According to Salesforce.com, it takes about 6-8 times to generate a viable sales lead. As a salesperson constantly trying to get prospects attention for a meeting, I find quite often it can take over 10x’s. Side note, great book is Grant Cardone, The 10x Rule. I’ve read it 3x’s (so far) and find this to be extremely motivating. I recommend getting the audio book as he narrates it.
You have to constantly compete for people’s attention because they have so much information coming at them everyday. Do you think you’re the only salesperson vying to get a key stakeholders attention? Silly Rabbit, Trix are for kids.
So many salespeople lead with their capabilities but the most effective way to get someone’s attention, is to make the message relevant to them.
Here are 6 tips on how to get people’s attention
- WIFT (What’s in it for them?) – Read their Annual Reports and create a VITO/BASHO letter – The best way to create an effective and customized communication is to obtain suggests from an annual report of 10k, assuming your target is a public company.
- Stay focused on this messaging by calling, sending relevant industry reports and amplifying relevant posts to backup your positioning.
- Connect – Make sure the people you’re targeting are 1st degree LinkedIn connections so you can view their activity. Here are some tips on building your LinkedIn audience. Once you make them a 1st degree connection, you can also comment on their posts (if applicable).
- CTA – Try to have a Call to Action – examples are webinars or lunch and learns.
- Timing is everything, so you have to be persistent. I read in an annual report in the beginning of the year that a large company I’m trying to target has a project that we can support and add tremendous value. I’ve stayed focused on this all year but have had no traction, but by not giving up, it was top of mind when one of my partners had some important insight on strategies to move this forward.
- Be persistent but not annoying – this is a fine line. Remember, you want to make a friend not an enemy. For example, cold calling a CIO before 8am is fine but calling them before 8am on their cellphones on a Sunday is not. Or calling them without a valid reason (WIFM) You get the point. #useyourhead
- REPEAT – remember it takes at least 6 and a lot of times over 10x’s to get someone attention. Your messaging must come in many forms – calls, email, social, handwritten VITO letters, etc.
Here are some other tips that may help in your messaging:
What I’ve just described is an omnichannel sales strategy.
What are your thoughts?
Anthony Lobosco
