Okay...
hit my numbers for April.....got a ways to go for May but I think I'll get there.
I'm still selling the call ins they are giving me..and the email requests for info I'm selling 50% of..those are easy compared to what I know I need to do next..prospect.
I have read and read and read...here and online elsewhere, including all the suggested reading. Most of the suggested reading and most of the online stuff talks about AEs and how they really need to have 4-6 appointments per day with prospects! WOW! I'm lucky to have 4-6 per week! I know I have a lot of work to do.
I spend a lot of my day servicing my current clients. I try to make 5-10 cold calls per day...some of those are calling on the same people that I haven't gotten ahold of. I really want to stop doing that, but I don't want to give up on them as I'm sure someday they will be in a place to call me back. I also want to spend more time walking in cold as it appears that works better than cold phone calls or emails.
I need a system....I have a spreadsheet set up already with a list of potential prospects and where I am with each one of them...There are different tabs w/in the spreadsheet for cold, warm, prior spenders, and active clients. i date and sort so I know when I called them and when they need to be called on next.
Now what I need is a plan. Who to call on, how often to try to get them involved, and when to give up.
Right now I'm calling on prospects by category....In Paul Weyland's book he lists a bunch of possible categories and I'm using them as a starting point. I really need to get out there and prospect badly...not only do I need to get my income up but I really need to just blow my numbers away.
None and I mean None of the other AEs in my office leave the office and prospect. 2 of them just bury themselves in their current clients and push paper all day. One of them is regional and stays in her office all day w/ avails and orders. The other one doesn't ever leave the office either and is not going to be there long I can tell. I want to be different.
someone please help with an idea for a plan...my planning is causing me to not do anything. I need help badly! I have paralysis by over-analysis. Help me please!
thanks in advance.
I feel your pain - my sales manager is a great person but not much going on for sales training or mentoring. In fact you're struggles sound exactly like what I've been through... and I hate paralysis, don't you? ;-)
A sales manager I used to work for lives in another city and has given me some prospecting advice. Try to get about 12 appts per week if possible. I've heard all kinds of numbers on how many face to faces per day - my old manager said 3-5 per day minimum (he used to bill $1M annually while in sales in New Orleans) - current manager says 8 per day (small market here - no way to bill the $1M, but I'm giving it a shot anyway). One or two of these calls may be people you've already seen and are moving along through the process. Start and finish your day by making your game plan of where you're going for the day, who you're emailing, etc. - it does sound like you're doing this part.
(from you) Now what I need is a plan. Who to call on, how often to try to get them involved, and when to give up.
Go out of the area a bit if your station reaches out - I've picked up a car dealer about an hour away with this method. They've sold an additional 10 cars in the first 2 months from our area and they said they will advertise indefinitely now.
I usually get a feel for how often I call on someone - some AE's need a timespan - which is good at first because it keeps you from forgetting the potential client. I think the best way though is to get a commitment from the prospect before you leave as to when you can follow up. When you show and tell them you are sincere about helping their business grow - this is never pushy.
Several AE's I've seen here don't like to give up - I don't really either. But if you're bringing in ideas every time you see them and not just chatting - and they are not giving you any feedback I usually throw in the towel at visit number 5. I also work in the south and people here are just too polite to tell you to get lost. I have actually been relieved to fire some of my prospects b/c this has freed me up to find better ones.
I love this site, too - I can't wait to read some other good replies.
I work everyday like I'm new in sales b/c if I don't, I'll rest in my laurels and end up like some of the co-workers you've described. Keep the attitude you have and you WILL be different - and great!
It sounds like you have a plan so put it into action. You sound a little like me - measure twice and cut once. Remember, there is no perfect plan and trying to find one leads to no real action. What I pick up from your comments is someone who is dedicated, sincere, and already miles ahead of co-workers. I think clients will see that too.
Always make sure you have clients in various stages of the pipeline. As far as giving up on a client, I'm like Celeste in that I've gotten rid of several. This has always worked to my advantage since one of two things happen when I let the client know I will not be calling on them anymore: It shocks them so much it makes them take action and actually do business or they really don't care which frees you up to move on. After all, they're not a client unless they're buying something.
thanks for your comments....
Keeping the pipeline full of clients at various stages is my plan for sure...
Interestingly enough, Friday, 1 Client that I had been trying to get to return my calls responded...I had sent him 2 spec spots on Thursday...trying to get some sort of response. It worked, he loved them and wants to go ahead and give it a try...now I need to talk him out of "bare bones"...and get a real buy that will get him a real response..that will make him real money...that will make him love radio....he made the comment that none of the advertising he has ever done has worked, so I'm very optimistic that I can "wow" him...
1 other client that was a "warm" call...called me back and agreed to an appointment...so I have 2 new business appointments on Monday.
1 other client that I had convinced to try radio 2 months ago called and is running another schedule in May...his last schedule doubled his business over any other March ever....and he waited this long to run again..which is odd right?
1 other client called and approved a small May schedule...
so....persistence pays off and if you continue to do all the right things, follow the sales process with everyone and continue to prospect...the pipeline does stay full....and sometimes it all hits at once...
Thanks!
For your client who says none of his advertising has ever worked, ask him what he thinks the problem is. It can only be one of three things: Reach, Frequency and Motivating Message. I believe almost every media source has enough Reach to be effective so that leaves Frequency and Message. I'll bet neither has been good in the past.
Does it make sense you invite people to a great party and hardly anyone shows up? You both need to agree on what will define success...specifically. Your job is to increase traffic not make a sale.
