Business has slowed down not just because of the pandemic but also because people (consumers) have shifted their priorities due to uncertainty. Nevertheless, "The Show Must Go On" even if it has slowed down. In these uncertain times, business leaders are sometimes forced to find new sources of revenue to make up for the losses in revenue. Whether your organisation has a New Business Development Team or the task of New Business is de facto allocated to Vice Presidents and Directors, the pressures of acquiring more new clients quickly has exponentially grown. Bringing new clients in, to ensure the machine is fed and running has become the No.1 priority (no matter what the deal value is).
"BUSINESS PROSPECTING ISN'T FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. IT'S FOR THE BRAVE,THE PATIENT AND THE PERSISTENT. IT'S FOR THE OVERCOMER"
9 tell tale signs to look out for when New Business Prospecting
The Idealist Prospect
These types of prospects have big visions and want revolutionary ideas at break neck speeds. They are fabulous to have if their visions are reasonable, ideas are feasible and have the time and money to implement
The Celebrity with Options Prospect
These types of prospects can wreck havoc on your teams morale as they not only expect VIP treatment 24/7/365 by constantly threatening to take their business elsewhere because they 'have options'.
The Control Freak Prospect
These types of prospects have a hard time letting go, and micromanage your team on even the simplest job. They are extremely hard to satisfy because the job was done by someone other than themselves. Their intrusive behaviour (while mostly with good intentions) can be disruptive to the culture of your organisation.
The On-Fire Prospect
These types of prospects most often are Rebels without a Cause. Everything is wanted immediately when nothing is actually needed. These types of clients can negatively affect not only the morale of your team as they are forced to work late nights and weekends but also affect the output quality of your solution
The Missing In Action (MIA) Prospect
These prospects appear to be very busy all the time. While they may to be excited to begin work immediately they disappear when they are needed most. These prospects can wreck havoc on timelines and deadlines.
The Frozen Options Prospect
These prospects love options (the more the better) but freeze when they have to make a decision. Their love for options can result in brief changes, extending deadlines and constant dissatisfaction with their decision.
The Resistance Prospect
These are prospects who are in love with the past; the way they did things and the outcome that they produced. They are highly skeptical of new things especially if these counter what they know or what they are used to doing.
The Trending Prospect
These prospects latch onto anything new. Their desire is to be at the very edge of whats happening without thinking about how their company (brand, product, service) fits into the trend. These types of prospects can waste a lot of your team's time and not actually produce any work as they eventually realise that it does not fit their brand or there is a newer trend to adopt.
The Ideas Everywhere Prospect
These prospects have short attention spans to ideas and tasks. They constantly jump from one idea to another. These types of prospects can derail all forms of project planning and deadline fulfillment.
Negotiating a deal in difficult times can become like a dance standoff. Each side pushing to get their wishes and desires fulfilled; sometimes at the expense of the other; sometimes with neither side backing down and often not knowing when to walk away.
There are 5 steps towards navigating the dance to a win-win situation for both parties concerned.
Asking many questions that go beyond yes or no answers helps you not only understand the other's point of view but also to helps them articulate their wants and needs better. As humans, we have an inbuilt need to be heard.
Listening to what is said and truly understanding their wants, needs, desires, and emotions can help you navigate the negotiation better.
As in any relationship, being perceived as a partner who genuinely cares and is concerned with their wants, needs, and desires makes it easier to persuade.
Don't let the negotiation be their monologue. Articulate your wants, needs, and desires. Ask them to help you arrive at common ground where it's a win-win situation.
Timing is everything in the new normal. Sometimes it's not the right time; Sometimes it's going to take more time. It is important to engage throughout the process no matter how tough or long it may be. Take a break and schedule a follow-up meeting to discuss certain points.
If you are clear on the outcome you want, you should be able to evaluate whether you're achieving it or not. Demonstrate cooperation, flexibility, and your resolve towards a win-win for both businesses.
In closing, New Business Prospecting is tough. Being able to quickly identify your prospects' attitudes and behaviors early on, will help you plan your time, and your efforts and help you achieve your goals.
Related Reading: Marketing in a pandemic, Leveraging Sonic Branding, Defining your brand’s Tone of Voice, Conducting Successful New Business Prospecting, Making Marketing Budgets Work, Creating an Effective Growth Strategy, How to use Strategy Maps, Harnessing the PLOT Strategy Framework, Saying “No” and still Winning, Creating a Balanced Marketing Mix, Why Customer Centricity is the Soul of Business, How to Growth Your App Downloads, Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Marketing, 8 Steps to Entrepreneurship, Marketing Tactics 101, Refocusing for Growth, eMail Marketing 101, Brand Imagery and the 5 senses, The Grandeurs of Viral Marketing, Why focusing on Outcome guarantees Success, Marketing Automation in Marketing Today, Why Typography Matters, The Fabulous World of Colours, Consumer Insights for Growth, The 12 Styles of Creative Copywriting, The 9 Startup Killers, How to craft your Brand Positioning Statement, How to Competitively Price Products for Maximum Profit, How to Rebuild Marketing Momentum, UXUI That Just Works, Marketing Tactics for Growth and Success, How to Define Your Brands Archetype, How to Leverage Affiliate Marketing, How to Work with Influences, Marketing Effectivness Report Free Download, How to Find Your Brand’s Name, Unleashing the Power of Experiential Marketing, How to get Personal Branding Right, Maximizing PR Opportunities, Defining a Brands Culture, Business Pivot Strategy, Getting to Yes from a No,
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