One of our client’s new producers is struggling to get started.
This isn’t an uncommon challenge.
Most new producers need to grind through a heavy prospecting challenge at the start.
This particular one makes a lot of calls but generates weak results, as in not enough first discovery appointments.
Why this particular producer struggles is not particularly important.
New producers struggle with sales prospecting for all kinds of reasons.
Call reluctance, lack of confidence, and lack of prospecting competence.
Sometimes they lack differentiation, that is, then can’t articulate something remarkable/different/better that their firm offers that a prospect is missing out on and needs to hear about.
What I explained to him is that, regardless of his struggles, his boss has an ROI calculator in his head.
That his boss needs to see a Return – future clients and revenue from his appointment setting and a growing active prospect pipeline now – OR that he will cut off the Investment – his salary soon.
To use a great Yogi Berra quote “it’s getting late early” .
So, he needs to do whatever it takes to get 2-4 appointments next week.
Not next month.
Not next week.
This week.
Tomorrow would be great
Today would be perfect.
The good news about being a new producer without clients is no client distractions (yet).
He can focus 100% on prospecting.
He can prospect until it hurts, and then prospect some more.
Make as many calls as he can — keeping a high energy level — and then when he’s ready to stop, make another 10 calls.
Block time for calls — especially early morning and later afternoon when the business owners are working and their gatekeepers are not — and blitz on the phone.
Make “warm” calls if he can; make “cold” calls if he must.
But make the calls and dedicate the hours to prospecting.
Get in the office early and stay later to do his prospecting.
We’ll soon see if he has the grit/resilience or if he melts/quits.
