Problems with sales prospecting
The simple things enabled by the right culture
The outcome of this article is going to seem obvious, but I am always surprised by the mental block, even the most skilled ‘hunter’ minded enterprise seller gets to when prospecting.
We’ve seen it - the enthusiasm wears off, consistency breaks and before you know it pipeline development falls off a cliff. Rejection (and silence) is tough to motivate your way through but I have found that when talking through these challenges with sellers that the ‘things’ that get in the way are not as complicated as they may seem.
There is a mental block that seems to develop - one that forces an almost ‘fortune teller’ mentality.
“If I can’t see the deal materialising with this contact before I have even tried to reach out I am not going to bother“
Once this thought process sets in, prospecting is hard to keep motivating yourself through. My experience of this was in spite of proven go to market messaging, tight ‘Ideal Customer Profiles’ and well researched targets, all backed with good sales technology.
The solution turns out to be simpler - keep the sales teams focussed on getting to the next immediate step and celebrating those wins every time.
Enterprise sales growth happens as a result of more good quality conversations, with the right people, more often. That journey starts with the first connection and the first meeting.
If the messages are clear, and the product is proven in market - the rest comes to down to process and the mindset/capabilities of the sellers.
The role of the sales leader/CRO is to create the culture that keeps that mindset solid - build an environment that doesn’t overcomplicate things but is focussed on the following:
Achieving a higher proportion of early progress steps
Chance encounters with the right people at the right events
Acceptances of LinkedIn connection requests
Responses to emails
Securing those first substantive meetings/conversations
Focussing on these things breaks the zero sum thinking of ‘I can’t see the deal so I am not going to try’. It does it by creating an environment where taking consistent, small steps towards smaller outcomes on the journey to developing good quality sales pipeline.
Small steps are easier to take, especially if the sales leader is creating a culture where every one of those steps receives a degree of celebration.
The mission becomes execution of the small steps, enjoying the process, and not stressing about the final outcome.
An environment that tightens the pressure on the end game only feeds a culture of fearing failure, limiting experimentation and taking the motivation out of a process that needs consistency.
Creating a culture in sales teams that enables this sort of execution to feel exciting and valuable is central to getting it to work and avoiding stagnation setting in the prospecting process.