Some of us are better at prospecting for new business than others. If you feel like you’re not getting enough conversations with potential prospects, you probably need a different approach. Like all new habits, changing your prospecting mindset will take time.
How much time, you ask? People used to say that establishing a habit takes 21 days, but some studies argue it’s much longer. With prospecting, these changes depend on your personality type and how much effort you’re willing to put in. In other words:
- Are you impatient to close (even through email), or prepared for the long sell?
- Do you rely on individual work (emailing, cold calling, office visits, etc.), or would you be open to automation doing some of that work on your behalf?
In our experience, prospecting should be viewed as time spent in addition to your normal sales cycle, not a fast substitute for it. Conversations don’t happen immediately; they require a slower nurturing process. And, if you’re not getting enough responses in your local outreach, it’s probably time to look at expanding your geography and who you want to contact. The best way to do that is through email, and the best way to email the right people is through prospecting automation.
Like any piece of new software, it requires time to learn and operate daily. While you can automate what you’re sending out, you’ll still have to manage individual responses that come back, and you shouldn’t expect that these leads will be ready to buy immediately. Above all, be patient and persistent: leads become prospects like activities become habits – with enough time and effort.
