10 things to do when you don’t feel like prospecting
Here are some activities that make good use of your time without actually dialing the phone over and over.
We all have those “I don’t want to prospect” days. Days turn into weeks and we wonder why the pipeline suddenly dried up. Here are some activities that make good use of your time without actually dialing the phone over and over.
1. List local client companies. Who are their competitors? If the plans you provide are good for this client, why wouldn’t they be good for other companies in the same business. Without revealing confidentialities, you could explain you understand their industry.
2. List college alumni living locally. Where do they work? It’s the old school tie in action. It’s even better if you know each other from alumni events. Where do they work? Do they own their own business? Can they tell you the right person to contact about benefit plans?
3. Send out some Invitations to connect on LinkedIn. You have friends and business associates. You’ve connected on LinkedIn. Expand your network by inviting 2nd level connections. Once you know a few people at the same firm, start asking who you should contact in HR to talk about benefit plans.
4. You have company contacts. Some are no longer there. What happened to them? Did they resurface at another firm? Here’s a connection that likes you, a person with whom you have a relationship. Are they doing the same job, just in a different place? Would they happen to handle the benefit plan?
5. Friends who are between jobs. When was the last time you spoke? Be supportive. Help them by volunteering your contacts, offer to make connections. If you help them find another job, you will be doing something good and noble. They will likely want to help you in return. Now you have a friend on the inside at their new company.
6. New Chamber of Commerce members. They are often businesses new to the area. Do they have a benefits plan in place? Only one way to find out.
7. Research local professional organizations. Some cities have a manufacturers association. Or you might consider the professional route, like the county medical society. In some cities they have associate memberships for people not employed in the field, but supplying services members use.
8. School districts. They are often independent governmental organizations. Who has their benefit plan? Someone must know. Do they put the plan out for competitive bidding? Use your spare time to find out when.
9. Clients who left. You had their plan. Then you didn’t. They might not be happy with the change after all. Don’t burn bridges or lose relationships through neglect. Keep the connection. Ask how they are doing? Get a dialog started.
10. Put together your 2021 Business Plan. If you haven’t been asked for it already, you will be asked soon. This means you need to develop a plan outlining where you will find new clients. Points 1 – 9 lead up to point 10. All this supports your prospecting efforts without picking up the phone. You have built lists. Tomorrow is another day.
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