One of the most important things you can do before introducing yourself to a prospect is research. Researching your prospects allows you to personalize your calls so that you can have purposeful conversations. Going into a call with limited information will make you sound shallow and needy. The more you know about your prospect when you call, the more intelligent you’ll sound. The internet makes it easy to find information on your prospects. Here are the top six resources you can use to research a prospect before you make the call.
LinkedIn should be your number one go to for research on a prospect. When you find your prospect’s LinkedIn profile you’ll learn about their experience at their current job, experience at previous jobs, who they are connected to, the LinkedIn groups that they are members of and the type of posts they share. You can also learn more about their company by searching their company’s profile. A company profile will help you learn about the employees, the type of company, the year it was founded and the company’s unique abilities.
Studying your prospect’s Twitter profile will help you learn what they’re interested in. Focus in on the content they’re tweeting and retweeting. Look at who they’re following and who is following them. Scroll their tweets to see if there is a trend in their interests. Click on the hashtags they’re using to learn more about what they’re talking about. Also, take a look at the company’s Twitter profile. You will discover the type of content they promote, how they interact with their customers and information about their culture.
Press and Media Releases
Visit your prospect’s company website to find press and media releases. Press and media releases can help you find major announcements like changes in leadership, new product releases, financial stability, events and customer testimonials. In addition to reading company press releases, look for press releases from competitors. If their competitor makes a major announcement, your prospect may be in search of competitive advantages.
Your prospect’s Facebook page may contain a limited source of information depending on their privacy settings. However, if their profile is public you can find interesting facts about your prospect like their hobbies, the kind of music they listen to and what they like to do for fun. These things can be used to help you connect with the prospect on a personal level. Also, look for mutual friends between you and your prospect.
CRM
Your company’s CRM software may be a good resource, especially if someone from your company has called on them before. Your CRM software may help you understand the history your prospect has with your company. If they have spoken with someone from your company, they most likely know something about your products and services. This information will help tailor your conversation with them. The CRM software can also tell you if your prospect has read emails they’ve received from your company.
You can find out just about anything with a Google search. Input their company’s name and see what news stories pop up. Look for stories from reliable sources. You can also read their Google reviews and search for old press releases and relevant information about your prospect’s industry and their competitors.
Before your next sales call take your time and research your prospect. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much information you’ll find. Leverage this information to help you ask better questions and elevate your level of professionalism during your sales calls.
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Jeff Ruby
Founder of RedRock Leadership