How to prospect new business by using the phone
Lead prospecting is one of the most challenging aspects of any sales organization. It always has been, and likely always will be. Why is that? Because it sucks … and it takes relentless focus, determination and persistence.
These same characteristics also happen to make up the very salesperson that we all despise, the used car salesman! The player development teams that are most successful don’t have this used car sales mentality, because they aren’t focused on closing the sale today. Instead, they are focused on the relationship, which is a long-term sales process and requires vision. They have to see the player’s potential and not focus solely on their immediate worth. If you find yourself calling a VIP player only expecting to sell them on your next event, you’ve missed a great opportunity to start or further develop a relationship.
Here’s my recommendation for prospecting new business: stop looking at the same players month over month. Don’t get me wrong, these players are most likely high worth and high frequency guests, so don’t lose focus or traction with these guests. However, one of the best rules of sales is the 30-day rule, and it’s this simple: what you do today will affect your numbers in 30 days, 60 days and 90 days. How many guests outside your coded list have you called? I say “called” because it is the single greatest way to connect and have a conversation with a guest who you have never met. Yep, that’s right, you should be looking at guests who are on the threshold, those who are showing potential to be a high valued player. Chances are that they are in the middle to upper portion of your database, and you likely haven’t met them before.
If you are struggling to hit your goals, there’s a good chance that you have call reluctance. Chances are that you are also suffering from one of the 3 P’s: Procrastination, Perfectionism, Paralysis from Analysis.
Here are four things to consider and help you in your prospecting efforts:
- Know your numbers. How many calls did you make last month? How many have you made this month? What were the results? Work with your managers and database team to determine target opportunities.
- Don’t procrastinate. When you do, and you will, get back on track. Pick up the phone and start making calls. The faster you do, the better chance you have at being successful.
- It’s okay if you stumble and the call doesn’t go perfectly. Everyone who has ever had to talk on the phone can relate, it can be intimidating. Create a note of what you want to say and go for it; it will get better, I promise.
- Stop analyzing and get to work. You can crunch numbers all day long and come up with a variety of possibilities, but until you pick up the phone and establish a baseline of performance, chances are that it will be hard to adapt in order to be most effective.
My good friend and fellow Raving Partner Janet Hawk has shared numerous stories of her heydays on the Gulf Coast as a Host and PD Manager. Janet lived by this mantra, “What people want most is to be seen, to be heard, and to matter.” To this day, she still has players who reach out to her, check in on her, or want to meet up with her in Las Vegas. While the philosophy of player development has shifted in recent years to more of a team approach, Janet built lasting relationships with her players by not focusing on the next event, but by connecting with her players to build lasting relationships. Janet wasn’t afraid to pick up the phone and ask a player why she hasn’t seen them, or to introduce herself to a player who she has never seen before … and you shouldn’t be either!
Need help prospecting or picking up the phone? Contact Amy Hergenrother at amy@ravingconsulting.com to learn more about how Raving’s tele-selling training can help your team learn ways to be more efficient, and even help alleviate call reluctance.
