The Summer Grind: 3 Tips for Successful Summer Prospecting

Summer weather is finally starting to blossom. Spring has sprung, Memorial Day has passed, and the dog days of summer are on their way! Many of us have already begun to daydream of summer travel plans. I’ve been hearing buzz around my office lately regarding my colleagues’ upcoming vacations for the summer months. I’m sure my coworkers and I aren’t the only ones with trips in store. I was quickly reminded that a majority of my prospects will be taking time off during the summer as well. Before I know it, I’ll be running into hundreds of out-of-office messages.

As an inside sales rep, what is the best way to prepare for summer prospecting? Here are a couple tips to help you reach your quota during the peak of summer.

1. Build your pipeline.

Step one would be to build your pipeline. There’s still a couple weeks left before the 4th of July weekend. This gives you ample time to prepare your pipeline with important lists.

As an inside sales rep, you will deal with many types of lists: new lists, reconnecting lists, and warm lists are the most popular. In order to build your summer pipeline, spend some time on LinkedIn to research each contact before reaching out to them, and build new lists based on what you see from there. Organize your list according to title and company, so you know where the prospect is based. That way, you can plan the best call times for reaching them where they are, and you can predict whether there will be administrative assistants, or gatekeepers, who may be able to give you more information.

Consult your managers, and make an attack plan for building your summer pipeline. As always, your managers are there to help you, and they have faced many of the same problems you have over past summers. They may have helpful advice, or may be able to teach you to look at a situation from a different perspective.

2. Be Strategic.

Using strategy is another key element to prospecting, especially during slow times of the year. Since many of your prospects will begin exiting their offices, they will not have a chance to check their voicemail. But don’t be discouraged. There are a couple of different ways to get around this road block.

In most cases, you will still be able to communicate with administrative assistants and operators. People with these titles can be valuable resources, and they may be able to redirect you to another useful contact within the organization. And if you’re lucky, they may be able to answer a couple questions for you.

Email can also be a very useful tool to use when prospecting busy individuals. Many people will check their email periodically while out of the office through their mobile devices. Keep in mind that they may be reading your email on their tiny cell phone screens, so be sure to make your messages brief.

3. Don’t give up.

As an inside sales rep, it’s easy to become discouraged during the peak of the travel season. The key to success is not to lose hope. It is possible to achieve your goals and reach your quota if you stay positive and motivated.

Talk to your fellow inside sales reps and learn from them. Create a weekly schedule for yourself with set goals, such as, “Add 10 contacts to pipeline” or “Leave 100 voicemails and send 100 emails.” Cross off your list to feel a sense of achievement, which will motivate you even further.

The key to prospecting in the summer months is not to spend each day lazing around the office as you would at the beach. Instead, work smart, and see the results. With the right strategy, helpful resources, and proper preparation, it is quite possible to set yourself up for a summer of success.

The first Friday of June has just passed. Inside sales reps, stay motivated throughout these next few summer months, and follow these tips for successful summer prospecting!

Sales Prospecting Perspectives