become a long-term problem. How many times do we allow ourselves to be consumed by something in the moment today, and it keeps us from focusing on the future? 

Read more about focusing on the positive.

Focusing on Long-Term Success

I always say, “Life is playing the long game.” We all lose plenty of short-term battles. This rain storm may have kept people from their cars for a couple minutes. But you know what? It was okay. It passed. Not only that, but really we needed the rain. 

Don’t let short-term thinking, or temporary problems, cloud your long-term success. 

 

Great selling.

Would you like to meet in person?  I want to personally invite you to the only conference exclusively focused on prospecting, pipeline, and productivity: OutBound Conference, June 15-18th.

I’ll be taking the stage with over 30 sales professionals and thought leaders, but I’d love to connect afterward and chat, too. 

Use ‘mark100′ for $100 off tickets. I hope to see you there. 

Copyright 2021, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog.  Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.

 

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The post Short-term Thinking Clouds Long-term Success first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

What Makes a Great Prospecting Call

Do you dread making prospecting calls?

Great salespeople have to practice good judgment for what they say, and how they listen. 

I have ten tips for you to improve your ability to complete calls like a pro by giving and getting the right information, and keeping your sanity while doing so.

Video – What Makes a Great Prospecting Call

1. Have the right attitude 

The prospecting call begins with the attitude you take into it.

If you don’t have a good attitude from the start, guess what? It’s not going to be a good call.

As I watched myself make prospecting calls, I realized that when I had a great attitude, it was amazing. A positive attitude says that something is going to happen. Something is going to work. 

Your attitude shapes your outcome.

2. Set the right expectations 

Well-set expectations should focus on simply earning the right and privilege to get to the next call.

Setting expectations such as: “I’m going to call and close the deal, and it’s going to be the biggest sale of my life,” aren’t the right mindset.

Right expectations are setting the table for what’s going to come next.

Read more about sales goals.

3. Be customer focused

News flash: The customer doesn’t care about you.

Consequently, you shouldn’t be the center of attention on this call. 

It’s about being customer focused and really letting them share their needs, wants, and problems.

On great prospecting calls, the prospect does the talking, not you.

GIPHY4. No stupid questions

When you call somebody up and you say, “How’s your day going? How was your weekend? How’s the weather?” it comes off as phony. Asking questions just to ‘fill the air’ tells the prospect that this is a salesperson calling me, and that can be a turn-off.  

Ask questions that are relevant. You might start with: “Hey, I want to get your opinion on this,” or, “ I’d like to get some feedback on this. We’re seeing this happening with a lot of companies. Are you seeing that?”  

Establish the purpose of your call from the beginning.

Watch this video for more about how to craft your opening message on a prospecting call.

5. Gain one insight 

A great prospecting call is where I have gained one insight.

Of course, I’d love to gain more. I’d love to gain everything. But, if I can listen for one important observation, or expand my understanding of their needs, that gives me information to build on, and run with.

Even just one insight gives me material to use the next time I follow up. 

6. Have a clear CTA, Call to Action 

I’m very straightforward as to what next step I want to offer to my prospect .

The next step might be, “Hey, I just want to get time on your calendar for tomorrow, because I know I’m interrupting you right now. What does your calendar look like tomorrow at 10:00 AM?”

I’m open about what I want, and how it involves them. I’ve even included a specific date and time.

A clear CTA is not, “Well, I’ll send you some information. Take a look at it. Let me know when I can help you.” That’s a blow off, and serves neither of us.

A clear CTA involves the two of you.

7. Take notes

When I’m actively taking notes on a prospecting call, I am more engaged. In fact, it’s proven to help you listen better.

Additionally, it prevents us from forgetting key details, or losing information. You don’t want to be thinking, “What was that one key insight they shared?” after the call.

Take notes the whole way through, and you won’t miss it.

via GIPHY8. Create interest 

If I don’t create interest, why should they engage with me again?

If my CTA is, “Hey, let’s get back together tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM,” then I’ve got to create clear interest in the value of the upcoming call.

What’s the reason for the call?Why and how am I going to help you? 

Certainly, I’m not giving my prospect the solution. I could create interest and intrigue by saying, “Hey, I’m going to be sharing with you some ideas and strategies that I’ve used with other companies that have been very successful.”

That peaks their interest, and gives them a clear explanation of why and how I can help them.

 

9. Follow up

I never end a prospecting call without knowing how I am going to follow up.

My next step might be to immediately send a follow-up email, send them a message, or connect with them on social media.

Undoubtedly, I always have a follow-up play regardless of the CTA they have agreed to.

For more tips about follow-up, watch Mark here.

10. Repeat 

Truly, a great prospecting call doesn’t just happen once, but rather time and time again.

If I had a great prospecting call, I’m not going to stop there. I can recreate the process, and seek success once again.

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Now that you’re feeling prepared to make some productive prospecting calls, are you hungry for more information?

Today is the LAST DAY to enroll in Prospecting: Building the Plan and Making it Happen. Does your Prospecting machine need some fine-tuning? Or perhaps a complete overhaul? 

This course will dive in to the nitty gritty of how to know your ideal customer, craft effective messages, and get responses, too. Interactive training videos are paired with a detailed workbook to help you aim higher and achieve more.

Don’t wait! If you procrastinate, you’ll miss it. Sign-up today. 

I invite you to head over to The Sales Hunter University. Become a student to receive abundant resources such as live coaching, office hours with me, and an amazing community.

Great selling!

I want to personally invite you to the right sales event at the right time. OutBound Conference is where the sales profession unites to become even better.

I’ll be taking the stage with over 30 sales professionals and thought leaders – no selling from the stage, just pure content and insights for you to bring back to your sales team.

I’ll see you there, virtually or in person June 15-18th. Use “mark100” for $100 off tickets.

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Copyright 2021, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog.  Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.

The post What Makes a Great Prospecting Call first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

Is My Tech Helping or Hurting?

What are the apps and tools that you’ve got in your life? 

Imagine this: I just pulled into a parking lot, and I had to back up a little bit. Of course, I have a back-up camera. In fact, I’ve got the self-driving features on my car also.

I think of all the things that are available on this car, even things like the rear window defroster, the side mirrors, and all the alarms and alerts. What are they designed to do? 

They’re designed to really help us be more efficient. And that’s great. I have no qualms with that. But does it remove our own cognitive process? 

More Technology, Less Thinking

This has really gotten me thinking. Because I stop and ask myself, “Am I a better driver because of it? Or am I a worse driver?” 

Let’s visit another example. I love being able to access my online bank accounts and finances, and check things on my phone wherever I am. It allows me to make decisions faster. It really saves me a tremendous amount of time. 

However, does it make me wiser? Yes, I believe it does, because it gives me more knowledge and information. On the other hand, does it keep me from doing deeper research?  Yes, it probably does.

Who Is Really Making My Decisions?

All the tools we have, they’re all great. But we have to stop and ask ourselves, Is it taking us out of the equation?

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You see, at the end of the day, I am still the master of my fate. I am responsible for my choices. I have to make the decision as to whether or not I pull the plug, or if I move forward with something.

Perhaps I could take my financial  investments and automate them all. However, is that the right thing? Could we, in reality, just become a victim of our apps? 

I feel this is worth contemplating because I want to make sure that my mind is always in the game. My mind must be an integral part in helping make my decisions. 

GIPHY

Smart devices are great because they take some of the guesswork out of everyday life. However, that doesn’t mean that I have to cease thinking, challenging myself, and being self-sufficient. 

 

Take care.

 

Don’t miss your chance to take advantage of my new Masterclass all about Prospecting! It’s only available for a few more days. 

When you enroll in Prospecting: Building the Plan and Making it Happen, you’ll receive:

8 in-depth coaching videos with me20-page masterclass action guide“Setting Up Your Prospecting” game planSpecial access to a The Sales Hunter University course available to Level 3: All Access students

Would you like to meet me in person, as well as gain new insights to your sales team, network, and customers? 

I want to personally invite you to OutBound Conference, where the sales profession unites to become even better.

I’ll be taking the stage with over 30 sales professionals and thought leaders – no selling from the stage, just sharing our know-how of prospecting, pipeline, and productivity  for you to bring back to your sales team.

I’ll see you there, virtually or in person June 15-18th. Use “mark100” for $100 off tickets.

Copyright 2021, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog.  Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.

 

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The post Is My Tech Helping or Hurting? first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

Secrets to Being a Prospecting Expert

What are the secrets to being a pro prospector?

You might think that being a prospecting expert means being a born salesperson–as if you’ve got it, or you don’t. I don’t think that’s the case at all. 

In my book, A Mind For Sales, you’ll read in the first two chapters that I was anything but a born salesperson. However, I’ve come to love prospecting, and that’s why I work with thousands of salespeople every year across multiple industries.

I want to help you be great at it, too.

Video – Secrets to Being a Prospecting Expert

1. Never stop learning

I am continually coming up with new strategies on cadences, how to word an email, how to do a phone call. Becoming a prospecting expert means that you never stop improving.

You’re kind of like a scientist. You’re always testing a new hypothesis, running an experiment, and interpreting the results. 

via NETFLIX on GIPHY2. Know your role

Experts recognize that they’re going to run into objections. They’re going to deal with people who are going to reject them. But, the key is they know their duty is to help people.

If you’re a faithful blog reader, you may have read this here before: If you know you have the ability to help someone, it’s your obligation to reach out to them. The prospecting expert is zeroed in on those opportunities.

3. Be motivated

Do you feel motivated because you know you can impact people? I love prospecting because I know I can help people.

I came across someone the other day. They don’t know me, but I looked at their company and I knew I could help them. I was excited to reach out. I wasn’t able to connect with them on the first call, but I’m going to try again. I’m going to keep working with them because I know I can make a difference, and I’m motivated to help.

Read more about how to create a prospecting mindset.

4. Be goal focused

The prospecting expert focuses on the objectives they’ve set.

Today I’m going to make 20 calls. Today I’m going to do 20 messages. My goal this week is to have three conversations. I’m going to move people this far down in my sales pipeline. 

Experts know their goals, and don’t lose sight of them.  Set numbers and don’t stop until you achieve them.

In my own life, I set goals every week, but come Friday,  sometimes I’m slipping. However, I’m not going to end Friday until I achieve those goals. It has me ending the week feeling really good because I met the goals.

Not only that, but I kept my promise to myself, and that speaks to my own integrity. 

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via NAB on GIPHY5. Be customer centered

You must know who your customers are and stay absolutely zeroed in on their needs.

The prospecting expert knows that their number one objective is not to sell, but rather to help customers.

Ultimately, that’s what they achieve because they’re focused on the customer.

6. Have a very tight ICP, Ideal Customer Profile

Experts know that the most valuable resource they have is their time. They don’t waste it on other things.

They are very tightly focused on their ideal customer. Now they may have two or three ICPs, but that’s it.

They don’t sit there and chase shiny objects. They invest their time in customers that could give them a return on that investment.

7. Be time driven

I mentioned earlier how I’ve come down to Fridays and I’m lagging and I need to make something happen. Prospecting experts are time driven because they know the customer’s time is valuable, and their own time is even more valuable.

That means from a prospecting standpoint,  they don’t say: “Well, I’ll follow up with you a month from now.” Absolutely not. Try: “I’m going to follow up with you next week,” or, “I’m going to follow up with you in two days.” Pro Proespectors speed the process along.

Experts are time driven in terms of how they manage their time, but also in terms of understanding the relationship between time and money.

Time is the one resource that you can’t make more of.

via GIPHY8. Never stop learning

Great prospecting experts don’t pass blame.

I see too many salespeople blaming other factors. They might say, “Well I would prospect better if marketing did their job.” Or, “ I’d be able to prospect if our company had these products or services. They’re going to have them next year, so I’ll wait and prospect then.”

These are just excuses. The great prospecting expert owns the process and they don’t allow external issues to dictate their success or diminish their drive. Instead, they go out and make it happen.

9. Have a positive attitude

What’s the difference between being motivated and having a positive attitude? Well, I can be motivated to get something done and have a pretty bad attitude.

A positive attitude means I love what I do. I don’t look at sales as a job, or even as a profession. Sales to me is a lifestyle. I love it. Keeping a positive attitude comes naturally because I know I can influence and impact people in a great way. I know I can help people, and so I wake up every morning and I’m jazzed.

My positive outlook helps me see that despite the bumps along the way, it’s going to be okay. I don’t let it phase me.

via JCPenney on GIPHY Read more about How to Get Out of a Sales Slump

 

10. Be balanced

It’s about being emotionally stable. It’s very easy in prospecting to have a really ugly phone call, or to have a very difficult conversation where somebody just jumps at you. If I’m anxious or imbalanced, that derails me for the day.

The balanced person decides it’s okay, they can deal with it, and they get back on the horse and make the next call.

Being emotionally centered means being consistent. They know prospecting is a muscle and they’ve got to exercise it daily. Balanced means you’re the rock in the sales organization, and you’re the one who’s out there every day making it happen.

Now that you’ve got 10 tips for becoming an expert in prospecting, are you looking to up your sales game even more? I have so many resources to help you do just that. 

Check out my upcoming online Masterclass dedicated to Prospecting. We’ll cover  topics such as how to get a prospect to respond, the role of social media, crafting your messaging, ideal customer profiles, and much more. 

Every topic is related back to your own practices and business to foster both personal and professional growth. Prospecting: Building the Plan and Making it Happen is live through May 26th. 

Want more? By being part of my online program, The Sales Hunter University,  you get to have open office hours with me, personal coaching programs, and additional material that you’ll never get anywhere else. Everything there is designed to help you. 

Great selling.

There are things you attend and there are things you experience. OutBound Conference is one you experience!

We’re safely filling the Georgia World Congress Center with 1,000+ attendees from around the world. This is for those who are pumped to elevate and recharge their sales career!

OutBound is the only conference focused exclusively on sales prospecting, pipeline, and productivity. 

I’d love to meet you in person, but virtual options are available, too. Take $100 off your tickets with code “mark100.”

I hope to see you there! June 15-18th, 2021.

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Copyright 2021, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog.  Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.

The post Secrets to Being a Prospecting Expert first appeared on The Sales Hunter.