How to Keep Your Prospect Funnel Full! – Hunter vs. Farmer

The reason that most sales reps give for leaving the business is the lack of people to see. That’s odd, are there not 303,645,673 people living in America? And according to the US census bureau the average retirement income is only $30,158 annually. Studies also show that 40% of Americans have no life insurance at all and 50% are underinsured. Not to mention that the statistics are even worse when we look at Long Term Care and Disability insurance. Not enough people to see? It’s just plain odd to me!

So why is this the predominate feeling with most sales people? I believe in part because most sales people tend to be “hunters” and not “farmers”. Let me explain;

Hunters look for the “kill” the sale on every phone call and every sales call and that indeed is how sales people get paid, closing the sale. When a hunter is in an association meeting or a large group of potential prospects he or she moves stelthfully though the crowd eyeing their prey and when they happen upon a likely candidate they go for the kill. They start selling immediately until the prospect, caught like a deer in the headlights, finally realizes they are in danger and head for cover. In most cases a hunter may pick up a card or phone number but seldom will make more than one attempt to secure an appointment. Hunters if they bag the elephant can be successful but most often starve themselves out of business over time.
Farmers likewise are always looking for the opportunity to close a sale but farmers are more patient in the development of potential clients. In that same association meeting the Farmers are more interested in gathering business cards and asking questions. Taking their newly acquired names like a fresh batch of seeds and entering them into a client management system were they will water, fertilize and weed until harvest time. A farmer is always working to harvest a crop (sale) down the road, assuring that he or she will never go hungry.

Keys to successful Farming:

Always be gathering potential names, emails and contact numbers

Don’t say “hey can I get your card so I can hound you until you change your number” be low key “do you have a business card ” most of the time when they give you their card they will ask you for yours.

 Have a Client Management System to record and track these contacts

It can be as simple as a note book, excel spread sheet or a true CMS…BUT HAVE A SYSTEM

Develop a strong but none aggressive first contact strategy

The goal of that call should be to introduce what you do, try and secure a meeting but most important   have the potential client agree to allow you to keep him or her on your mailing list.

 Never throw a client card away until they say “don’t call me again”.

Successful farmers realize that their true objective is to harvest that name until they get an appointment and make a sale or the prospect says “don’t call me again”.

I will argue with you as long as you want, but the truth this:  I read all the post on the various groups on this social media platform and so much of the chatter is how do I find leads, were can I get prospect? My friends, there are 303,645,673 all around you. Hey, I realize you would love for them to walk up to you with a check made out to your company stapled to their forehead but that just isn’t going to happen.

Learn to farm and keep your prospect funnel full.

Good selling

Bob