Channel Coach: How to Build Your Sales Funnel

Go prospecting in areas or industries where no one else is working. How about a day or two of cold calling in a part of the town, city or county where there isn’t a lot of sales traffic? I’ve found some of our best prospects and future clients in places where nobody was looking. Look at the businesses in your area that have potential to grow in challenging financial times. With bankruptcies and restructurings, many businesses will be looking for ways to better serve their clients and your products and services may be a good match. Find and work underserved markets where there is great potential.

Make prospecting a team-building event. When I was a sales manager, we held prospecting “Blitz Days.” On Blitz Days, every sales rep went into a single salesperson’s territory and went cold calling for appointments. At the end of the day we would get together to compare notes, results and give out prizes. The day was capped by a terrific team-building dinner at a local restaurant. We scheduled Blitz Days for each salesperson and each territory, so everyone had the benefit of a concentrated effort to build their sales funnel. Work together and have fun!

Join a lead-sharing network. There are plenty around such as LeTip, BNI and Toastmasters. Choose the group that best fits you, paying particular attention to assure the chemistry is right between you and the other members. Joining a lead-sharing group harnesses the power of referrals. Next to a base client, there is nothing better than a referral to increase your chances for success. One caveat to this approach: Be sure you have exclusive rights to leads for your business type. There ideally should be only one vendor in the group providing your type of services — YOU! If you can’t find a group that has room for you or the chemistry just isn’t right, consider putting together your own group.

By following these tips, you will be on your way to becoming the one of those people with the great smile!

Got Questions?
Ask the Channel Coach. Send your questions to wbtaylor@corporateladders.com. Please include your name, city, state and a phone number where you can be reached. First names and locations only will be published.

Bill Taylor is president of Corporate Ladders, a management, sales and business development consulting and coaching firm specializing in technology, telecom, Internet, health care and financial services companies. He can be reached at +1 201 825 8296 or wbtaylor@corporateladders.com.