One task can literally 4 x your prospecting results – Creating a strategic and finite list of key targeted accounts.
Often when I’m coaching salespeople I ask them, “Please can you show me your list of targeted accounts?”
Too often the response I get is:
- Sure we have them all here in our database and shown a long list
- Err well I have 300 actually
- Yes here they are and shown a pile of trade & industry magazines
A critical and often overlooked step to successfully winning new business is to create a specific, strategic list of targeted accounts.
Linked to this task is an awareness of which accounts currently produce the majority of your sales say over the last 3-4 years. Gathering this data almost always produces the same result.
You will find a relatively small number produce circa eighty percent of your sales. Which graphically demonstrates a long list of clients that take significant time and energy to service that produce only a small circa twenty percent of your sales.
That revelation alone even if you already suspected it by now, when you see it graphically in a pie chart or graph should stop you in your tracks!
If you haven’t selected your list of target accounts and segmented them into categories A,B & C for example with thought given to the resources and time you will dedicate to each type then you are not ready to sell.
Once this vital piece of the puzzle is complete you now have the basis with which to start formulating your plan of pro-active sales activities.
The simple fact that you have a clearly defined list printed out in front of you each day to work from with the names and companies will 4 x your results.
It gives you a clarity and power of thought and action most never achieve as they let the day and inbound messages blow them around like a paper cup in a windy car park.
Stop now and start creating your strategic, finite list today and notice the difference it makes to your mind and results.
Committed to Your Sales Success!
Peter
