What tips do you have to help sales reps get more creative with their prospecting efforts?

I'm assuming with your question that you already have the leads. If not, there are a number of ways to find key decisions makers -- everything from advanced Google search tips to advanced Boolean searching on LinkedIn/Google and even the databases available via the public library can help find decision makers that have the right demographic and psychographic profile that matches your product/service offering.

So again, assuming you have the leads, the number one key by far is ensuring relevancy. Make sure you first understand what the company sells/does, and what the person you're talking to does. InsideView, Jigsaw, and Manta are all good sources for a brief overview of the company, its size, etc. Next, make sure you understand what's going on in the other person's world that they may care about. Find recent press releases, articles, etc. Good sources include Google News, Mool.com/media, BizNar, etc. Social media search sites like SamePoint, BlogSearch.Google.com, Topsy, can provide additional insight. NOTE: you can download the free toolbar at http://www.knowmorecenter.com and get instant access to the best free company, industry and people search sites.

When you call on someone, it's important to understand what's important to them. Remember, they don't want your call, email, or letter. They don't care about you, your company, or your solutions. What they are amazingly passionate about is themselves and their own problems. Figure out what is going on in their world and ensure your call, your examples, your stories, and the solutions you discuss are relevant to what they care about.

I hope this help, Lauren.

Sam
www.samrichter.com

I agree with Sam that every salesperson must identify potential problems and connect the dots between the problem and our solution. It's never about us.

However, sales reps don't need to be creative. The prospecting approach that works every time is a referral introduction. When you receive a referral introduction, the prospect takes your call. You educate your Referral Source on why you want to meet with their contact, so that your Referral Source gives a relevant business reason for connecting you.

You not only get the sales meeting at the level that counts, you arrive pre-sold, have trust and credibility, shorten your sales process, and convert that sales prospect to a client more than 50 percent of the time. Referrals are your must important, yet most under-leveraged sales prospecting strategy.

Hi Lauren

I've found some very interesting results lately employing three simple ideas. See my blog post for an explanation: http://mindmulch.net/b2b-sales/feng-shui-selling-doubled-success-weeks/

The bottom line is that many of us are trying way too hard to sell. We'd all do well to put down the selling stick and do more listening instead.

I was all set to question whether "creativity" was necessary, but Joanne beat me to it.

You don't have to be creative to sell to me. You need to convince me that you understand the problem I'm trying to resolve, and have a reasonable solution.