Are you missing out on conversations with people who could have bought from you?
- Who are suspects and prospects?
- Could the person next to you on the bus become a prospect?
- Play the "Duck Pond" game.
As you may have gathered by now, a suspect is someone you might be able to sell to but have not yet connected with in any way. A prospect is someone you connect with who is interested in talking with you further about what you sell. Here's the thing: The person sitting next to you on the airport shuttle bus counts as a suspect. That person could turn out to be a prospect... but you won't know until you start a conversation.
In Search Of The Right Duck
Are you familiar with the "Duck Pond" game? You can find it at most carnivals. There's a group of plastic ducks floating in a large tub. For the price of a ticket, you get to choose a duck. On the bottom of the duck is a number that corresponds to the prize you "win." Most often, the prize isn't worth the price of the ticket. But if you continue playing the game, find a way to keep track of the ducks you've already chosen, and bring just a little bit of luck to the game, you may find the duck with the number that corresponds to the big stuffed animal that's actually worth more than the price of your tickets.
Prospecting is a similar "game." This game, like all games, has an objective: Finding, within a large group of suspects, a smaller group of prospects. Prospects, unlike suspects, have given you evidence that they are capable of graduating to the level of customer. Finding prospects is the first goal in the game of sales; finding prospects is what can help you win the big prize.
Just as the plastic ducks in the tub all look alike, suspects who are about to turn into prospects are hard to distinguish from suspects who won't. You must examine each suspect to determine whether he qualifies as a prospect. As you engage in your prospecting activities and work your way through the group of suspects, looking for prospects, you will, of course, encounter many more people who don't qualify as prospects than people who do. This situation can be very frustrating... until you recognize that sorting through suspects is just part of the process- a process that leads to a big payoff.
In essence, prospecting is not any different than picking up a duck, examining the number, and then, if it doesn't hold the number to the big prize, putting it back and choosing another duck. If you're making telephone cold calls, that means simply picking up the phone again and dialing the next number!
Prospecting is not limited to picking up the telephone, of course. In fact, you have opportunities for prospecting in virtually any social situation. At Sandler Training, we teach salespeople to observe what we call the "three-foot rule," meaning that anyone you could reach out and touch represents a potential opportunity for business. Again: You will never know for sure whether you are three feet away from a prospect... until you strike up a conversation!
The suspect you start chatting with on the bus may not qualify as a prospect... today. But she may reveal some information that gives you a reason to call on her in the future with she is likely to qualify as a prospect. She may know of others who are more likely to be a prospects. Each attempt brings you one step closer to the "big prize." Each suspect you connect with may be able to point you in the direction of a prospect, thereby accelerating your process.
The more ducks you pick up- the more aware you become of a suspect's ability to turn into a prospect or lead you to one- and the more eager you will be to pick up the next duck!
What Distinguishes Prospects From Suspects?
A suspect may have a casual interest in your product or service. A prospect is someone who has enough of an interest to be willing to have an in-depth conversation about it.
We understand the challenges that Executives, Sales Managers, and Salespeople face when it comes to growing revenue. We equip our clients with the Techniques, Behaviors, and Attitudes necessary to overcome those obstacles, enabling them to build more mutually beneficial relationships, and close more business.
