When to Give Up on a Sales Account & Tactics to Get the First Appointment

by Dave Kahle

Question and Answer:

Dave, I’ve tried for months to see a prospect account, but can’t get them to return my calls. When is it best to just give up?

There is a question we have all asked at one time or another.  As usual, there is no simple answer.  Let’s explore this.

     First, let’s decide whether or not the potential of the account is worth some extraordinary measures and additional investment of your time.  Is the potential dollar volume substantial?  Is it just an ordinary account?  Is it smaller than most?

     If it is a small account, I’d say give up and move on right now.  It probably is not worth your effort.  If, however, the potential is substantial, then that impacts your strategy.  So, determine that first.

     Now, let’s assume that you have researched the account and decided that the potential is definitely worth some extraordinary efforts from you.  Before you give up, try some of these proven tactics.  Here are a series of possibilities.  Use any or all that appeal to you.

1. Make the Appointment with the Prospect Account

On your next voice mail, say something like this:  “I’ll be in your area next Thursday and would like to see you for about 15 minutes around 4 PM.  Unless I hear otherwise, I’ll see you then.”  I know that’s a little gutsy, but I have known sales people who claim it consistently works for them.

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2. Examine your voice mail message and revise it to make it more appealing.

I just had a salesperson tell me he says, “I’d like to talk to you about my company and my product.”  That’s probably the worst voice mail message I have ever heard.  To be effective, your voice mail should contain these elements:

• a reference to other companies very similar to his (and maybe known by him) with which you have worked.
• a couple points of pain (problems) that his company may have that you can help resolve.
• a request for a specific period of time (15 minutes) to discuss it.

3. Think about using a “pre-call touch” to condition the prospect to accept your call.

This is a delivery that you make to the prospect that gets through to him, makes a positive impression, and increases the likelihood that he will return your call.  I just received a good example.  The Fed Ex guy came directly into my office a couple of weeks ago, put a box on my desk and asked me to sign for it.  I did.  Then, I did what everyone else would do with a Fed Ex package – I opened it.  Inside was a hand-written invitation to attend a Webinar, with a bottle of Coke, and a package of micro-wave popcorn.  The invitation indicated that my company met their profile for the kind of business... READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE