An app for that

Prospecting 2.0 is firmly on our radar now. We know as salespeople in the B2B world that we can’t cold call effectively anymore, prospects just don’t want to be interrupted by the phone, have first class gatekeepers and all have voice mail to fall back on if these prevention methods fail.

So how do we make an initial contact to a new customer? The answer is to follow Tom who sent me an email because I was a potential new customer for him.

Tom works for a company that produces Smartphone and iPad apps for small businesses like mine and wanted to prospect me.  Clever Tom followed the right strategy, so let me show you what he did.

1. Trigger – find the trigger that would make me take action, my current business problem he could solve
2. Solution, present his solution that might solve my problem
3. Proof, provide proof that would make me believe his claims
4. Call to action; encourage me to take some action, however small.

Trigger

Tom had researched me.  He had found my details on my professional association webpage, the Professional Speaking Association, he’d visited my websites and blogs and saw I was an avid producer of digital content and knew this was my main marketing tool to attract new clients. You can see his actual email shortly.

Solution

Tom personalised the email, in the subject line and in the main body  His solution for me, was to have an app created for the 6 million iPad, iPhone and iPod users in the UK so I could include all the digital content I’d already created and distribute it to more people.

I was interested as I’d been thinking about creating an app.

Then he hit me with the proof.

Proof

He spoke about the work he had done with Bill Caskey and how it had increased his business.  No I hugely admire Bill Caskey and his company in Indianapolis, I’ve been following his podcast for 5 years’ now.  That was enough proof for me.

Call to action

Finally Tom gave me a Call to Action. Not a “give me a call” as if I would.  No, he suggested I pop over to his website and set up an app for free.  Guess where I went next? And whilst I was there I left my email address to download a free app advice guide.

Tom’s been incubating me ever since and when I want to spend this years’ budget I know where I’ll be going.

So take to prospecting 2.0. Follow this strategy:

1. Trigger
2. Solution
3. Proof
4. Call to action

Emulate Tom, and you’ll hit the mark for the Teens