Where to Find Sales Prospects
Prospecting is one of the most tedious parts of the sales process – especially when generating cold leads. But, at the same time, no sales can happen without new leads being brought in. That friction is one that sales reps know all too well, but lead generation doesn’t have to be a matter of pulling teeth.
In fact, certain prospecting methods can take a lot of the pain points out of this phase. With the right approach, reps can create a sales funnel that generates revenue consistently and efficiently. So how can they do this?
The power of prospecting
Rather than see it as a necessary evil, sales reps should approach prospecting as a powerful tool to drive their ventures. Given how resource-intensive this process can be, there should be a strategy to remove wastage in prospecting and nail down the most effective channels to target.
With a proper strategy in place, reps can set themselves up for success by repeating a few best practices in the right place. Prospecting should be seen as a tool to generate sales, not an obstacle to overcome.
How the internet has changed prospecting
Sales reps should always take the time to understand their marketplaces, especially online. The digital age moved millions of potential customers to cyberspace. While this centralized consumers for businesses, it also equipped those consumers with the tools to do their own research.
Today, prospective customers can access a large amount of information about the businesses that approach them. As a result, people are more invested in the companies they like and scrutinize those they don’t know more harshly. Yet this access to information has also helped customers to define their needs better online.
These needs are what sales reps need to look at. By aligning their products with customer needs and being aware of the platforms where their leads exist, reps can generate sales more effectively.
Creating a sales pipeline
One final thing to note about prospecting in the digital age is how it has shaped the sales pipeline. When reps approach customers, they do so in an official capacity, usually with a profile linked to their businesses. Many customers will take the time to investigate those profiles before they even respond.
Investing in a professional, easy-to-navigate profile that signals the right value proposition can inspire trust in customers. Why is that important? Well, trust is the key to building business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-client (B2C) relationships. In other words, trust sells.
Job boards
Online job boards are some of the best places for B2B lead generation. Businesses will often post job vacancies there. If those vacancies are contracted positions – as opposed to full or part-time – then sales reps have an opportunity to present their services.
One of the advantages reps have over other potential hires is a proven track record of delivering and a self-hosted support system. These are attractive qualities to businesses who want guaranteed solutions.
Social media
Every successful business has a social media page. Not all companies use them well, but they recognize the importance of being visible on these platforms. Depending on where a sales rep looks, different sites can offer unique advantages while prospecting.
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Facebook –
One of Facebook’s most significant advantages is its groups. Anyone can create a Facebook Group, but these spaces are usually built around a specific niche or topic. So, sales reps in these groups have a head start because members have already signaled their interest in the subject. Some of these groups also have market days where members can post their services. While cold calling can work here, these market days offer a chance to do some passive prospecting as well.
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Twitter –
As one of the more algorithm-heavy platforms, Twitter works really well for people who know how to use keywords. By searching two or three relevant keywords, sales reps can find a host of potential customers looking for their services.
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Instagram –
There are more social media platforms than the three listed here. That said, these three cover the main types of platforms available. Instagram represents an image-heavy platform, making it a good place to find leads in the beauty, lifestyle, food, health, and visual media sector.
LinkedIn boasts over 750 million users spread out over 200+ countries. While the sheer number of people on the site is attractive for prospecting, LinkedIn’s strength is in the demographics of its userbase.
In the US, 37% of adults aged between 30 and 49 years old use LinkedIn. LinkedIn is also available in 24 languages, perfect for sales reps looking for non-English-speaking leads. The site also has a relatively balanced split between men (57%) and women (43%), offering a more diverse client pool for reps.
Quora
Quora is a platform where people can ask questions and receive answers from contributors. So how does this help reps? For one, it’s an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their expertise and help potential customers find solutions.
While this won’t automatically lead to a sale, it established a good rapport for lead nurturing. The beauty of this kind of platform is that a contributor’s answer is public. So even if the person asking the question doesn’t end up becoming a prospect, someone watching the exchange might take an interest and thus approach the rep.
Prospect with confidence
No part of the sales process is easy, but closing the deal gets all the applause because it feels like the most rewarding. Prospecting can be a fulfilling process when done right. With an innovative approach, sales reps can generate leads online without the grind of cold emails that don’t get open.
In the digital age, prospecting can be as valuable as making the sale itself.
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Where to Find Sales Prospects – Any great marketing or lead nurturing campaign starts with solid research and the freshest highly targeted lists. Impact Enterprise’s highly skilled data specialists can get the data, cost effectively and efficiently. Test pilots are always FREE. Services include, lead validation, data enrichment, contact research, data entry & CRM hygiene; content services include content management, influencer mapping and moderation for social media; AI Data Annotation services include image labelling, language processing and geospatial analysis.
Impact Enterprises was Established in 2013 and recruits skilled talent from bright young professionals in Zambia, Africa, where 59% of graduates find themselves unemployed and without an opportunity to showcase their skills and dedication. For recurring projects, the company provides a dedicated team to oversee operations for each client and guarantees an exceptional standard of delivery.