10 tips to improve your field prospecting technique
Does field prospecting still have a bright future ahead of it?
While new market trends are giving pride of place to prospecting techniques and sales techniques that are increasingly geared towards the digital economy, the multiplication of channels is recommended to increase your chances of reaching potential customers.
In this context, physical prospecting still remains a profitable lever for your sales development. In fact, according to a Newdeal study, 26% of sales reps consider it to be their best acquisition channel.
But how can you ensure you're adopting the right sales prospecting technique and successfully increasing your customer portfolio?
In this article, discover ten tips for effective prospecting in the field.
Definition of field prospecting
Before getting to the heart of the matter, let's remind ourselves what field prospecting is all about.
If prospecting means identifying and contacting potential customers, then field prospecting (or physical prospecting) is one of the methods used to achieve this objective.
By sales prospecting in the field, we mean any form of canvassing that involves physically meeting future customers. This is what we call door-to-door canvassing.
This prospecting strategy is used in both B2B (or BtoB) and B2C (or BtoC) markets.
Advantages of field prospecting
In recent years, however, field prospecting has been getting less and less press.
Many sales professionals regard it as an outdated practice from another era.
And yet, at a time when most sales and marketing activities take place online, it can be worthwhile to include physical prospecting in your prospecting activities.
Why should you?
- Because it allows you to stand out from the crowd by emphasizing direct contact in an increasingly virtualized world:
- benefit for the prospect: thanks to physical contact, a more solid relationship can be established;
- advantage for you: by directly observing your interlocutor, his or her behavior and body language, you gain valuable insights into your sales opportunities.
- Because the information you need to provide and collect flows more quickly and smoothly.
- Because being out in the field is an excellent way of perfecting your sales techniques, and learning how to react to objections. This practice helps salespeople to progress.
However, prospecting in the field is no easy task. It can seem intimidating. That's why it's important to adopt good practices from the outset.
Let's look at them in detail.
Field prospecting techniques: before prospecting
Tip 1: Get to know your target
The notions of targeting and segmentation generally echo digital actions.
However, even when it comes to physical prospecting, it makes sense not to waste energy and time on people who will never be interested in your offer anyway.
Your objective? To meet qualified prospects.
On the other hand, your contact will appreciate the fact that you're interested in him, that you're making an effort to understand the problems he's facing.
That's why it's always a good idea to gather as much information as possible about your prospects before you start canvassing or making contact. This can be the opportunity to establish a discovery plan.
Example: in a B2B context, glean all possible data from the target company's website. This will help you identify their needs, and how your products or services can meet them.
Tip 2: prepare your sales pitch carefully
Once you've learned more about the profiles you're going to approach, prepare a solid sales pitch.
Since you'll be relying on it to convince your interviewer, it needs to be infallible. After all, don't forget that your first speech will be enough for your potential customer to get an idea of you and your offer. Leave a positive impression!
To establish your pitch, ask yourself the following questions, for example:
- What do I contribute?
- how I do it,
- who I'm talking to,
- who I am,
- what is my sales process,
- how to set up my service, my sale.
Explanations in detail:
Tip 3: Identify your objectives and plan your prospecting activities
Successful prospecting is organized and driven by clear, pre-defined objectives.
To do this
- define your minimum sales target;
- calculate your average shopping basket to determine the number of customers you need to find to reach this sales target;
- use your sales funnel to monitor your sales efficiency. In this way, you can calculate the average number of prospects you need to close sales. In the example below, this gives 500 prospects for 90 closed sales.
Note, however, that if you're just starting out, you can do some research to find out the conversion rates in your sector.
This process reveals the minimum number of prospects you need to meet in order to reach your objectives... and even exceed them!
You'll then be in a better position to allocate and plan your prospecting hours, and organize your weeks accordingly.
Field prospecting techniques: during prospecting
Tip 4: Adopt the right attitude and the right approach
Armed with the previous tips, you're ready to start canvassing in person.
But how do you react when your prospect opens the door to his home or business?
There are many different ways of dealing with people in real life, but there are a few best practices:
- Even if it's obvious, convey an excellent image of yourself right from the start. Smiling, kindness, empathy... these are all attitudes that build trust.
- Don't lose your interviewer with an inappropriate speech. Be concise in your presentation, and don't hesitate to use metaphors to further illustrate what you're saying and help him or her project themselves.
- Keep in mind that the success of a sales action depends largely on the emotions you are able to convey, which, coupled with rational elements, are at the origin of every act of purchase.
Tip 5: Listen to your prospects
Because prospects and customers now have more power and are becoming more proactive in their purchasing decisions, it's vital to listen to their needs throughout the exchange.
This gives you extra legitimacy, and prevents you from being seen as a salesman who just wants to sign contracts.
That's why you need to be an active listener at all times: unfold your sales pitch and lead the exchange in such a way as to correlate your offer with your prospect's newly-identified needs.
Tip 6: Respond appropriately to objections
Of course, even if you follow the above tips, things don't always go according to plan. Chances are your prospect will raise objections.
But don't panic. Learn how to answer them perfectly with the help of the answers to the most commonly encountered objections, prepared in advance by yourself.
Example of answers to objections:
And, of course, always maintain an appropriate attitude to your prospect's opposition: stay confident, and make your answers seem spontaneous and fluid.
In all cases, persevere, but persevere intelligently.
Tip 7: Equip yourself with the right tools
When you're prospecting, you've got a lot on your plate... and you're on the move!
That's why it's a good idea to take along a tool capable of optimizing your work in this context.
Divalto weavy CRM, for example, is a great ally for mobile sales reps: it makes mobile work easier, and helps you boost performance. You can set up targeting before prospecting in the field, access all essential information (customer files, past orders, etc.) wherever you are, and create quotations directly on the mobile application. Among its key features: in-the-field order taking and electronic signature.
Interface representing Divalto weavy's field sales dashboard :
Another example: Kizeo Forms software has been developed to facilitate mobile sales management and prospect data collection on the move (thanks in particular to mobile data capture). The aim? To save precious prospecting time. What's more, it lets you get your future customer to sign an order form directly, so you don't have to wait for them to change their mind.
Kizeo Forms sales visit report interface:
Yuto is an easy-to-use, intuitive mobile CRM. Designed for salespeople in the field, it lets you geolocate your contacts, take orders, view your sales pipe and produce sales reports. What's more, the solution independently collects information or proactively solicits you. So you stay focused on your main objective: prospecting.
Interface showing Yuto's mobile possibilities:
Field prospecting techniques: after prospecting
Tip 8: Analyze your results and those of your competitors
Being a good salesperson and successfully prospecting in the field also means ensuring that you carry out your sales follow-up tasks properly, fill in your prospecting file correctly and analyze your results.
By drawing up sales activity reports, you can measure the impact of your efforts and identify areas for improvement.
Of course, it's a good idea to put this analysis into perspective with the results of your main competitors, the aim being to make progress by capturing elements that are both differentiating and rewarding.
Tip no. 9: Follow up your prospects at the right time
Patience is one of the great virtues of a good salesperson.
Consequently, after a meeting with a prospect, wait long enough before following up to avoid appearing too "aggressive".
Of course, it's only by experimenting that you'll be able to determine the right timing. As a general rule, however, we can distinguish between two situations:
- your prospect hasn't shown much interest in your offer. In this case, allow a good week to pass before following up;
- your prospect is hot. To prevent them from forgetting about you, contact them more quickly, within 3-4 days for example.
However, make sure you organize your follow-up actions properly, and the follow-up to your appointments in general. That way, you won't miss any opportunities.
Software can be very useful here too. Axonaut, for example, is a CRM that helps you organize the life cycle of your prospects and customers. It automates and facilitates the follow-up of exchanges and the organization of reminders. Stop wasting time on low-value-added post-meeting management tasks.
Contact Axonaut :
Tip 10: Accept setbacks and persevere
Failure is only an opportunity to start again in a smarter way.
Henri Ford
The most important thing to remember is that persistence is a fundamental key to the success of your sales prospecting. You'll encounter many failures, and you'll never achieve a 100% conversion rate because, despite your expertise, canvassing is still a game of chance.
That's why your perseverance, coupled with the multiplication of opportunities (the more you canvass, the more likely you are to sign contracts), largely guarantees your success.
Yes to field sales prospecting... but not only!
In conclusion, field prospecting still has a bright future ahead of it.
However, your commercial success depends to a large extent on the multiplication of your techniques and communication channels: while physical prospecting is a differentiating factor in an increasingly competitive market, it often proves insufficient.
It is therefore in your interest to consider the evolution of the traditional economy towards a digital one, and to integrate innovative prospecting into your actions.
So multiply your efforts, and be present where your prospects are looking for information: on the Internet. Inbound marketing, retargeting, social networks... these are just some of the avenues you can explore to find your prospects and pass on your sales message.
Article translated from French