Why Your Sales Team Isn’t Prospecting in 2017!

I’ve been in sales for many years. Each year, I work with many great clients in emerging technology markets. Every year, I hear from my potential clients that their sales people aren’t prospecting for new business. Over the next two years, 75% of these companies will disappear. Do you want to make this list? Prospecting for new clients is that important!

Several of my clients have asked me to help them create new prospecting systems for their organizations. It’s interesting that so many clients want to know more about prospecting. Since my clients are committed to learning prospecting, I thought I would declare 2017 the year of the prospecting sales professional.

I thought I’d share why your sales people aren’t prospecting in 2017. Here are eight reasons your people aren’t prospecting. See how many match up with your sales team’s excuses. If more than three show up, it may be a reflection on your sales culture or management style. That’s you and your team. And that’s who the leadership team is looking to for results, not marketing!

Prospecting is your career insurance policy. Not that every sales manager always believes it. Here are eight reasons (or excuses) I’ve heard over the past 3 months. They’re not that complicated:  

·         The first reason your sales team isn’t prospecting in 2017 is they don’t know who to call.

·         The second reason your sales team isn’t prospecting in 2017 is they think social media will help them find new leads, no calling required.

·         The third reason your sales team is not prospecting in 2017 is they are too busy with their current clients.

·         The fourth reason your sales team isn’t prospecting in 2017 is they don’t know how.

·         The fifth reason your sales team isn’t prospecting in 2017 is they aren’t compensated for bringing in new clients to your business.

·         The sixth reason your sales team isn’t prospecting in 2017 is it’s not their job!

·         The seventh reason your sales team isn’t prospecting in 2017 is that you haven’t asked them to.

·         The eighth and final reason your sales team isn’t prospecting in 2017 is that marketing should be able to provide them with plenty of leads to work with.

Now you can add the excuses you’ve heard and you know why your sales team isn’t prospecting in 2017. I’m sure you’ve heard some great ones.

Here’s the other conversation I’ve been having with your boss over the past several months. She tells me that the lack of sales pipeline is keeping her up at night. She’s not certain what to do, but she says there may be a management change coming in the senior team. I wonder who she means? I bet you have an idea.

I want to help you build a great prospecting system for your business. Consider it an insurance policy against future job losses. I’ve helped my clients add millions of dollars with new sales prospecting. I’ve personally sold new professional service clients that have generated sales of over 10 million dollars in first year income. The industry average was less than a million dollars, this 10X system can change your business forever.    

Over the next several weeks and months, I will share what I’ve learned about prospecting and how to get your people to prospect for new business.  

See you next week.