What are the most common sales prospecting mistakes and how to avoid them?

Account selection is the extremely important. You need to ensure you are going after the right accounts. Try to focus on: 5 accounts per day and 3-5 contacts per account. These accounts must meet your ICP criteria.

If you want to get treated differently than your competition then you need to be different than them. Part of being different is doing the homework, but more importantly, part of being different is not selling until you have established a need.

Most basic information is public. Great salespeople ask great questions that they prepare before they are live with the prospect. Waste your question on something you could find on your own and lose your chance of making a lasting impression as a guide to your prospect.

Instead of focusing on features, try focusing on: 1. The problems your solution solves 2. What causes that problem 3. The impact of not solving that problem 4. How you've helped other people solve that problem

Value Propositions are often times subjective things -therefore, before you start talking about how awesome, amazing, spectacular and special your service is, find out first, what their pain points -if any- are.

Understand how you're product and solution is different than others. Articulate the savings or added ROI your solution has historically given your customers. Show you understand the persona and the issues faced that you're trying to reach by speaking to what they value in their role.

The intention when prospecting is to simply make an appointment in order to get sat in front of a prospect. Having "..a statement that summarizes how your product or service can solve your prospects' problems or improve their situation.." and "that showcases the benefits and outcomes of your solution for your prospects.." not only creates potential for a very wordy phone call, but also one where the seller is actually pitching their solution far too early in the process. What to do? 1. Identify a problem that your product or service solves Then tell the prospect: 2. You can perhaps help reduce or eliminate that problem 3. A better understanding of the problem is required, lets arrange a meeting.

Be persistent but not annoying! The best sales reps follow up with VALUE. Relevant case studies and blogs are usually helpful for this

Arguably the most important aspect about following up is that it is done with the agreement of the prospect. So when the conversation is ending with e.g. a "No" response from the prospect, the seller can ask: "Is that 'No' not ever, or is it simply a matter of bad timing on part on this occasion?" If the prospect says it's bad timing the seller can ask: "When would you welcome a follow-up call from me; next month, next quarter, 6 months from now?"

The importance of consistent follow-up in sales prospecting cannot be stressed enough. It's the glue that keeps the prospect-engagement process intact, demonstrating not only professionalism but also a genuine commitment to the prospect's needs. Without follow-up, prospects may drift away, whether to competitors or simply due to inertia. To steer clear of this common pitfall, a well-defined follow-up strategy is essential, outlining the 'when,' 'how,' and 'how often' aspects.

In my experience, the number one mistake is spraying and praying with mass cold outreach. As a founder, I learned quickly that generic, batch-and-blast emails are useless. You need to target and personalize messages to each prospect's needs. For example, one time I crafted emails addressing the industry-specific pain points of each prospect. My response rates tripled almost overnight. The key is customizing your outreach and speaking directly to how you can solve each prospect's unique challenges. This personal touch makes all the difference in cutting through the noise.

Before 'not qualifying your prospects' (mistake 4), and using the proposed qualification frameworks, I would focus on two points: 1) Learning Curve: When you begin with smaller or less important prospects, you have the opportunity to refine your sales process and gain valuable experience. You can identify what works and what doesn't, allowing you to improve your pitch, messaging, and approach. 2)Testing and Adaptation: Smaller prospects serve as a testing ground. To determine which messaging, value propositions, and outreach strategies best connect with your target audience, try a variety of approaches. Before you approach your high-priority leads, you can refine your technique through this process of trial and error.

Most everyone feels uncomfortable asking for referrals. The way to truly adopt referral selling as your #1 outbound prospecting approach takes some work. (Like anything worth doing.) This includes a clear strategy with outcomes, metrics, skills, and accountability for results. Referrals are our biggest competitive differentiator and revenue driver. Yet, companies set goals and don't give salespeople the tools to ask for referrals and get introductions. Goals are nothing without a process. As James Clear says in his book, Atomic Habits: "The purpose of setting goals is to win the game. The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game...Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress."

Developing a healthy referral request routine can liberate salespeople from the task they often despise: prospecting for new clients. This requires the implementation of a structured process built on two tracks: sequence (what to do and when to do it) and cadence (how frequently to do it). By establishing a systematic approach to requesting referrals, salespeople can streamline their prospecting efforts and tap into a valuable source of warm leads. With a well-defined sequence, they know exactly when and how to ask for referrals, ensuring consistency and maximizing their chances of success. Moreover, incorporating a consistent cadence ensures that the referral request activity becomes an ongoing part of the salesperson's routine.

I ask for referrals at the "wow" point of value - whether it's at the point of prospect or customer, whenever you feel they're super engaged and have given you some kind of verbal appreciation for the process, is a perfect time to ask "would anyone else you know benefit from a conversation to see if we can support? they'd owe you one" keep it lighthearted but still direct

People are afraid to ask for referrals because it seems awkward, but there is no smoother start to a professional relationship than getting referred by one of their peers. This fast tracks building trust and credibility.

I can certainly relate to this! Closing is a part of the process that I love, but it’s important to ask for referrals because that’s how you project to a larger audience. For instance, if I sell D2D and make 5 sales, I only closed 5 clients. If I close that amount plus ask for 5 referrals from each client, I now have 5 closed with a potential reach of 30 clients included the original 5 I closed.