An effective sales prospecting strategy for your business, and you want to win new customers? You will have to go through the prospecting stage . This is necessary to improve your turnover and sustain your business. However, since there are different techniques for conducting it, you will have to take into account the context and the type of prospects targeted. Discover, through this article, the basics of prospecting !
Commercial prospecting strategy: a hunt for new customers
The commercial prospecting strategy is an approach which consists in looking for and finding new prospects . Commercial prospecting has two variants. One is suitable for B2C ("Business to Consumer") , where the sales force is addressed directly to individuals. The other is concentrated, on the other hand, on the B2B ("Business to Business") , where salespeople go to meet business managers in order to sell their goods or services. In this case, the commercial strategy adapts to the needs and possibilities of the prospect.
The final objective is to transform its commercial prospecting strategy into customers . To get there, you will have to go through these 4 steps:
- Qualification of the “lead” (or prospect who has already provided their contact details): using a marketing campaign, a free trial, a promotional action, etc. ;
- Identification of the “buyer persona”: that is to say the analysis of the habits and problems of your prospects, in order to personalize your speech;
- Responsiveness: your marketing and sales team must contact the prospect as quickly as possible;
- Innovation: the need to be creative to stand out from your competitors.
It will therefore be necessary to put in place a very precise strategy in order to then determine the concrete actions to be carried out.
Choosing your commercial prospecting strategy
Before implementing your strategy, you will first need to define your objective . Is it about finding new customers? Or build loyalty among those who already consume your products?
When it comes to targeting new customers, the most important thing is to identify the prospects who will need your offering. Then, group them according to predefined criteria. This is called segmentation . These criteria vary depending on your target.
In B2C , they can take into account age, professional situation and purchasing power. But in B2B, this may concern the size of the company, the sector of activity, etc. The common criterion remains geographical location.
After establishing this list, start contacting your target , using one of the techniques at your disposal. The messages you will convey must be precise and clear. If you have any doubts, do not hesitate to call on specialized agencies !
If, on the other hand, you are looking to perpetuate current customers , the most important is to retain and then create an additional sale . This operation is called monitoring of the existing portfolio. As part of loyalty , priority is to have a good relationship with the customer. Your customer must feel that you are available accompany him . Loyalty awards, personalization of offers, the creation of the feeling of belonging, etc. are tactics you can use.
To ensure loyalty , flexibility and performance must work together. As for the additional sale , it requires time, because the offer must be personalized. To develop this offer, it will be necessary to analyze your customers' purchases.
Do not forget to hold a dashboard to see the relevance of your commercial prospecting strategy, and modify it if necessary.
READ ALSO: BtoB commercial prospecting tool: maximize your sales
Commercial prospecting techniques
The telephone trade prospecting strategy or teleprospection
The objective is to sell a product by telephone and/or make an appointment with the customer. These phone calls are generally made from offshore call centers based on qualified files. Unfortunately, telemarketing is often labeled intrusive by the public.
Canvassing
This is a form of direct prospecting. The salesperson contacts the customer at his home, at his workplace or in any other place that is not intended for marketing. We also talk about door-to-door. The problem is that this alternative is subject to the provisions of the Hamon law. The customer thus has 14 days to withdraw after the sale.
Direct marketing
It is quite large because this technique includes advertising communication , which can arouse direct action. Courier, fax, telephone, digital marketing (email, commercial link, advertising banner, social networks , etc.) are among its channels.
Presence at fairs and exhibitions
These are commercial events which bring together several participants . The aim is to bring businesses together in one place . They then come there to exhibit their goods and services to an informed public. They can be regional, national or international in scope. The show often brings together exhibitors belonging to the same sector of activity . When a show is said to be specialized, it targets a professional audience. The fair, for its part, brings together diverse sectors and is aimed at the general public. The fair often has a festive dimension. These shows and fairs provide you with good visibility among customers, but are also an opportunity to see your competitors , prove your professionalism , expand your network of contacts and consolidate your experience .
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During commercial prospecting , it will not be a question of using these techniques indiscriminately. You will decide, depending on your target , which ones are the most optimal. It will then be necessary to facilitate the purchasing process in order to satisfy your customer . Indeed, a satisfied customer will be more inclined to recommend your company . On the other hand, a bad buzz will be harmful to your entire business. Indeed, as a marketing quote says: “A satisfied customer talks to two people; a dissatisfied customer talks about it at 10”.
Choose the best efficient commercial prospecting strategy
Expert references and credible studies
Sectoral studies and analyzes
A recent study by Salesforce (2023) reveals that companies using a multi -channel approach see their conversion rate increase by 28% compared to traditional methods. Read the study
The Harvard Business Review has published an analysis showing that personalization of prospecting messages improves response rates of 35%. Consult the article
Recognized expert
Jill Konrath, author of “Selling to Big Companies,” explains: “Modern prospecting requires an approach focused on creating immediate value for the prospect.” See her blog
Mark Roberge, former Hubspot CRO, underlines the importance of alignment between marketing and sales in prospecting strategies. Read his analysis
User testimonies on the commercial prospecting strategy
- “By adopting personalized video prospecting, we increased our qualified meetings by 40% in 3 months” – Pierre D., Sales Director Tech Startup LinkedIn Testimonial
- “Our team has reduced prospecting time by 60% thanks to intelligent automation of initial contacts” – Sophie M., SME Sales Manager Twitter Post
- “The combination of cold email and systematic follow-up calls allowed us to double our pipeline in 6 weeks” – Ahmed T., business developer Video testimonial
- “By segmenting our base by purchasing behavior, we achieved an 8% conversion rate on our campaigns” – Laura G., CRO Scale-up Medium Article
- “The consultative rather than commercial approach has transformed our results with key accounts” – Marc L., Key Account Director Podcast interview
Commercial prospecting strategy stories and anecdotes
- study case strategy
- Xerox's anecdote which revolutionized its sales by forming its salespeople to ask open questions complete history
- The Turning Slack who abandoned cold emails to focus on word of mouth analysis Techcrunch
- The costly error of a startup that prospected without segmentation for 6 months post reddit
- How a salesperson won a 250K € contract with a prospecting based on humor forbes
Prospecting strategies segmentation
| Segmentation type | Features | Recommended tools |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial | Adaptation to long purchasing processes | LinkedIn Sales Navigator |
| Behavioral | Targeting based on prospects actions | HubSpot Sequences |
| TPE/SME | Direct approach and fast results | Loom prospecting video |
| Eti | Multi-interlocutor strategy | CRM Enterprise |
| Digital | Automation of first contacts | Lemlist |
Diagram: [Ideal prospecting process] → Identification → Qualification → Contact taking → Monitoring → Conversion
Questions/answers on the commercial prospecting strategy
What is the most effective commercial prospecting strategy in 2024?
Gong.io data show that the personalized email combination + call within 24 hours gives 73% of better results.
How to effectively prospect major accounts?
A Rain Group study reveals that 82% of decision-makers accept meetings when the proposal creates value.
Should we favor the quantity or the quality in prospecting?
Benchmark Sales Insights Lab shows that top performers contact fewer prospects but better qualified.
What tools to automate his prospecting?
Solutions like Outreach.io and Salesloft allow to automate 40% of the process without losing personalization.
How to measure the effectiveness of its commercial prospecting strategy?
Tracker the response rate, the number of meetings and the conversion rate to opportunity.
How long for a good business prospecting strategy cycle?
HubSpot data indicate that 5 to 7 keys in 2-3 weeks optimize the results.
How to reduce rejection in commercial prospecting strategy?
Saleshacker's analysis recommends avoiding commercial jargon and focusing on the needs of the prospect.
What place for social networks in commercial prospecting strategy?
A LinkedIn study shows that messages via the network are 3x more likely to get an answer.
How to adapt your prospecting to telework?
Experts advise to use more video and collaborative tools like Miro.
What budget to allocate to its prospecting strategy?
Benchmark AA-ISP indicates that companies devote 15-25% of their dirty budget to prospecting.
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