It may sound strange, but I count myself as fortunate to have started in the industry in a very difficult market where I had to fight for every piece of business and prospect daily to meet some lofty goals.  From that small, tertiary market, I moved to San Francisco just after 9/11.  Business was slow, and I didn’t know any better.  While some colleagues were looking back and longing for the days of high ADRs and big bonus checks…I was doing what I always had to do…prospect prospect prospect.  I wasn’t a master at prospecting and cold calling.  I was just fearless, and maybe a little naïve…but mostly driven to not let the economy hold me back.  I often look back on those days, and use it as an example when working with hotel sales managers who are struggling with the idea of prospecting and cold calling.

It can be difficult to work up the courage to place a phone call to a prospective client, or walk into an office for a cold call.  Sometimes hotel sales professionals become timid (yes, even ones with many years experience).  It is OK.  We all have insecurities.  Even the clients we are calling on have their insecurities.  However, as sales people it is our job to uncover new business opportunities, and in this economy we can’t wait for those opportunities to knock on our door.  We have to knock on a lot of doors, and invite ourselves in.  How do we work up the courage, and make the best of a “cold” call? 

1.       Have a purpose to your call and a compelling reason for the client to listen.  Make a list of a few things you want to uncover from the call.  Don’t expect to close the business on the first call.  If you capture a little more knowledge about the customer needs, you have had a successful call.  Even if it is finding out that they don’t have needs!

2.      Practice your opening line.   Many sales professionals think it will just come to them when they are in front of the customer.  Practice in front of a mirror, in your car on the way to work, or in front of someone with whom you feel comfortable. 

3.      Research the company prior to the call.  This gains credibility, and allows you to understand what possible objections or challenges you can assist to overcome.  I’ve always found that doing research helps me to gain confidence before the call.   

4.      Believe in your purpose.  If you don’t believe that you can assist the client with a need…it will reflect in your tone and in the outcome of the call.  Clients do pick up on a lack of confidence (even over the phone).

5.      Hold yourself accountable.  Don’t wait for leadership to give  prospecting goals, or ask for weekly call reports.  If you wait for someone else to hold you accountable…you’ve waited too long, and chances are your replacement is waiting in the wings.   

Many markets have seen dramatic downturns this year, and those sales managers that have been order-takers have had to change their mind-set and become more actively involved in the sales process.  Prospecting is a skill that can be taught, but it’s the attitude that cannot.  Managers that embrace the new environment and see it as an opportunity to improve their prospecting skills will be the ones that out-last this downturn.  My advice:  be fearless in your prospecting, don’t dwell on the past, and turn adversity into an opportunity to grow as a sales professional.    

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 4:13 pm and is filed under Sales Practices. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.