10 tips to improve your field prospecting technique
Is there still time for field prospecting?
While new market trends are giving pride of place to prospecting techniques and sales techniques that are increasingly geared towards the digital economy, it is advisable to multiply the number of channels you use to increase your chances of reaching potential customers.
In this context, physical prospecting is still a profitable lever for your commercial development. In fact, according to a Newdeal study, 26% of sales reps consider it to be their best acquisition channel.
But how can you ensure that you adopt the right sales prospecting technique and succeed in increasing your customer portfolio?
In this article, you'll find ten tips for effective prospecting in the field.
Definition of field prospecting
Before getting to the heart of the matter, let's remind ourselves what field prospecting is all about.
If prospecting refers to the fact that salespeople identify and make contact with potential customers, field prospecting (or physical prospecting) is one of the methods used to achieve this objective.
By sales prospecting in the field, we mean any form of prospecting that involves going out to meet future customers in person. This is known as door-to-door canvassing.
This prospecting strategy is used in both B2B (or BtoB) and B2C (or BtoC) markets.
Advantages of sales prospecting in the field
However, in recent years, field prospecting has received less good press.
Many sales professionals regard it as an outdated practice from another era.
And yet, at a time when most sales and marketing activities take place online, it can be worthwhile including physical prospecting in your prospecting activities.
Why should you do this?
- Because it allows you to stand out from the crowd by emphasising direct contact in an increasingly virtual world:
- benefit for the prospect: thanks to physical contact, a more solid relationship can be established ;
- It' s good for you: by directly observing the person you're talking to, their behaviour and body language, you can gain valuable information about your sales opportunities.
- Because the information you need to provide and collect flows more quickly and fluidly.
- Because being out in the field is an excellent way of perfecting your sales techniques and learning how to react to objections. This practice helps salespeople to progress.
However, prospecting in the field is not an easy task. The process can seem intimidating. That's why it's important to adopt good practice from the outset.
Let's look at them in detail.
Field prospecting techniques: before prospecting
Tip 1: Get to know your target group
The concepts of targeting and segmentation are generally associated with digital actions.
However, even in the context of physical prospecting, it makes sense not to waste energy and time on people who will never be interested in what you have to offer anyway.
Your objective? To meet qualified prospects.
On the other hand, the person you're talking to will appreciate the fact that you're interested in them, that you're making an effort to understand the problems they're facing.
So, before canvassing or making contact, always try to gather as much information as possible about your prospects. This can be an opportunity to draw up a discovery plan.
For example: in a B2B context, glean all possible data from the target company's website. In this way, you can identify their needs and the way in which your products or services meet them.
Tip 2: Prepare your sales pitch carefully
Once you have learned more about the profiles you are going to approach, prepare a solid sales pitch.
Since you'll be relying on it to convince your interviewer, it needs to be infallible. After all, don't forget that your first speech will be enough for your potential customer to get an idea of you and your offer. Leave a positive impression!
To prepare your pitch, ask yourself the following questions, for example:
- What do I contribute?
- how do I do it?
- who I'm talking to,
- who I am,
- What is my sales process?
- how to set up my service, my sale.
Explained in detail:
Tip 3: Identify your objectives and plan your prospecting activities
Successful prospecting is organised and driven by clear, predefined objectives.
To do this, you need to
- define your minimum sales target;
- Calculate your average basket to determine the number of customers you need to find to achieve this turnover;
- Use your sales funnel to monitor your sales efficiency. In this way, you can calculate the average number of prospects you need to close sales. In the example below, this works out at 500 leads for 90 closed sales.
Note, however, that if you're just starting out, you can do some research to find out the conversion rates in your sector.
This whole process reveals the minimum number of prospects you need to meet to try and achieve your objectives... and even go beyond them!
You'll then be in a better position to allocate and plan your prospecting hours, and to organise your weeks properly.
Field prospecting techniques: during prospecting
Tip 4: Adopt the right attitude and the right approach
Armed with the previous tips, you're ready to start canvassing in person.
But how do you react when a prospect opens the door of their home or business?
There are many ways of dealing with people in real life, but there are a few good practices:
- Even if it's obvious, convey an excellent image of yourself from the outset. Smiling, kindness, empathy... these are all attitudes that establish a climate of trust.
- Don't lose your interviewer with an inappropriate speech. Be concise in your presentation and don't hesitate to use metaphors to illustrate what you're saying and help them to see what you mean.
- Bear in mind that the success of a sales campaign depends to a large extent on the emotions you are able to convey, which, combined with rational elements, are at the root of any act of purchase.
Tip 5: Listen to your prospects
Because prospects and customers now have more power and are becoming more proactive in their purchasing decisions, it's vital to listen to their needs throughout the discussion.
This gives you extra legitimacy and prevents you from being seen as a mere salesman who just wants to sign contracts.
That's why you need to be an active listener at all times: roll out your sales pitch and lead the discussion so as to correlate your offer with your prospect's newly-identified needs.
Tip 6: Respond correctly to objections
Of course, even if you follow the above advice, things don't always go according to plan. There's a good chance that your prospect will raise objections.
But don't panic. Learn how to answer them perfectly with the help of answers to the most commonly encountered objections, prepared in advance by yourself.
Example of responses to objections:
And of course, always maintain an appropriate attitude when faced with a prospect's objections: remain confident, and make your responses seem spontaneous and fluid.
In all cases, persevere, but persevere intelligently.
Tip 7: Equip yourself with the right tools
When you're prospecting, you've got a lot to manage... and you're on the move!
As a result, it's a good idea to take along a tool that can optimise your work in this context.
Divalto weavy CRM, for example, is a great ally for salespeople on the move: it makes it easier to work on the move and helps you to improve your performance. You can set up targeting before you start prospecting in the field, access all the information you need (customer files, past orders, etc.) wherever you are, and create quotes directly on the mobile application. Its key features include the ability to take orders in the field and sign electronically.
Interface representing the Divalto weavy field salesperson dashboard:
Another example is the Kizeo Forms software, developed to facilitate mobile sales management and the collection of data relating to your prospects (thanks in particular to mobile data capture). The aim? Save precious time when prospecting. What's more, it lets you get your future customer to sign an order form directly, so you don't have to wait for them to change their mind.
Kizeo Forms sales visit report interface:
Yuto is an easy-to-use and intuitive mobile CRM. Designed for salespeople in the field, it lets you geolocate your contacts, take orders, view your sales pipeline and produce sales reports. What's more, the solution collects information on its own or proactively solicits you. So you can stay focused on your main objective: prospecting.
Interface showing Yuto's mobile possibilities:
Field prospecting techniques: after prospecting
Tip 8: Analyse your results and those of your competitors
Being a good salesperson and successfully prospecting in the field also means ensuring that you carry out your sales follow-up tasks properly, fill in your prospecting file correctly and analyse your results.
By drawing up sales activity reports, you can measure the impact of your efforts and identify areas for improvement.
Of course, it is interesting to put this analysis into perspective with the results of your main competitors, the aim being to make progress by capturing elements that are both differentiating and rewarding.
Tip no. 9: Follow up your prospects at the right time
Patience is one of the great virtues of a good salesperson.
Consequently, after meeting a prospect, wait long enough before following them up to avoid appearing too "aggressive".
Of course, it's by experimenting that you'll be better able to understand what the right timing is. As a general rule, however, there are two possible scenarios:
- your prospect has not shown much interest in your offer. In this case, allow a good week to pass before following up;
- your prospect is hot. To prevent them forgetting about you, contact them more quickly, within 3-4 days for example.
However, make sure you organise your follow-ups properly, and the follow-up to your meetings in general. That way, you won't miss any opportunities.
Software can be very useful here too. Axonaut, for example, is a CRM that helps you organise the life cycle of your prospects and customers. It automates and facilitates the monitoring of exchanges and the organisation of follow-ups. Don't waste any more time on low added-value post-meeting management tasks.
Contact Axonaut :
Tip no. 10: Accept setbacks and persevere
Failure is only an opportunity to start again in a more intelligent way.
Henri Ford
What you need to remember is that persistence is a fundamental key to the success of your sales prospecting. You will encounter many failures and you will never achieve a 100% conversion rate because, despite your expertise, canvassing remains a game of chance.
That's why your perseverance, coupled with the multiplication of opportunities (the more you canvass, the more likely you are to sign contracts), largely guarantees your success.
Yes to the field sales prospecting technique... but not the only one!
In conclusion, we can say that field prospecting still has a bright future ahead of it.
However, your commercial success depends very much on the multiplication of your techniques and communication channels: while physical prospecting is a differentiating factor in an increasingly competitive market, it often proves insufficient.
It is therefore in your interest to consider the evolution of the traditional economy towards a digital economy and to integrate innovative prospecting into your actions.
So multiply your efforts and be present where your prospects are looking for information: on the internet. Inbound marketing, retargeting, social networks... these are just some of the avenues you can explore to find your prospects and get your sales message across to them.
Article translated from French