Sales Prospecting Perspectives

If you follow the Sales Prospecting Perspectives blog, you are aware that the subject BANT has been extensively covered, and the acronym has been deemed “dead.”

The sales term “BANT qualified lead” has become the bane of my existence since becoming an inside sales manager at AG Salesworks, a client-based organization.  When it comes down to it, there are components of BANT that are valuable.  Of course a sales rep would want to know a prospect’s Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeframe, but let’s be honest: despite how good the lead is, chances are that one or more of these components will be missing.  

So I started asking myself: What is it I really want to know when I’m reviewing a lead from one of my sales reps, and how do I communicate that to a client to get them to modify their opinion of “BANT qualified?”

Sales Prospecting Perspectives is pleased to bring you a post from Gillian Sontz, Business Development Representative at AG Salesworks. 

In B2B inside sales, you will often have to call lists, both warm and cold. When cold calling - which actually isn't that different than warm calling with the right preparation - it's important to make a strong first impression on new prospects. They've never heard of you before. They may have never even heard of your company before. Instead of coming off as a lazy sales rep interrupting their day's work, try out these cold calling tips to help position yourself as a trusted advisor first and foremost.  

I just wrapped up my first fall Sunday Funday. We watched the Pats, had some friends over, cooked some fall-inspired food, and may have had one or two pumpkin beers. This is my absolute favorite time of year. It's a fresh new start as we close out the summer and get ready to start the last quarter of the year. An influx of new customers goes hand in hand with that, and it’s always exciting to kick off new client engagements.

As we launched one program in particular last week, my client asked my all-time favorite question: "What makes for the best programs when it comes to inside sales engagements?" The below are crucial elements of a successful inside sales or lead generation effort from my perspective:

Sales Prospecting Perspectives is pleased to bring you a post from Michaela Cheevers, Business Development Representative at AG Salesworks.

As a business development representative, it is important to make every contact attempt count in order to provide your client with the best information possible. Inside sales reps have the same imperative: maximize time by qualifying prospects creatively. That being said, it’s crucial to be prepared when communicating with anyone in your quest for information. No matter who you get live on the phone, chances are they can provide you with some information; you just need to be equipped with the right questions to ask. Here are some ideas for inside sales and business development reps to find opportunities for quality conversations, no matter where you find yourself in the prospecting trenches.

In the world of teleprospecting, many thought leaders are debating the efficacy of new and old techniques. With more and more sales leaders implementing new strategies, it's important for inside sales rep to keep up with the trends. However, don't feel you have to choose one technique and stick to it. Instead, learn to balance your techniques and manage your lists. Social selling is time-consuming, and it cuts out the ability to speak to prospects for a lengthy amount of time about their pains and needs, but it could lead to stronger opportunities. You may find that your team has more activity from the smile and dial method, but without some social intelligence behind these calls, those leads could be dead ends. Below are three things to consider when using commonly used prospecting techniques to find the balance that works right for you.

If you are a company just starting out with your teleprospecting strategy or you are looking to revamp your methods when it comes to questions to ask during the lead qualification process, you've come to the right place. One of my favorite aspects of my role as Director of Customer Success is working with organizations just like yours. You have a blank canvas to work with, and you might not be exactly sure where or even how to start.

The first step in your lead qualification procses is to think about your script document, and more specifically, the qualification questions you want to ask. When it comes to your sales scripts, you may be scratching your head, wondering what questions you should be asking potential customers on the first call. You may be thinking, Is it too soon to be asking BANT questions? Will I scare prospects away asking too much too fast? The answer to these questions is No. If your prospects are truly that interested in the area you are looking to help them improve upon, they are going to be willing to share this information with you, at least at a high level. If they aren’t, odds are they weren’t the best prospect for you to begin with.

Sales Prospecting Perspectives is pleased to bring you a post from Mike Lipka, an Inside Sales Representative at AG Salesworks.

What could Michelangelo’s sculpting techniques teach you about reaching quota? The answer may surprise you.

Michelango’s mastery of sculpture was without rival, and his philosophy on his craft was equally brilliant. Believing that the figure he was sculpting lay “trapped” inside the block of quarried stone, Michelangelo slowly carved until a perfectly refined image began to reveal itself.