Business Development Jaime Bongiorno, Business Development Coordinator

Big Brother is not Watching

In sales, accountability should be self-driven.  Of course, there are quotas to reach monthly, quarterly, and year-end goals to achieve.  However, on a daily basis, salespeople are held accountable to no one but themselves to drive individual productivity – and end results.

As a method to effectively communicate quotas and create a level of external accountability, sales and marketing plans should reflect desired end results.  Cold calls, networking events, mailed materials, lead follow-up, speaking/writing engagements, and requests for referrals should be accounted for and weighed for value and effectiveness.  And salespeople should know exactly how much of each activity will lead to that end dollar amount.

Cold calling is not on anyone’s Top Ten list of favorite ways to generate business.  But if five cold calls will earn one appointment – and salespeople know how many appointments they must have to meet a quota – then the simple math dictates how many cold calls each salesperson must make.  In this sense, marketing is a numbers game.  Each aspect of marketing a business can be quantified and measured.  To find the most effective combination for your business, work backwards from the end goal to figure out the quantity of prospecting that will be required each and every day.

Equally as important to prospecting, however, and difficult to quantify, are client relationship-building activities.  Exceeding our client expectations and developing and strengthening relationships with them over time should be a top priority.  Helping clients grow their businesses in any way can solidify these relationships.  Though building relationships with clients cannot be assigned an exact dollar amount salespeople should never neglect clients in an effort to acquire new ones.

Always ask yourself how you can help someone and do it.  Building relationships depends on trust.  Be sincere.  Be honest.  Help whenever and wherever you can.  Never expect anything in return.  Forget about it when you do someone a favor but remember a favor that is done for you!  Earning trust from our clients will lead to referrals and new business for ourselves, as well. 

Daily prospecting activities grow businesses.  Keeping in touch with our clients will ensure our growth over the long run.

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