Test your
Prospecting Skills
Slick is a seasoned account executive who has been selling printing for over 4 years,
but like many of us he continues to make costly prospecting mistakes. Follow Slick's telephone presentation and see if you can identify at
least 12 prospecting mistakes, then try to answer the 10 skill testing prospecting questions.
Can you find the 12 prospecting mistakes?
Slick: (To receptionist.) Good morning, I'm calling from
Best Litho. Can you please tell me who handles the printing for your company?
Receptionist: May I ask what this is about?
Slick: I just want to quickly introduce myself to your print buyer and tell him about our printing and mailing services.
Receptionist: Thanks for calling but we've been dealing with the same printer for the past 5 years, so we're not interested.
Slick: Could I just get the name of the person that handles your printing so that I can send a company brochure?
Receptionist: You can mail it to Bob Baxter.
Slick mails the brochure and follows up a week later.
Slick: Good morning, it's Slick from Best Litho, is Bob Baxter in?
Receptionist: One moment please.
Bob: Hello, Bob Baxter speaking.
Slick: Bob, my name is Slick and I'm calling from Best Litho. How are you today?
Bob: I'm fine. How can I help you?
Slick: Bob, at Best Litho we offer quality offset and digital printing, outstanding service and very competitive prices. We also offer complete mailing services. The reason I'm calling is I was hoping to get a few minutes of your time to tell you about our services and possibly quote on one of your upcoming jobs.
Bob: Thanks for calling, but I'm not interested right now.
Skill testing prospecting questions.
1. What response will land the appointment when the prospect says?
I'm not interested, I'm happy with our printer.
Not now; call me in 6 months.
I have a friend in the business.
Send me some literature first.
2. Most prospects decide within the first 6 seconds, whether or not to
meet with you. What must you say to instantly pique their interest? (Clue, it's not telling them about your printing services.)
3. To be successful in print sales you must contact a decision maker.
What single criteria makes someone a decision maker? (Clue, it's not the person that can give you the order.)
4. Give 3 examples of how to get past a receptionist that is screening calls.
5. What easy-to-use technique will circumvent voice mail?
(Clue, it's not leaving a message.)
6. Why must you never call on the purchasing agent or print buyer?
7. Offering a Universal Benefit is the key to prospecting success. What is
the president or owner's Universal Benefit?
8. Prospects don't want to deal with a print salesperson; they want to work with
someone that understands their industry. What must you do to position yourself as an industry expert?
9. Marketing managers are one of your best prospects. What should you offer a
marketing manager that is happy with his present supplier? (Clue, it's not lower prices.)
10. "Bob, I can be at your office tomorrow at 9 am. Is that time convenient
for you?" Why should you never ask this closing question?
Selling the prospect that is happy with his printer
The old way of selling printing, where you tell the prospect about your great quality, outstanding service, fast delivery and low prices, no longer works. Landing a new account in today's competitive marketplace, where everyone you call on claims to be happy with their printer, requires a specific skill set and these are precisely the skills and strategies that you'll find in A Field-Tested Prospecting System. Order this program today and discover the field-tested prospecting strategies that the industry's most successful printers are using to gain market share and drive their sales and earnings.
(Return to the Top)
| 
