You need net-new business to hit your number. Net-new business requires appointments. When sales reps fail to consistently schedule appointments it shows up at the end of the month.
What does it take to get appointments? Could there be a way that is more effective, efficient, and measurable?
Salesforce.com research tells us that it takes 6-8 touches to get an appointment. When it comes to prospecting, the problem is that sales reps rarely get this many touches. Most prospecting is neither strategic nor systematic.
Fortunately there is a better way to make sure your sales reps get multiple touches with prospective clients. We call this a Prospecting Sequence. Here’s what this looks like:
An Automated Stream of Activity
Rather than launch one phone call or email and then moving on, Prospecting Sequences let sales reps launch a series of touch points that roll out automatically over a period of time. For example, the prospect might get an email today, another email in three days, a phone call, a social touch, and then another email. You get the picture. The click-of-a-mouse launches a sequence of activity.
Using Phone, Email, and Social
We all know that prospecting is a numbers game. Only a small percentage of phone calls turn to appointments. The same goes for emails, strategic stop-ins, and social touches. The good news is that by combining all of the above your reps significantly increase their win-rate. Sequences leverage multiple touch points to maximize the chance your reps will get an appointment.
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Enabling Golden Hours
Prospecting expert, Jeb Blount, advocates for “Golden Hours” in his book, Fanatical Prospecting. These are focused blocks of time where sales reps do nothing but dial. With sequences in motion, sales reps can sit down to pre-populated call lists. Instead of thinking about who they will call, they simply dial the first number and go. This level of efficiency allows a rep to bang out 30 calls in an hour, creating an efficient prospecting model.
Measured on Dashboards
Let’s be honest, most sales prospecting isn’t measurable. We ask reps how many calls they made and beg them to use the CRM. But we all know the answers we get are inaccurate. Yet the number one driver of our results (and paycheck) is prospecting activity. The great thing about sales sequences is that they are completely measurable. You can see how many sequences reps launch. You can see how many dials they make. You can also see how many convert to appointments. Now you finally have a basis for measuring the one leading indicator that matters.
Prospecting Sequences Drive Success
Not only can you measure results, you can measure your success. As we work with clients we’re able to benchmark their sequence : appointment and call : appointment ratios. This data can be employed for coaching. It can show measured improvement over time. Most of all, it allows you to predict and plan the amount of net-new based on sales activity levels.
If you’re curious about these ratios and what type of results your sales team could generate we’d be happy to explore this with you. Simply reach out!
