Perfect Prospecting Plan - How to predictably get 10+ new leads every month? [Step-By-Step Process]

In today's business world, having a steady flow of new prospects is crucial for a steady revenue stream.

Prospecting, the process of identifying and attracting new potential customers, can be a time-consuming and challenging task but is an indispensable part of the sales process.

To maximize the success of prospecting efforts, it is essential to have a well-defined plan in place. This plan, also known as a prospecting roadmap, serves as a guide that outlines the steps necessary to reach your target audience and obtain prospects.

With a prospecting plan, you can prospect intelligently, ensuring your time and energy are not wasted.

Sales prospecting is the key to finding new opportunities and turning prospects into customers. However, the question remains - how do you get those prospects in the first place?

This post provides a comprehensive guide to creating a successful prospecting plan for your business.

By the end of this post, you will have the tools and knowledge necessary to develop a customizable prospecting strategy that you can put into action immediately.

Before diving into the specifics of prospecting plans,

let's first understand the fundamentals of sales prospecting.

What is prospecting?

Prospecting is a crucial step in the sales process that involves locating and identifying potential customers to establish a pool of leads.

What is the difference between prospecting and lead generation?

This stage is focused on reaching out to prospects through outbound methods, unlike lead generation, which encompasses both inbound and outbound techniques.

It marks the initial phase in the sales funnel, where the objective is to create a foundation for future communication and convert prospects into paying customers.

What do you mean by a prospecting plan?

A prospecting plan is a methodical approach to discovering new sales leads. The goal of a prospecting plan is to identify and reach out to potential customers who are interested in your product or service.

This approach is often incorporated in B2B sales strategies. However, the benefits of a prospecting plan extend beyond just sales teams.

Any business needing to acquire new customers, such as recruiters searching for new candidates, can benefit from a prospecting plan.

Individuals such as consultants and freelancers can also utilize a prospecting plan to find new clients. Additionally, real estate agents can use this strategy to generate new leads.

Let’s learn about the importance and benefits of good prospecting!

Importance of Quality Prospecting

Active search for leads that opens up new possibilities.

The target audience and buyer persona should be well-defined.

Benefits of Quality Prospecting

Better targeting: Control over the lead collection and source analysis, focusing on high-potential leads.

Improved conversion rate: Careful targeting leads to higher conversion rates, especially for cold leads.

Higher ROI: Investing in a quality prospecting tool can increase ROI.

Quick replacement of churned customers: Filling the sales funnel with fresh leads compensates for customer churn and grows the base.

How does the prospecting process work?

The sales prospecting process is a comprehensive approach that encompasses identifying, connecting and nurturing relationships with prospective customers.

Unlike lead generation, which merely involves identifying potential customers, sales prospecting requires sales professionals to take a proactive approach by seeking out and engaging with these prospects.

This process helps salespeople to create a pipeline of potential clients who have expressed interest in their offerings, making them more receptive to further communication and sales efforts.

By establishing relationships with these prospects, the salesperson can turn them into customers.

Here are the 5 Ps of Prospecting given by Jim Brodo, a seasoned professional with over 25 years in marketing, training, and development who delves into the prospecting process using the 5 Ps.

What are the 5 Ps of Prospecting?

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1. Purpose:

Sales and marketing teams should start with a clearly defined purpose to identify the right target, create effective messaging and position the value of their solution in the context of the prospect's business goals.

2. Preparation:

Sales professionals should be prepared for their calls and have the necessary knowledge about the customer, the right way to address them and be ready to have a business dialogue.
They should also have the plan to handle objections and make a personal connection.

3. Personalization:

Make prospecting personal by finding ways to connect with the prospect and using information from sources like LinkedIn to create a unique hinge.

4. Perseverance:

Be persistent but not a pest in the prospecting process. Build trust and credibility by providing value and information to the prospect.

5. Practice:

Sales professionals should continually develop their prospecting skills, tools, and methodology.
They can use tools like best practices business simulations, virtual role-play, and social role-play to enhance their skills.

Prospecting can be done in many ways, let’s read further to know more about this!

What are the Methods of Prospecting?

1. Online Research

Qualifying prospects through research and checking if the prospect's business is a good fit by asking:

Do you sell to people in that industry?
Does the prospect fit the buyer persona for the company?
Is the prospect in your territory?

Identify key decision-makers.
Research factors that may impact time requirements.
Determine the company's awareness of your company and offer.

2. Referrals

One practical approach to locating qualified prospects is to request referrals from existing clients or connections.
Recommendations from a satisfied customer can raise the probability of a sale being made to the person they have referred.

3. Attending Events

Attending events is an excellent opportunity to connect with potential customers and establish relationships.
To maximize your chances of meeting prospects and fostering personal connections, it's essential to participate in as many relevant events as you can.
You can immediately or later leverage these relationships for business growth.

4. Networking

Networking is a continuous process, not a one-time event, and Building a network takes time, especially for new professionals or those still establishing themselves in their industry.
Reasons to network include finding new business, expanding contacts, or strengthening existing relationships.
Identify the individuals you should network with, If you haven't already met them, arrange a meeting to get to know them better.

5. Cold Calling

Cold calling is a prospecting method that can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be complicated.
Cold calling aims to spark interest in potential leads and secure a meeting to discuss your product/service in more detail.
The hardest part of cold calling is the opening line, so it's essential to approach it correctly.
To start a cold call, introduce yourself, state your company name, and ask about the recipient's day. Then, mention the pain points relevant to their company or position and explain how your product/service can help solve them.
When reaching out, state why you're calling, ask if they need help, and match prospects with your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).

Example: "Hi {Name}, I noticed you read our case study on reducing operating costs, and I couldn’t help but wonder if you needed any help in that area. Was I correct?"

Wait for a response, then briefly explain how you help and ask for a meeting. If they say no, ask again politely.

6. Emailing

Email prospecting involves sending cold emails to prospects to gauge interest in a sales conversation.
Most prospecting emails will go to cold leads unfamiliar with your brand, so rejections and unopened emails are expected.
Don't be discouraged; it's part of the process.

Focus on two critical factors for successful prospecting emails:

Personalization
Follow-ups

and Target decision-makers at companies that fit your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile).

7. Content

Interacting with company content (e.g. blog posts, videos, case studies) can lead to potential prospects.
More helpful content attracts more qualified leads.

8. Social Media

Prospecting on social media benefits personal and professional life and helps find potential clients, strategic partners, or new hires.
All transactions are tracked digitally, creating a digital footprint is "prospecting gold" for finding leads.
If the prospect senses you're trying to help, they may engage in a conversation, and you can assess if they're qualified and interested.

LinkedIn Prospecting:

LinkedIn is a great social media platform for B2B sales prospecting.

Targets specific prospects based on job titles, industry, etc.
Customized messages can be sent to potential customers.

Consider getting a LinkedIn automation tool (e.g. SalesRobot) to streamline tasks.

Automates profile visits, connection requests, and messaging.
Saves time, allowing for more interaction with customers/leads.

For more insights on LinkedIn Prospecting, check out our detailed blog.

Without further adieu, Let’s learn about perfect prospect planning!

A Step-by-Step Process For An Effective Prospecting Plan

A comprehensive plan for finding potential clients should encompass the following steps:

Identify your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).
Conduct thorough research of potential prospects.
Select the most effective means of communication with your prospects.
Establish a systematic and ongoing email campaign with follow-ups.
Implement automation and assess the outcomes for continuous improvement.

1. Identify your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP):

Consider creating a persona to build a comprehensive picture of your ideal customer. This tool helps you better understand and target potential customers who are likely to be interested in your products or services.

A clear understanding of your target audience can help drive business growth through a well-executed strategy.

To establish your ideal customer persona, focus on the following three components and ask yourself relevant questions:

Firmographic information:

Company size
Company location
Company Revenue
Whether the company is hiring in the department you sell to
Technologies they use
Trigger events (such as new hires or promotions in roles you sell to)

Decision-making factors:

Having the right job title
Having an active need in the department

Needs, pains, and frustrations:

Blockages
Goals
Values
Concerns
The prospects' aspirations, etc.

After you’ve defined your ICP, you can move on to the next step.

2. Conduct thorough research of potential prospects:

Conducting research on prospective clients before making initial contact can significantly impact the outcome of your efforts.

Familiarizing yourself with a company's background and the person you're trying to reach allows you to approach the conversation with a well-defined strategy.

Each prospect is unique, and your interactions with them should reflect that. Salespeople must gather information and tailor their approach to each individual for a more personalized experience.

This helps to establish relevance and increase the chances of having a productive and positive exchange.

Here are a few in-depth points to consider while researching:

1. Learn About the Company:

Visit the company website, note its mission and vision, and gather information about the following(this is similar to the firmographic information above).

2. Conduct in-depth research to gather context on the company:

Search for third-party publications mentioning the company.
Identify competitors.
Check for the company blog and social media presence.
Observe the company's lead generation content (e.g., Twitter posts).

3. Do a Background Check:

Identify the right person at the company to reach out to.
Check the company website's "About" and "Contact" pages for employee bios and contact information.

4. Utilize LinkedIn to research employees:

Look for job changes, job functions, and education.
Build a persona of the person you're reaching out to.

5. Hypothesize Pain Points:

Find out what the company is doing to address relevant problems.
Use the information gathered to become a consultant and start a problem-solving process.
Look at the potential people's channels to identify pain points within their company's goals.

As you know your target consumer and their interest, it’s time to choose the best methods to reach them!

3. Select the most effective means of communication with your prospects.

You must identify and experiment to know which channels work the best for you and your business. Always try to incorporate different types of channels to reach your prospects.

Here are a few methods that help you reach your potential prospects:

Email Prospecting: A popular B2B prospecting method and find email addresses and create engaging email templates.

Queue Up Your Calls for the Day: Calling is best for meaningful connections; telephone prospecting is one of the best ways to reach your prospects.

Implement Different Techniques: Create a list of methods and plan time for each technique.

Develop an Online Presence:

Build trust with potential buyers. Develop a presence for familiarity.
Use social media to establish a personal and professional brand.

Resonate With Prospects Through Short Personalized Videos:

Create a 45-60 second video to accompany the email.
Introduction or summary of what you're sending.
Address them by name to show dedication.

Pro Tip: Before reaching out to prospects, have the correct B2B lead-generating tools to find email addresses, phone numbers, and cell phone numbers for Corporate Decision Makers.

4. Establish a systematic and decisive plan for your process with sales arguments, actions, and deadlines:

As you have now understood your methods and techniques to reach a prospect, We will move forward to understand the actual content you would deliver.

Here are a few steps to effectively create an excellent decisive plan for your prospecting:

Sales Arguments:

Use open questions to initiate a conversation and tailor your approach to the person or company you're contacting.
Anticipate common questions to show trust and expertise.
Promote your products or services.
Prepare your argument in advance and value your business.

Sales Action Plan:

Ensure that your salespeople are well-trained and understand their roles.
Encourage salespeople to test your products and understand your company's values.
Offer training on how to use prospecting tools and software.

Deadline for Prospecting Plan:

Set a deadline for your prospecting campaign, and use software such as Excel, Google Sheets, or Trello to track progress.
Ensure the deadline is calibrated with your business goals.

Avoid setting a deadline that is too short or too long to maintain productivity and performance.

5. Implement automation and assess the outcomes for continuous improvement:

Determining the success of your marketing efforts can be a challenge without proper measurement. That's why assessing your marketing results is critical to identify what's regularly working and needs improvement.

Here are some tips to help you measure your marketing results effectively:

how to implement automation process in prospecting plan

Track Website - Use tools like Google Analytics to track the number of visitors to your website and determine which marketing channels drive the most traffic.
Evaluate Leads - Keep an eye on your lead generation campaign by tracking the number of leads generated from each marketing channel. This will give you an idea of which channels are most effective at generating leads.
Conversion Rates - Track the conversion rates of your website visitors by measuring the number who convert into leads or customers. This will help you identify which marketing channels drive the most conversions.
Assess Customer Engagement - Measure customer engagement by tracking key metrics like heatmaps, page visits, time on site, and social media shares. This will give you a better understanding of your audience's interaction with your content.
Return on Investment (ROI) is one of the most critical metrics. To calculate it, divide the net income generated by your campaign by the total cost of the campaign and multiply the result by 100. This percentage will give you an indication of the success of your marketing efforts.

Consider creating a campaign prospecting plan template to streamline your measurement process.

This can save you time and effort, as many prospecting activities are repetitive. Regularly review your results and adjust your prospecting plan to ensure the best results.

In the end, Let’s wrap this one up!

Conclusion

Prospecting is vital to any successful sales and marketing strategy, as it significantly impacts a company's financial performance.

To maximize your chances of success, it is imperative to invest time and effort in creating a comprehensive and effective prospecting plan.

Sales professionals should use this plan to generate more leads, convert them into customers, and ultimately improve the bottom line.

Remember that prospecting can be challenging and time-consuming, and not all prospects may be interested in your product or service. Other elements, such as sales copy or conversion techniques, are irrelevant without quality leads.

Choose the prospecting method and lead sources that are best suited for your niche and that yield the most promising leads.

However, using this guide to develop your prospecting strategy can enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

Wishing you the best of luck in your prospecting efforts!