Sales prospecting: the final step
Companies generally launch a sales prospecting project with the aim of conquering new markets. Depending on the objectives set, the results of the project can be quantitative or qualitative. Indeed, the realization of a prospecting strategy goes through several steps. It is notably the achievement of the objectives that marks the end of the process. In this article, you will discover the details of the last step that marks the end of prospecting.
This article will cover three main points:
Commercial prospecting is based on different objectives depending on the company and the nature of its activity. Here are the steps that must be completed in a prospecting process:
Keep in mind that the success of your prospecting campaign depends initially on the strategies developed and the tools used. Nowadays, technology makes it easy to prospect through various digital means. You can consult this article to discover the advantages of using dedicated tools: “The advantages of a digital prospecting tool“.
Obviously, the follow-up and analysis of the campaign results mark the end of the commercial prospecting process. In addition, in order to perform a good analysis of your campaign, you must consider several parameters. Ask yourself the following questions: Are the results of the prospecting satisfactory? Have the objectives been reached?
The follow-up of your prospecting campaign is a key factor in its success. To this end, you must use effective tools that will allow you to act on the actions that occur. Be sure to segment your reporting according to the different sources of lead generation. Segmentation can also depend on the different types of targets.
You can choose between these two tools to perform the reporting:
Whatever the prospecting tool, be sure to train your company’s sales representatives in its use. This will ensure not only the effectiveness of the follow-up, but also the success of the prospecting.
At the end of a sales prospecting process, you must evaluate the results of the campaign. There are two main indicators to take into account for this purpose.
If you have established quantitative prospecting objectives, measuring the results will be relatively easy. Be aware that the indicators may vary depending on the sector of activity in which you operate and the objectives you have set. Nevertheless, here are a few points you should check:
You can also use these seven metrics in your sales prospecting follow-up. Moreover, thanks to the data collected, you can take action to rectify your prospecting strategy.
Obviously, the objectives of the prospecting strategy are not always quantifiable. Nevertheless, you can measure the qualitative indicators resulting from your prospecting campaign by using scoring. The non-quantified indicators mainly concern :
Qualitative indicators can also be used for other marketing strategies within your company. Indeed, it is a way to improve your communication strategy. By integrating your customers’ opinions in your communication levers, you reinforce your company’s notoriety. If you want to go a little further, Hubspot lists a great list of KPIs to look at to evaluate your prospecting.
The business development process ends when you have reached the predefined objectives. In general, you must ensure that the results of the prospecting campaign correspond to the expected results. Several indicators can demonstrate the effectiveness of the prospecting. Quantitative or qualitative, these indicators are also means of monitoring the prospecting. Make sure you pay special attention to the follow-up of your prospecting campaign to benefit from better results in the long term.
