The New Year is a great time to rethink some of your typical prospecting practices. Just because we have done things a certain way doesn’t mean that way is the most productive or beneficial.  Isn’t that the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results?

If you know me, you realize I am not the one who shouts at the conference table:  Let’s think outside the box!  I like the box! My box works…until it doesn’t.  Here are some creative prospecting ideas that I tried last year and found true and will now incorporate into my box for the coming year:

1.  I used to do my prospecting calls about mid-morning or later in the afternoon. Then I tried something different: doing the bulk of my business prospecting at 7:30 AM or 6:00 PM. I found I usually reached a decision-maker that had more time to talk. And don’t under-estimate the value of leaving voice mail messages at night. These will be the very first messages that your prospect will hear in the morning, thereby increasing the odds of them placing a returned call.

2.  One of the many traps we fall into when it comes to our presentation is to launch in to a conversation regarding features of our products and services. Features never sold anyone. The only thing that a prospect cares about is what these features will do for them. In other words, speak in terms of benefits and your prospect will be more pre-disposed to listening to your presentation. 

3.  There is no right way to prospect. Unfortunately, there’s no magic bullet – you simply have to keep plugging away.  Persistence is key. Prospecting takes time and if your sales pipeline isn’t continually filled with prospects in various stages of being worked, then you are in for a future sales slump. Review your funnel weekly if not daily. You ALWAYS need to be looking six months to a year down the road.

4.  Follow-up and follow-through are keys to prospecting success. Many people ‘give up’ if they don’t get that instant gratification that is so popular. If you don’t remain in contact, you will never break through. Make sure you have a drip-marketing campaign in place not just for prospects, but also for current clients and even those folks categorized as suspects.

5.  Give it away. A common trap with entrepreneurs is the desire to make every dollar billable and place a price on every piece of advice. Instead, spend a bit of time researching an article that would be of interest and value, and transfer that to the prospect with a note "just thought you might be interested in this". Don’t ask for anything; just indicate you are thinking of them and wish to be a resource. 

6.  Pace yourself. Prospecting isn’t for sissies! Allocate a specific amount of time each day or each week, and keep to the schedule. It is always easy to put something ahead of the prospecting activity but make an appointment with yourself and don’t break it.