Friday, December 5, 2014

Prospect Tracking: Tips to Remember to Gain an Edge



What is your typical approach to prospecting? Do you stumble upon a prospect and make a phone call, drop them an email? If this is the way you go about your daily routine, you’re probably coming up empty more often than not. The reason it doesn’t work very often is because success stories begin with the prospect having knowledge of your brand.

It’s important to have goals established, but you have to think about the process rather than the outcome when it comes to engaging a prospect, which is why
prospect tracking strategies should include implementing a campaign-like approach.

Instead of making cold calls that are never returned try to add your prospects to a customer relationship management (CRM) system that helps you organize your relationships as well as track your prospects.
·         When your call is routed to voicemail, leave a message announcing that you’re sending information about your product/brand and that they can expect it on a specific date. Immediately after the call, send an email with the same information.

·         After your package has arrived, make more calls, but don’t leave a voicemail. If you’re still unable to make connection, send a second package or letter and follow up again with more phone calls.

·         Most scenarios involve a well-planned strategy that has multiple steps. Instead of relying on a brochure to impart information, try sending three to five different groups of case studies or white papers to the prospect over a predetermined span of time.

·         Between each package you send, make calls and emails that attempt to further the conversation about said information. Once you make initial contact, you can start grooming the relationship.

·         Establish a personal tone by including handwritten notes that are sent with the case studies and white papers. Prospect tracking is much more successful when you send something of yourself with your packages, and handwritten notes (not boilerplate letters) really stand out in their minds.

As we mentioned earlier, documenting these interactions in your CRM is important, not only to your sales attempts, but also to other departments in the company that can sculpt what they do around the data you’re putting in the CRM. The more information you enter into the system, the better marketing personnel can do their jobs.

If you’ve been around long enough to work with different CRM systems, you know that a good many of them aren’t exactly built for the sales process, which can make prospect tracking difficult. However, when the sales department is equipped with a
CRM tool that includes a robust interface and reporting tools that are easy to use, they have a much higher success rate with everything from accountability, coaching opportunities and entering useful information that everyone can learn from.

Front Row Solutions has built a mobile app that sales departments are using to great success. Our solution allows sales reps to send back detailed reports, from the field, in under a minute. If you’re currently struggling with your CRM and reporting tools, contact us today.