Stop Hesitating and Start Prospecting

Sales prospecting is considered an important yet a dreaded, fearful task. The lack of knowledge in effective prospecting often leads to a variety of invented fears (fear of cold calling, fear of rejection, fear of wasting yours & the prospect's time). It can be quite a frustrating process, especially if you're just starting out in the sales industry but for the pros, looking for prospects is a fun yet challenging task.

Without proper know-hows on prospecting, you might view it as a burden rather than a helpful task. But how would you sell if you have no buyers, not even a prospect? So consider first how to overcome those prospecting reluctance:

1. Believe in the power of prospecting.
Yes, again, its all about the attitude. If you believe prospecting will never work and that you'd just be wasting your time, then a sales profession might not the be right one for you.

If you're eager to sell, you must be also eager to prospect. Psyche yourself up, give yourself a little pep talk everyday, make it a daily affirmation. You don't have to necessarily tell yourself that you love prospecting but it would really help if you do. "Fake it till you make it" or in this case think about it as a "need/want" until it becomes a habit.

2. Stop making excuses.
It will lead you to nowhere. If you find yourself thinking of something that would prevent you from even starting prospecting, stop immediately that trail of thought. Stop rationalizing those excuses and just start prospecting. Just plunge in. Just do it.

3. Set a goal and push yourself towards achieving it.
Have you ever been late to an important meeting? Think of those things that you had to do in order to arrive on time. Think of the urgency, the need to do it because you have to; skipping breakfast, driving like a maniac, running like someone is after you, pausing for a few seconds to fix yourself while inhaling one deep breath and telling yourself that you can do this, you're the man, you're the best and so on and so forth then slowly calming your nerves and smiling while walking to your important meeting.

That's how your goal for prospecting should be like. If you're just starting out, set a manageable goal for the week. How may contacts SHOULD YOU, NOT CAN, make in a week? How may contacts SHOULD YOU, NOT CAN, get in a day? Get a calendar and cross out the dates every time you meet your goal. Put that calendar in a place where you can easily see it. You'd be surprise at your progress and at the number of prospects you've made at the end of the month. If you're feeling already the weariness or prospecting taking its tolls, stop for a bit and tell yourself  "I can do this, I am the master of my own universe.." and other similar affirmations that would psyche you up. Think & say every inspiring thought that comes to mind. Get a coffee, listen to an upbeat music, relax for a while, do everything you can to not stop prospecting, even for day.

Prospecting at first, would not an enjoyable experience, especially if you have no idea how to do it. But once you've learned the basics, applied that and you do it on an everyday basis, you'd eventually get the hang of it to the point of even making it into a habit. Eventually you'd feel incomplete when you haven't done even a single prospecting for a day and you'd actually look forward to doing it, everyday.

So just do it. Start prospecting right now!