by Will Rotondi
People often have a hard time when it comes to waiting (regardless of what, or who, we’re waiting on). Maybe we get that notion from our technology. If we had to revert to dial-up Internet and wait for that white noise static to herald our connection to AOL one more time, we’d probably go insane.
Wanting to constantly move faster also takes a toll on our attention. The NBA is even considering shortening the length of its games because audiences are tuning them out.
It comes as no surprise to me that salespeople treat prospecting in a similar fashion. Some of them think that prospects who won’t buy from them now are of no further value. There’s only so much time in the day, and that should be used to speak with interested parties only – right?
Actually, if you overlook those who aren’t currently interested, you decrease your chances of getting their business when they voice an interest later. And, if you ignore them, they a) won’t remember you, and b) won’t have any reason to want to talk with you. This is why prospecting should be separate from sales, and why many salespeople get frustrated with the work that this requires.
Don’t try to speed the process up, eliminate steps along the way, or expect any kind of instant success or gratification. Put time in every day to reach out to everyone in your target market – those who have shown interest, and those who haven’t. In the long run, it’ll get you those conversations you’re looking for, and help you generate more new business.
