The Secrets of Prospecting Ninjas by Ralph Barsi

[Doha]

The Secrets of Prospecting Ninjas
by Ralph Barsi

ninjaNinjas are experts in ninjutsu, which is a technique in espionage.  Espionage is the practice of collecting information and gathering intelligence.

Today?s sales world requires superior, relevant, and timely information about prospective accounts and key contacts.  To master this effort, salespeople should model the ninjas.jill

Jill Konrath is recognized across the globe as an expert sales strategist.  Last week, Jill teamed up with InsideView to broadcast a webinar and share the Secrets of Prospecting Ninjas:

PROSPECTING NINJAS HAVE MAXIMUM IMPACT

    They slash time to the initial meeting
    They chop months off your sales cycle
    They eliminate competitors
    They catch the incumbent sleeping
    They prove themselves to be a worthy resource

PROSPECTING NINJAS ACCOMPLISH THESE FEATS BASED ON INSIGHTS

Salespeople that have insights on their prospects have an advantage.  According to Craig Elias, the creator of Trigger Event Selling, insights from company and people alerts see a 24%-32% lift in response rates.

Insights and intelligence must come from thorough (but smart) research.  InsideView harvests critical insights on companies, buyers, connections, and industries, to name a few.
Once you gain insights on?    Make sure to also uncover?
The company    How did it perform last year? The last 5 years?
The buyer(s)    What recent purchases did the company make? How?
Your connections    Do you or does a colleague already know the prospect?
The industry    What challenges does it face? What trends does it experience?

Jill makes The Buyer?s Matrix available online and in her most recent book, SNAP Selling, to guide salespeople through the buying process.  You can download The Buyer?s Matrix here:  http://bit.ly/how-to-prospect.

PROSPECTING NINJAS USE TRIGGER EVENTS

Trigger events are internal or external changes that influence an organization?s priorities.  When trigger events occur, and you?re aware of them, they can bring forth big opportunities for you.  Jill unveiled some common trigger events, and highlighted what InsideView calls ?smart agents:?
Trigger events?    Uncover ?tells??
Leadership changes    New decision maker might mean new strategy & new priorities
Earnings results    Poor earnings might create opportunity for your offering
Competitive moves    Companies don?t like to be beat by their competitors
New strategic initiatives    Initiatives often come with urgency that could expedite buying cycles

NINJAS USE A FORMULA

When the rubber meets the road, prospectors must engage with relevance.  This means that messaging must be right on point -- whether done via email, voicemail, by phone, or in person.  A study by UNC?s Kenan-Flagler School of Business uncovered that 92% of prospects do not answer their phones or emails.

PROSPECTING NINJAS SEND KILLER MESSAGES

Using newly-captured insights, and knowing the right person to contact, ninjas:

    Build credibility
    Pique curiosity
    Close graciously

And guess what?  Prospecting ninjas get responses to their messages!

NINJAS DON?T QUIT

The business world constantly changes, often by the hour.  Unless you keep your finger on the pulse ? by monitoring insights, leveraging connections, and watching for trigger events ? the prospecting ninjas will leave you behind