Prospecting Ain’t Easy: How to “Open the Door”

There are many ways to try open a new door including:

Calling (via phone)
Email
LinkedIn connection
Industry events, conferences, shows, etc.
Centres of Influence (COI’s – those who have also worked with your customer base who can refer you)

In all instances, the door opening or “breaking the ice”, has the same components, just delivered in a different method. Learning the structure will help you generate the most important thing quickly … credibility.

Why is generating credibility quickly so important? Easy. Think of when you needed a painter. Who did you ask? Your friends? Your neighbours? Your Facebook group? Why? Because if they say someone is good, then that painter now has immediate credibility. No brochure, no website, no packaging or anything else that painter could provide would be of more value to the buyer than the credibility the referrer gave.

The Bridge

So how do you give yourself instant credibility? Easy again. Name drop anything you believe that audience would know that connects them to you including:

Customers you work with today they would know – specific to an application, industry &/or geography.
A specific person you both know.
Solutions you’ve provided other companies like them.
A personal connection – e.g. university or college alma mater or where you both grew up.
MPORTANT: Your customers are all the customers your company works with, not just your specific ones. Use all customers & relationships, whether directly yours or not, as bridges.

Why do I call it a Bridge: 2 reasons:

Because a bridge is something that links to entities together.
Because it metaphorically provides you the idea that stronger bridges work better than weaker ones. Name dropping a person your customer may know, at a company they know in a town they know is a “steal bridge’, as compared to a person connection being more of “wood bridge”.

How to Find your Bridge:

Before prospecting (phone, email, LinkedIN) or visiting the conference, use your company customer list, online research & LinkedIn (or other sources) to find your bridge. Which customers or people can you name drop that will give you the most credibility with that audience?

The Structure

Here are the 6 components to your opening script:

Find the Bridge: do this before you call, send the email, message on LI &/or visit the trade show.
Personal Introduction: your name, company and the reason for you connecting with them.
Bridge: drop the bridge(s) now. Name drop customers or people that will give you the most credibility with that audience.
Benefit Statement: “We work with xyz companies to help them save, fix, improve, etc..”
Ask About Them: (Can only be done when you are on the phone or face to face). If meeting at an event, ask them about their experience at the event. If over the phone, ask them questions about how they currently solve/handle xyz in their company today.
Transition to Next Step: After they have spoken and you think they are a fit, then ask for a next step.

Let’s begin to break these components down.

Find the “Bridge”

Before picking up the phone, use online research, LinkedIn (or other sources) to find a common point of connection between you and the person you are about to call. The connection could be customers they may know, similar industry experience, people you both know (business or personal), competitors you have worked with.

The stronger the “bridge”, the faster your audience will trust you.

Quick Tips: Personal Introduction

Always introduce yourself by saying “Hello, I’m or it’s (your name) from _________” instead of “Hello, my name is _________ and I am from __________”. The traditional introduction is very formal and immediately suggests that you are a stranger … which often leads to a defense response.
Honesty is the best policy … so be up front in telling a person that you don’t formally know each other … but you thought given they do abc and you help companies improve, safe &/or fix xyz, that it made sense to connect. This approach shows vulnerability that can trigger people to be more open to talking.

Quick Tips: Company Benefit Statement

This is NOT a pitch. You are not trying to sell your products, services or solutions yet. You are trying to find a business connection, generate curiosity and drive a further conversation.

Before you begin asking questions, give a snapshot of who you via an applicable benefit statement.

While your product/service would have dozens of benefits, select the (1) one benefit you feel will register/resonate with that prospect the most – not what you do. Tell them the “what” and the “why” – not the how. For example:

We help companies __________.
We save our clients __________.
We increase productivity by __________.
We are known for xyz and that means our customers enjoy __________.
I’m sure you know of other companies like mine. We are different because __________.
We specialize in working with companies to reduce their x, while generating more x.
I have a few ideas that I think would help you with your _____________.

Quick Tips: Transition to Next Step

Start your transition by recapping what your customer just said – especially what is most important to them.
Then, introduce a “next action” (something you are going to do next) but be very clear in describing what it is
Are you going to send them something? If so, what are you going to send them, how (email/mail) and when?
If you are going to follow up with them, again be very specific about when (see “Scheduling Phone Meetings” module).

General Tips

Don’t try to sell – just try to “get to know them”.
Be vulnerable: Be upfront that you don’t know them but you felt it was worthwhile to call to introduce yourself for “x” reason. Be clear on what “x” reason is before you call.
Match their style: are they short and direct? Don’t talk about fluffy stuff. Are they social? Listen, share, and note. Do they ask lots of questions? Engage them.
Show empathy: Show you understand what is truly happening in their business.
Never close the call without a next action that you commit to facilitate, no matter how simple it may be.
Remember, your main goal is to simply build some basic trust and rapport that you can build upon during your next call. Anything more than that is a bonus.