How IT Solutions Providers Can Find More Prospects , Get More First Appointments
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
A series of short videos could help hone your sales strategies resulting in more prospects and first appointments.
Andrea Sittig-Rolf, CEO of BlitzMasters, explains in her video Sales Tip: The Truth About Filling Your Pipeline , that there are a number of ways to bolster your lead generation, including connecting with key decision makers, creating a newsletter for prospects and customers, calling existing or past customers to ask for referrals, attending networking meetings, and giving referrals each week.
She elaborates on the value referrals in the video Sales Tip: Now You Can Have Your Pipeline Filled With Personal Referrals. Sittig-Rolf explains three different types of referrals: a lead; basic referral; and a personal introduction. She points out personal introductions are the most effective strategy, and she encourages salespeople to ask their sources to facilitate introductions to further the lead.
Targeting vertical markets is another important strategy for IT solutions providers. In Sales Tip: Who Else Wants to Find Vertical Markets For Multiple Leads, Sittig-Rolf states, “The more you target vertical markets, the more expert you will become in those particular industries, and the more you will be able to show how the solutions you provide relate to those markets.”
When calling prospects, Sittig-Rolf stresses you need to improve your skills to increase your success rate. In the video Sales Tip: The Secret To Getting More Appointments, she says the most important skill is learning how to overcome common objections when asking for a first appointment. She suggests using BlitzMasters’ “AHA formula” when speaking to prospects:
- Anticipate the objection
- Handle the objection
- Ask for the appointment
The sales tip videos in this series are sponsored by Microsoft and HP and are available on YouTube.
BlitzMasters works with vendors to provide — through MDF or Co-Op — activity-based new business development workshops that empower partner salespeople to schedule appointments with qualified prospects the day of the workshop.