How Prospecting turns marketing and sales into a smooth-running business development system. 

Ever stood on the edge of the room at a big trade show or chamber of commerce mixer and asked yourself, “What am I doing here?” If so, you’re not alone.

As the key player in your company, you wear a lot of hats. The role of Chief Business Developer often has an uncomfortable fit. Instead of wasting time with hit-or-miss tactics, there’s a smarter way for you to take charge. You can attract more high-quality relationships and build a platform for long-term success by focusing on better Prospecting skills.

Here’s the secret. For any prospecting situation: go prepared – which may be easier than you think! Start by developing 3 straight-forward Prospecting tools: your Elevator Speech, your Value Proposition, and Your Story. These tools give you control over what you say, and they improve the impression you make as the leading spokesperson for your organization.

Three mission-critical prospecting tools

1. Your Elevator Speech puts the spotlight on you. How do you describe your company? It’s your 25-second moment of fame at luncheons, mixers and industry gatherings. Good ones often include a catchy tag line (“Helping strong leaders succeed … in spite of themselves”) or a statement about uniqueness (“The oldest and most experienced independent in our industry”). 

2. Your Value Proposition says – in plain English – why customers and clients are better off for having bought your products and services. For many company leaders, this is the toughest sound bite to create. The best value propositions are grounded in specifics: “Our customers typically reduce unit costs 30 to 40% in the first 6 months of operation.” Unfortunately, many value propositions sound more like mission statements or wish lists than like tangible descriptions of real benefits.

3. Your Story tells how you relate to people in your target market. Your story describes the fears and pains your buyers typically experience – and how your product or service saves the day. Some of the most successful stories tell a brief, compelling tale of real-world value and success.

If you want to get your business running your way – without big demands on your time – the answer is simple: become a more effective speaker for your organization, your products and yourself. Start by developing your own versions of these 3 mission-critical sound bites.

Gone as far as you can with your current skills? Contact me for practical, street-smart sales advice – coaching designed specifically for your unique situation.