The New Rules of Effective Prospecting

The secret of good market researchers lies in their ability, when dealing with each client, to point out three redeeming features of their offer - which they pick and choose according to the company's playing field, role fulfilled by the client, etc. They argue their stance from the outset, drawing on high-impact elements: key figures, references, examples of concrete results achieved in the last three contracts won. In order to minimize the risk of making a bad impression, you must always choose one of the three offers that is sufficiently broad-ranging so as to be confident that it will address a problematic situation faced by your potential client. The other two offers mentioned are there as a means to consolidate your strengths (for example, illustrating the superb quality of your service or flair for innovation using ‘success stories'). If there is no specific example of or strong emphasis on the points raised at the beginning of the meeting, it will continue to play out as a verbal ritual much in the same way as all those companies that brag about their level of service and innovation. Therefore, the client will lump us together with all the other salespersons and will not be willing to discuss their concerns with us immediately. This all becomes clear right from the beginning of the meeting!