It's Sunday and I'm writing a blog.
It's actually worse than that, I've just spent a load of time connecting to people on Linkedin as well.
This is prospecting in the modern world.
A client of ours has a term for different types of prospecting. This is "as you like" prospecting. That is, they sell a deal, then approach all the competition or companies that are "like" that new customer.
Of course why wouldn't you? You understand the business issues of that new client and you understand how to solve them.
So that's what I have been doing. We signed a new client and I've been connecting with competitors and companies that are "like" our new client. They have the same business issues.
And I'm doing it on a Sunday. Why? Because I can!
With Cold Calling and all those legacy sales methods you have to do it during the working week. You read in all the prospecting books written by cold calling gurus, how you need to block out your day to prospect. Totally agree. The problem is with cold calling, apart from having people ignore you, tell you to piss off, voicemail and gatekeepers you have to do it during prime selling time (PST). This is a massive handicap and has a massive impact to its effectiveness.
Of course, I'm now, already connected with CEOs, Managing Directors and Sales Directors of these competitor companies. They can now read my content and the process starts on building relationships with them. No interruptions, no gatekeepers and I can also see that my competition isn't there either.
We all have a responsibility to have a strong network on social. It sales and marketing it will help you sell more. In Human Resources (HR) it will will you gain the best talent. In procurement you need to be connected to your suppliers. In customer service you need to be connected to your talent pool and your customers. Customer service being the place where we get clients to come back and resign.
Sales teams (in face the whole of the business) are digitally transforming for a reason.
This is all about having processes that are more efficient and effective. Cold calling is not the killer app, it's the legacy process that is killing your company! It's time to shake it off!
Fast forward to 2019 - I’m still in IT and, while I’ve improved my technical acumen, I use my non-technical skills daily. I have a masters in college student development and counseling and am a trained business and executive coach. The skills I learned in these programs and through my years in leadership roles, both inside and outside of IT, have been invaluable as IT evolves and digital transformation becomes the norm. Practicing and perfecting the skills below will help IT leaders influence both inside IT and across the business, and take digital transformation to the next level.
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