Do you want to know your prospect’s burning questions? Of course you do.
That way you can show up in more helpful ways for them. Do this enough and you’ll become a respected and trusted advisor. Do you think that position will help you gain more referrals and make more sales over time?
I hope you said, “yes”.
Luckily, the internet makes it easier to learn the questions your prospects are asking so you can be more helpful. But there’s a lot of “noise” out there you say? Yes, there is. And it will take you a bit to get the hang of the “new landscape” but stick with it. Once you master it, you’ll be on your way to becoming that “trusted authority” people turn to.
Here’s how:
1- Use Hootsuite, Sprout Social or another scheduling/metrics tool to follow industry relevant hashtags on Twitter. That way, you can see the main topics of conversation and gain a sense of who the major online industry players are.
Initially, your goal is simply to soak it all in. Read, notice. Retweet and respond as you feel moved. After a few days of this, you’ll get a sense of the top players and questions. Follow those people. Connect with them on LinkedIn. Notice what they’re doing there.
This is valuable information. Don’t leave it to interns or others to convey to you what your prospects are saying either about your company, your competition or about their concerns in the marketplace.
2- Set Google Alerts. It’s an oldie but goodie. Set up alerts with your target keyword phrases and customer’s names. You’ll get an email alert when they appear in the news or on a blog. Think of how useful you’ll be when you’re up to date on what your clients or competition is doing.
3- You can also use a simple CRM system to connect with your email and social world. It’ll show you who’s connected to whom and where they spend most of their time online. You’ll get the nudge to send that prospect a valuable article or connect them with so and so.
There’s power in having useful information. When you listen effectively, you’ll learn the cues. Some sales coaches advocate listening for “trigger phrases”. Phrases like, “I need a CRM that integrates with MS Dynamics”. If you sell such a CRM solution, then you have discovered an opportunity to send a piece of helpful information like a tips sheet or ebook on what to look for in these CRMs. That opens the door for further conversation.
As you get more comfortable with the tools, you’ll uncover more opportunities. The internet opens new doors. Let it work for you.
