What are the most effective ways to stand out when prospecting?

Prospecting is the process of finding and reaching out to potential customers who might be interested in your products or services. It is a crucial skill for any salesperson, but it can also be challenging and competitive. How can you stand out from the crowd and get the attention of your prospects? Here are some effective ways to do so.

1 Personalize your messages

One of the most common mistakes that salespeople make when prospecting is sending generic and impersonal messages that sound like spam. This can quickly turn off your prospects and make them ignore or delete your emails or calls. To avoid this, you need to personalize your messages and show that you have done some research on your prospects and their needs. Use their names, mention their company or industry, refer to something they have posted or shared online, or compliment them on their achievements. This will help you build rapport and trust, and show that you care about them as individuals.

Add your perspective

Teboho Mothebe

"Dynamic Sales Leader | Driving Revenue and Building Relationships"
Report contribution
Personalization: Tailor your outreach to each prospect’s specific needs and interests. Research: Thoroughly research the prospect and their company to demonstrate your understanding. Value proposition: Clearly communicate the unique value your product or service provides. Compelling messaging: Craft an engaging message that grabs their attention. Multi-channel approach: Use various communication channels like email, phone calls, and social media. Follow-up:Follow up without being pushy. Storytelling: Share success stories or case studies to illustrate your product’s benefits. Offering insights: Provide valuable industry insights to establish credibility. Problem-solving: Show how your solution solves their pain points.

Like

2 Provide value upfront

Another way to stand out when prospecting is to provide value upfront, before asking for anything in return. This means that you should offer something that can help your prospects solve a problem, learn something new, or achieve a goal. For example, you can share a relevant blog post, a case study, a free trial, a webinar, or a tip that can benefit them. This will demonstrate your expertise and credibility, and make your prospects more curious and interested in what you have to offer.

Add your perspective

Jenna Collins

Account Executive at Package Express
Report contribution
This article highlights a crucial aspect of successful prospecting – the importance of providing value upfront. Instead of immediately asking for something from your prospects, taking the time to offer helpful resources or insights can make a world of difference. It's all about building a relationship based on trust and goodwill. By sharing relevant content or practical tips, you not only showcase your expertise but also pique the curiosity and interest of your prospects. It's a win-win strategy that fosters meaningful connections and sets the stage for productive interactions.

Like

3 Use multiple channels

Prospecting is not a one-size-fits-all activity. Different prospects may prefer different channels of communication, such as email, phone, social media, or video. To increase your chances of reaching and engaging your prospects, you should use multiple channels and tailor your messages accordingly. For example, you can send a short and catchy email with a clear call to action, followed by a phone call to confirm their interest and availability, and then a video message to showcase your product or service. This will help you create a consistent and memorable impression, and show that you are flexible and adaptable.

Add your perspective

ben regier 🌞

I bring a personality to your B2B brand 🪸 | LinkedIn Content Creation & Ghostwriting | USMC Veteran 🎖️
Report contribution
Alongside your outreach, create videos! Post them publicly. Make them widely accessible. Start educating your customers on the problems and ideas that your product solves for, but don't pitch your product. Give them ways to solve their problem without your product.

Like

4 Follow up regularly

One of the most important aspects of prospecting is following up. Many prospects may not respond to your first message or call, or may need more time to make a decision. This does not mean that they are not interested or qualified, but that they are busy or distracted. To keep them engaged and move them along the sales funnel, you need to follow up regularly and politely, without being pushy or annoying. You can use different methods and formats to follow up, such as sending a reminder, a thank you note, a testimonial, a question, or an incentive. You can also use tools and software to automate and track your follow-up activities, and measure their effectiveness.

Add your perspective

Annabelle Frost

Delivering world-class video experiences across platforms, powered by GenAI 🚀
Report contribution
Don't send too many similar messages; make each one count. I like to mix things up in my follow up emails – starting with a personalised video, then a regular email or one with a fun gif. The key is to always give value and stand out from other sales emails, considering that prospects get a bunch every day. Pro tip: When you're wrapping up your follow-ups, send an email that gives prospects three choices – they can say they're interested, it's not the right time, or they're not interested. This way, they can pick what fits them best and tell you what should happen next. For me, a closing email has boosted reply rates and helped determine next steps!

Like

5 Ask for referrals

One of the most effective ways to stand out when prospecting is to ask for referrals from your existing customers, partners, or network. Referrals are a powerful source of leads, as they come with a high level of trust and credibility. People are more likely to listen to and buy from someone who has been recommended by someone they know and respect. To get more referrals, you need to ask for them, preferably at the right time and in the right way. You can ask your customers for referrals after they have expressed satisfaction with your products or services, or after you have delivered value to them. You can also ask your partners or network for referrals when you have a mutual benefit or a common goal. You should always be specific and clear about what kind of referrals you are looking for, and how you can help them in return.

Add your perspective

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Add your perspective

Nouman Khan

Clay Creator | Co-Founder at OBoundFirst - Helping Companies with Outbound Growth
Report contribution
I'd add these: - Target the right prospects by proper qualification. - Do not push for a meeting or sale in the first message. Build a relationship and let them know you and your product so focus more on their pain points that you can solve but do not push for sales. - Be genuine, invite your prospect to your LinkedIn live events if you host them, ask them to join your Newsletter, tag them on posts that are relevant to them, their pain points or even something they have expertise in. Ask for their perspective on such posts to build a relation.

Like

What are the most effective ways to stand out when prospecting?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Personalize your messages

2 Provide value upfront

3 Use multiple channels

4 Follow up regularly

5 Ask for referrals

6 Here’s what else to consider

Sales Prospecting

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

More articles on Sales Prospecting

More relevant reading

What are the most effective ways to stand out when prospecting?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Personalize your messages

2 Provide value upfront

3 Use multiple channels

4 Follow up regularly

5 Ask for referrals

6 Here’s what else to consider

Sales Prospecting

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

Explore Other Skills