Prospecting should be planned, purposeful activity

Try this: Until you can generate enough on-profile referral activity, we suggest choosing and consistently using a variety of sources and methods — talking to many prospects, opening lots of big and small cases. That's the way to keep a steady flow of names coming, avoid peaks and valleys, and keep from putting all your eggs in too few baskets.

Also, until you get up-to-speed, you should concentrate your initial efforts on the types of businesses you know best or where you are known. In addition, we suggest adapting these ideas and techniques to your own way of selling and to fit your markets and prospects.

Our prospecting sources and methods list is organized in order from the warmest, most-productive sources, to the coldest, least-productive sources. Most will be familiar to you; we've just added a business marketing emphasis. Keep in mind that you've got to have access to the key decision-makers. Your prospect (and, eventually, your client) is the businessowner or major shareholder, not the business itself, and not a key employee or even minority shareholders who do not participate in operating the company.

Existing clients — Check your current client files for businessowners. New businesses are being started all the time. The clients who were working for someone else last year may have already gone into business for themselves. During service calls and annual reviews with your "A" clientele, you should check for changes in clients' employment status. As you update your records, you may also discover new businessowners, as well as other sales opportunities.