One of the major reasons for mediocre sales performance is that salespeople go off in one direction or another without any clarity on their ideal prospect. They have no sense of control and they bounce all over the place.
Identify Your Ideal prospect as crystal clear as possible. What are their characteristics and qualities? Where do they network? What do they talk about? What associations do they belong to? What do they read? What is important to them?
Start by reviewing your client base of the clients who you LOVE to work with. What are their characteristics?
Then make a list of where you are willing to deviate from your “ideal” prospect. Get crystal clear where you will deviate. Most people deviate on the fly and end up in a mess. If a prospect consistently hammers you for a discount, they are NOT an ideal prospect. Are you willing to discount? If so, decide how much? If discounting leaves you feeling less valued, stop discounting! When a client asks me for a discount, I say, “I can see how that benefits you, how does it benefit me?”
Then make a list of prospects you absolutely do not want to work with and etch that list deep into your mind. If someone is curt and edgy up front, that could be a sign that they are not pleasant to work with. I have never had a long-term relationship with clients who have been edgy, touchy and mildly dis-respectful from the ‘get-go.’
Bumper Car Mentality keeps you miserable, unhappy and discombobulated. It’s like living at a carnival or circus and gets old fast.