2. Weekly Coaching Tip
Bill Bartlett
Chief Executive Officer | Critically-acclaimed executive coach, sales culture consultant and author
2. Perfect Your Prospecting Strategy
Tip: Treat prospecting like your lifeline. No excuses.
Prospecting isn’t just a task—it’s your gateway to sales success. Without a consistent, strategic approach, your pipeline will dry up, and with it, your opportunities. Don’t just “do prospecting”; dominate it. This means being intentional, tracking progress, and adjusting relentlessly. Weak pipelines are built on weak prospecting habits. Don’t be the reason your pipeline fails.
Behavioral Change: Commit to mastery, not mediocrity.
Consistency isn’t optional; it’s the minimum standard. Elevate your game by approaching prospecting as a professional athlete approaches training—with discipline and focus. Break free from random, inconsistent efforts that waste time and lead to frustration. Prospecting mastery leads to a predictable and scalable pipeline.
·???????? Action Step 1: Block prime hours daily for prospecting. These aren’t “spare moments”; they are priority moments. Treat them like appointments with your most important client—because your future depends on it. Skip the fluff; focus on high-quality touchpoints with prospects who matter.
·???????? Action Step 2: Stop guessing. Track every action you take. Monitor how many calls, emails, or meetings you initiate daily, then analyze your results weekly. What’s working? What’s failing? Refine ruthlessly. The path to success isn’t paved with habits you "hope" work—it’s paved with those you know do.
Tech Recommendation: Go beyond tracking. Optimize.
Leverage tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive, but don’t stop at using them to “stay organized.” Dig into the analytics. Which campaigns deliver results? Which methods lag? CRMs aren’t just for reminders—they’re for providing clarity and accountability. Use them to measure outcomes, not just activities.
AI Strategy: Use AI to eliminate blind spots.
Forget manual trial and error—AI tools like Salesforce Einstein or HubSpot AI can analyze patterns in your outreach and recommend the most effective times, channels, and messaging for reaching prospects. AI doesn’t just save time; it sharpens your strategy. Leverage insights to understand why some prospects respond and others don’t. Prospecting without AI is like fishing without a net—you’re leaving opportunities in the water.
Final Thought:
Prospecting is the single most important skill in sales. Treat it like a professional obligation, not an afterthought. Your pipeline—and your career—depend on it.