Prospecting

There is nothing more difficult in any salesperson's life than prospecting. We hate it.

Let me throw out some ideas that might make prospecting easier:

• Decide on the purpose of your prospecting call (be it phone, email, or face to face).
• Is it to get an appointment? If so then aim for that and nothing else. Once you get your appointment say thank you and excuse yourself. Do not sell your product. You have achieved your goal.
• Do your research. Spending 10 minutes on the Web learning about your prospect, his company, and his background will make it so much easier to get that appointment. Read the local newspapers and industry specific publications.
• Be smart about prospecting: Phone calls are just one way of getting an appointment. Use social websites: LinkedIn is an excellent way to get to meet the people with whom you want to do business. Consider Facebook. Send short, sharp, appropriate, personalized emails.

It's all about working smarter and not harder.