Prospecting in 5 Easy Steps —Farquharson/Tedesco

Here are some other list sources to consider:

• Business lists in your area (e.g., local Business Journals, newspapers and other media);

• Purchased lists (e.g., InfoUSA, D&B, North American Publishing Co., etc.);

• Your company's old prospect lists (usually stored on a computer that is off!);

• Intelligent online searches (Google is your friend); and

• Even hopping in your car, driving around and writing down company names (during non-selling hours, of course) has been known to work.

Step 3: Know Your "Talking Points" Cold. Each and every day in the tele-prospecting trenches, act as your company's ambassador and engage business influencers in continuous relationship-building conversations. This can be nerve-wracking at first, so go ahead and write a script if necessary. We urge you, however, not to use the script during live calls. Why? Because doing so reduces your ability to listen and think…and it sounds like a script!

Instead, focus on developing talking points that clearly communicate your brand's core values in easily understandable bites. These should contain your company's unique selling proposition, which by now you should be able to recite in your sleep.

In case you've forgotten, your unique selling proposition is a 30- to 60-second "elevator speech" that tells customers and prospects exactly why you deserve their business. While it's important to effectively explain what you do, the main purpose of your tele-prospecting 
effort is to learn pertinent information about potential print buyers. Map a series of questions designed to uncover relevant information about each company's value as a sales prospect. Focus on the basics, including:

• Frequency of printing jobs—number of jobs per week/month/year.

• Volume of printing bought—show me the dinero!

• Forms of printing bought—bound, oversized, miniature, signage, etc.

• Print processes bought—offset, digital, web, stochastic, 6+ colors, etc.

• Reasons for purchase—promotional, informational, mandated by corporate/government, etc.