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Strategies for Determining the Optimal Duration of Sales Prospecting

Your products match very good with a company that you have heard from. You think there is a good opportunity to make a potential sale. You do your homework, look online at social media, look at the website as preparation. It is Thursday morning; you call the organization but unfortunately you get the secretary. “She says that the prospect is in a meeting the whole day.” She asked friendly for you to call back the next day. The next day you call back and you receive the same answer of the secretary. “Sorry, no he is not here at the moment, but is it possible to make a call next week? Call on Tuesday at noon”. On Tuesday, at noon you call and again, same story from the lady. The question is how long do you keep trying to call? It depends, If you sell small equipment with a small profit than it is better not to try too long. Use your time for a new prospect. It is different when you sell long large projects, you only need a few in a year. In that, you keep going until you hear a yes or a no as answer.

Another consideration you can make is how much time do you have? Do you have time to make sales calls during all business hours or are you a salesman and a lot on the road? If you do not have much time than you have to make choices quicker. More easier sales when you do not have much time, fits better to make balances. Did you get buy signals earlier in the conversation? Have you already had a lot of questions during a first conversation or online connection? When you have had those kind of buy signals, then keep going on the prospect. But, if there where no questions, did not look online to your social media profile or website or platform where your equipment is on, spend your time somewhere else. When you try to make a cold call but you receive the voicemail. What do you do? Are you speaking into the phone or leave it? Everybody is different in that; this is my thinking around it; Mostly I do not use voicemails when I don't really need to speak to someone. But that's exactly what you want with acquisition. Often the receiver can see your mobile number, he or she is curious and will call you back. It is not easy to get the right prospect person on the phone. Sometimes a secretary will not let you in or the voicemail stops you. It is good to have a clear view for your business, how long you will keep going to try to reach the person.

Spend your valuable time where it can have the highest impact

Every business is different, as is everyone’s situation, it is important that you listen to what your potential customer is really telling you – and spend your valuable time where it can have the highest impact.