2017 was a good year for me… my best year ever. I was consistent in hitting my behaviors for the all 52 weeks of the year. In fact, I did 96.7% of my behaviors, from emails to cold walk-ins, during the year. I consider that a victory.
However, I wasn’t completely happy. I knew that I struggled on occasion with the motivation and the mindset to achieve 100% of my behaviors and that gnawed at me like how a dog takes to a bone. As usual, it was some advice that my good friend and mentor, Erik Meier, told me that sparked a change in my actions.
Erik suggested that I set a “dream 100” list for 2018 and develop a cadence for how I do my behaviors. To me, a “dream 100” list is the top 100 prospects that I would like to work with. He thought I was too focused on hitting the numbers and less focused on doing productive behaviors. As usual, he was right. My actions were strong tactically, but my plan was weak strategically.
The switch to a strategic process was a brilliant idea. I developed my “dream 100” list and organized my prospecting activities into a cadence. This cadence has me performing with purpose and intention. No longer I am prospecting just to “hit” my numbers. I am prospecting with a plan, and the cadence keeps me focused.
The idea of the cadence is to set a sequential list of prospecting activities that you feel will lead to either a “no” or a scheduled appointment with the prospect. Start with one activity and if that doesn’t work, move to the next. If the next one doesn’t work, move to the next. You get the idea. The goal is to follow the cadence until you get to the prospect’s truth, which is a meeting or a “no”. Everyone will have their own cadence built around their behaviors and goals. My cadence starts with some introduction, maybe from a referral or at a networking event. From there my cadence strategy is:
1. Connecting with or sending a message on LinkedIn
2. Reaching out through email
3. Doing a cold walk-in to their office
4. Giving them a “no pressure” prospecting call
5. Inviting the prospect to a talk or class I have
6. Giving the prospect a product like the Sandler book
7. Sending a thank you note
8. Signing them up for my email newsletter
9. Asking a mutual acquaintance to refer me to the prospect
10. Calling to check in with the prospect
I repeat the process twice and if nothing happens, I stop. I take them off my prospecting list for 90 days. Ninety days later I will start the process again.
The reason I wait 90 days is because it’s evident that they aren’t interested. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t be interested or things haven’t changed in those three months. I feel like it could be the right time to reopen the conversation.
I am excited to see how this works for 2018 and I hope that this has given you some encouragement to have your best year ever. Sell more and sell more easily.
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