How to Do Sales Prospecting: A Beginner’s Guide for Commercial Services Sales Reps

Introduction

Finding and closing deals from databases of names and lists of accounts can feel like prospecting for gold—in fact, that’s where the term originates. During the California gold rush of the mid-1800s, “prospectors” would sift through a mountain of dirt and gravel, and most of the time, they’d come up empty-handed.

But occasionally, with persistence and a bit of luck, they’d strike a “vein” (a lot of gold) that would make their hard work pay off.

Prospecting works in much the same way in the world of sales. The trick is to stay focused and patient and keep digging until you uncover the right opportunities—OR deploy tools that help you find them! We’ll talk more about this in a bit.

In 2024, prospecting has been quite a challenge with the ups and downs of the economy, tight budgets, and a fast-changing job market. In today’s sales environment, every opportunity really does matter, and finding the right prospects makes all the difference!

In this guide, we’ll discuss a sales prospecting process that you could hand to your newest sales reps even in the most difficult economic climate and still see results!

We’ll give your team a simple process for identifying warm leads and offer tips, techniques, and strategies that will help you refine your approach. We’ll also discuss some of today’s most powerful prospecting tools that can streamline prospecting and make closing deals a cinch!

Whether new to the game or looking to sharpen your skills, this is your roadmap to successful prospecting.

What is Sales Prospecting?

Sales prospecting is searching for and actively reaching out to potential customers or clients from your pool of leads.

The goal? Find out if they’re a good fit for your business as quickly as possible. Think of it as a filtering process that narrows down a broad list of potential leads into a focused group of qualified prospects who are more likely to convert into paying customers.

Effective prospecting involves various tactics and tools, including using sales intelligence software to identify hot leads, cold-calling, emailing, and following up with decision-makers to offer solutions (pitch), send quotes, build relationships, and ultimately close deals.

The aim is to establish a connection, learn more about the prospect’s needs, and determine if your product or service can truly offer them value.

Creating daily habits around proper sales prospecting helps you spot fresh leads when they’re ready to buy. This way, you build a steady flow of new opportunities in your sales pipeline that can turn into happy customers!

The Sales Prospecting Process

If you start each workday with time allocated to prospecting, a clear focus, and the workflow we’ll show you in this section; it’ll be almost impossible not to identify opportunities that can lead to closed/won deals.

Now, before we get started, there are two ways to do this:

1. Traditional Prospecting Process (1.5 – 2 hours per day – According to Salesforce).
2. Sales/ Property Intelligence Tools that Automate Prospecting (less than 10 minutes per day, According to Convex.)

Let’s start with the traditional prospecting process:

1. Identify your target market: Before diving into prospecting, it’s important to understand who your ideal customer is. This includes their demographics, industry, pain points, and how your product or service can solve their problems.
   
   Let’s build an ideal customer profile( ICP)/ target avatar here to show you how this works. If you’re a generator sales and servicing company, and your primary customer is hospital facilities managers, then your primary list should be property and facilities managers titles at healthcare-based organizations.

2. Build a targeted list: With your ICP/ target avatar in mind, create a list of potential leads that fit your ideal customer profile. This could include researching prospects through Convex, LinkedIn, Apollo.io, or another tool to find specific companies or individuals who fit that profile. 
3. Reach out via “Inmail,” cold calling, or emailing: Once you have a list of potential leads, it’s time to contact them through LinkedIn, cold calling, or email. When reaching out, personalize your message and clearly communicate how your product or service can benefit the prospect.
   
   You can also send Loom videos, gifts, direct mail pieces, and other “attention-getters!”

4. Follow up and nurture: Even if you don’t get an immediate response, it’s important to follow up and continue nurturing the relationship. This could include sending additional information or resources that might be helpful to the prospect, staying in touch through social media, or scheduling a follow-up call or meeting.

Now, imagine following this process 10- 20 times per day, every day. Effective! But plan on “burning” one whole day per week in prospecting.

Let’s look at option 2, Sales Intelligence/ Property Intelligence Tools like Convex. With Convex, commercial services sales teams can identify prospects and make first contact in minutes. Here’s how it works:

1. Identify: Find the Property, Contact, or Account that best suits your products and services—this could be anything from a property address and First and Last Name to a hospital or airport in your area.
2. Verify: Check the Buying Signals to see who’s in-market and ready to buy.
3. Outreach: Use Generative AI trained on their buying signals to send them an email or draft a script for a phone call (this literally takes two clicks).
4. Schedule: Create an automated follow-up or reminder or add to your pipeline.

Since this process only takes 3- 5 minutes, you can easily do this 20- 30 times daily without breaking a sweat.

Sales Prospecting Techniques

Sales reps can use several sales prospecting techniques to reach out to potential customers. Each technique has its own strengths and can be used in different situations depending on your goals and the nature of your prospects.

Intelligence Solutions: Lead Finders, Sales Intelligence, & Property Intelligence Software

Sales Intelligence

Sales intelligence software helps you get a better glimpse into what your customers need, what they might like, and how they behave. By tracking buying signals, intent data, firmographic info, and contact details, these tools are super helpful for finding, qualifying, and connecting with potential customers- but many of the tools on the market weren’t designed for commercial services businesses, that’s where property intelligence comes in.

Property Intelligence

Property intelligence is the way to go if you’re selling to owners, tenants, and property managers.

Property intelligence platforms are a lot like sales intelligence tools, but they zero in on property data instead of company or contact info. These tools usually come with map interfaces, letting sales reps see opportunities laid out geographically. Property intelligence solutions like Convex are super handy for commercial service businesses. They mix lead generation, buying signals, insights, and property data (and contact data) to help sales teams spot high-potential leads based on property traits.

Lead Finder Tools for Sales Prospecting

Lead finder tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Hunter, Convex, and Datanyze are super helpful for sales teams looking to find and connect with potential customers. They make building a prospect list a breeze by giving you access to huge databases with contact info, company details, and social media insights.

One challenge with many of these tools is their complexity. They can often require complex filtering to identify and source leads, which can be overwhelming for sales reps who have limited time and resources. That’s why it’s important to find the right tool tailored to your specific industry and needs.

Cold Calling

Cold calling is still one of the best ways to reach out to new leads. Sure, it can be tough, and you need to have a thick skin, but it can pay off when you do it right! The trick is to build a connection quickly and ask questions that get the prospect talking about what they need.

Sales prospecting tools can help make cold calling easier by giving you the info you need to tailor your approach. Just remember, it’s not just about pitching your product; it’s about starting a conversation that helps you understand how you can really assist the prospect!

Cold Email Outreach

Cold emailing is a great way to reach out to new leads, but like cold calling, it takes a thoughtful approach to make it work. Personalization is super important—your emails should be tailored to each prospect and speak directly to their needs and pain points.

A clear and catchy subject line can really boost the chances of your email getting opened. Email templates can make your outreach easier, but remember to sprinkle in some personal touches for each message. The more relevant your email is to the person on the other end, the better the chances of getting a positive response!

That’s why Convex uses data to train our Generative AI on the data points that matter most to potential customers.

Referrals and Networking

Referrals are a powerful way to get new leads. People are more likely to trust a recommendation from someone they know, which makes referrals highly valuable in the sales prospecting process. Don’t be afraid to ask your existing customers for referrals—most people are happy to help if they’re satisfied with your product or service.

So, how do you prioritize all of this to streamline your tasks and optimize prospecting?

12 Best Practices for Effective Sales Prospecting

If you want to succeed in your sales prospecting, following some best practices that help you stay focused and efficient is super important. Here are a few key strategies to think about:

1. Make a Daily Habit: Begin each day with a referral, networking, or prospecting workflow. The goal is to prioritize new deals. Stay focused, as this is the primary “needle-mover” in your pipeline.
2. Schedule It: Time-block prospecting and use efficiency tools to stay on target. Use timers and techniques like Pomodoro. If you’re on a Mac, just turn on “do not disturb.” If not, switch off any notifications and devices that could interrupt you.
3. Personalize Your Approach: Today’s buyers really want personalized communication. So, take a moment to look into your prospects and tailor your outreach. Mention mutual connections, the challenges they’re dealing with in their industry, or insights you’ve picked up from their online profiles. This shows you value their time and can really boost your chances of getting a response!
4. Develop a Strong Value Proposition: If you want to grab people’s attention, it’s super important to clearly explain the value your product or service brings. Instead of just listing features, highlight the benefits and outcomes your prospects can look forward to. A strong value proposition will really connect with potential clients and spark their interest in learning more!
5. Track Your Progress: Regularly review your outreach results and adjust your strategies as needed. Keeping a close eye on conversion rates, response times, and engagement can help you identify what’s working and what’s not, allowing you to refine your approach. Use analytics tools to gather insights on the effectiveness of your emails and calls so you can continuously improve.
6. Leverage Social Media: Social platforms are invaluable for connecting with prospects and nurturing relationships. Engage with potential customers by sharing insightful content, commenting on their posts, and sending personalized messages. Building a rapport on social media can make your outreach efforts more effective and open doors to future conversations.
7. Follow Up Consistently: A well-timed follow-up can significantly increase your chances of closing deals. Set reminders to follow up with leads after initial contact or to check in with prospects who have shown interest but haven’t yet made a decision. Be persistent but respectful—sometimes, it takes several touchpoints before a prospect is ready to engage.
8. Utilize CRM Tools: Using a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is a great way to keep track of your interactions, schedule follow-ups, and manage leads like a pro! With a CRM, you can easily segment your prospects and customize your communications based on where they are in the sales journey. This makes it so much easier to follow up and nurture those relationships!
9. Stay Informed: The sales landscape is always changing, and it’s super important to keep up with the latest trends, market conditions, and what your competitors are up to. Join webinars, go to conferences, read interesting articles, and get involved in forums. These are all great ways to gather insights that can really help shape your sales strategies and conversations with potential clients!
10. Utilize Video Messaging: In today’s digital world, video messaging is a fantastic way to add a personal touch to your outreach! With tools like Loom or Vidyard, you can easily create short and engaging videos that help you stand out in a crowded inbox. Whether it’s a quick intro, a product demo, or a friendly follow-up, video can really enhance your connection with prospects and make your message clearer in a more dynamic way.
11. Be Authentic: Authenticity is key in sales. Prospects can often tell when someone is being insincere. Approach each interaction with honesty, and don’t be afraid to show your personality. Building genuine relationships fosters trust and can lead to long-term partnerships.
12. Adapt and Overcome Rejection: Rejection is just part of the sales game. Consider it a chance to learn instead of seeing it as a setback. Take a moment to figure out what went wrong, ask for feedback if you can, and tweak your approach. Staying resilient and having a positive attitude is key to success in sales prospecting!

Measuring Success in Sales Prospecting

Success in sales prospecting isn’t just about cranking out the most calls or emails. It’s really about figuring out how effective your efforts are and tweaking your approach along the way. Start by pinpointing some key performance indicators (KPIs) that match your goals—think conversion rates, lead generation stats, or response times.

Track the metrics that matter most to your sales cycle and quarterly goals.

Also, think about setting up a feedback loop with your owner, sales manager, and team to chat about wins and challenges on a regular basis. Sharing experiences can spark new ideas and best practices, creating a collaborative vibe that boosts productivity.

This will help you adapt to changes in the marketplace, economic climate, and the needs of your prospects.

Sales Prospecting Questions

Asking the right questions is super important in the sales prospecting process! They can give you great insights into how well your “offerings” (products and services) match the prospect’s needs.

The flip side is just as important—if you don’t ask the right questions, you might miss out on deals and end up confused about why that happened.

Here are some key questions to think about as you evaluate:

• Is this prospect actually a “fit?” Understanding whether their needs, preferences, values, and goals align with your products and services can set the stage for a successful partnership. A poor fit can lead to buyer’s remorse, and a great fit can lead to a long-term partnership.
• Have you identified key decision-makers and stakeholders? Recognizing who the decision-makers are within the organization and who needs to be involved in the sales cycle helps you tailor your approach and communication, ensuring you’re addressing the right people.
• Are the prospect’s constraints a deal-breaker? Objections will always be part of sales- pinpoint them immediately. Asking the right questions can help you spot any financial, logistical, or operational issues that might slow down or even derail a deal. So, it’s best to tackle these upfront in a tactful way!
• Knowledge Gaps: Do you know much about the prospect’s market? Where could you get “tripped up” in the sales process? We call these “unknown-unknowns.” Understanding these potential challenges and industry factors helps you pitch your solutions better and shows that you understand the unique challenges that they face. Work with someone who understands these challenges and can help you empathize with them to meet the needs of your customers better.
• Are you the best option?: Your prospects value honesty more than anything. Remember: “People buy from people they know, like, and trust.” Consider the value your products or services bring in comparison to competitors. If it’s not the best fit, be transparent and recommend a better option for their needs. This authenticity can build trust and lead to future opportunities.
• What are your prospects’ communication preferences?: Understanding how your prospects prefer to communicate (email, phone, video) is key to effective follow-ups. Ask them what works best for them so that you can tailor your outreach efforts and keep the conversation going.

These questions help you figure out if a prospect is worth investing time into and guide how to move forward toward a sale. They also ensure that your efforts are aimed at leads that match your business goals and have the potential for a great future partnership.

Top Sales Prospecting Tools

The top sales prospecting tools are mainly “outbound” focused. Outbound prospecting is actively reaching out to potential customers through various channels such as cold calling, email outreach, social media messaging, and more.

There are plenty of tools available to help streamline your prospecting efforts and make them more effective. Here is a list of the top tools on the market and a short summary of how you can use each one:

Property Intelligence/Sales Intelligence Software

These tools provide comprehensive insights into potential customers, including contact details, property or company information, social media profiles, and even lead scores.

• Convex: A sales prospecting tool designed specifically for commercial services sales teams targeting properties, providing a comprehensive suite of features to identify leads, check buying signals, create tailored outreach, and access valuable property intelligence data.
• Cognism: A sales prospecting tool that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to provide high-quality contact data, enabling businesses to discover leads from a global database enriched with rich insights and contact information.
• LinkedIn Sales Navigator: A tool that provides advanced search capabilities, lead recommendations, and insights into extended networks, helping users identify the right prospects quickly.
• Hunter: A tool that helps find and verify email addresses, enabling sales teams to confidently reach out to potential customers.
• Apollo.io: A versatile sales prospecting and engagement platform that combines a comprehensive B2B database with powerful engagement tools.
• Datanyze: A tool that provides real-time sales intelligence and lead generation capabilities, enabling sales teams to identify and engage with potential customers.
• 6sense: A tool that uses AI-powered sales intelligence to help sales teams identify and engage with potential customers who are actively searching for similar solutions.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

A CRM is a crucial tool for sales teams, enabling them to manage interactions with potential and existing customers, track leads, and analyze sales performance.

• Salesforce: A leading CRM platform that provides a comprehensive suite of tools to manage sales, marketing, and customer service activities.
• Hubspot: A CRM platform that provides a range of tools to manage sales, marketing, and customer service activities, including email tracking, templates, and scheduling.
• Zoho CRM: A CRM platform that provides a range of tools to manage sales, marketing, and customer service activities, including lead scoring, sales pipeline management, and marketing automation.

Sales Acceleration Tools

These tools help automate, streamline, and optimize the sales process for outbound prospecting teams, saving valuable time and effort while increasing efficiency.

• SalesLoft: A sales acceleration/engagement platform that provides a range of tools to automate and streamline sales activities, including email follow-ups and call scheduling.
• Outreach.io: A sales acceleration platform that provides a range of tools to automate and streamline sales activities, including email follow-ups and call scheduling.
• Replyify: A tool that helps automate email follow-ups and responses, enabling sales teams to stay on top of leads and increase conversions.

Data Enrichment Tools

These tools help gather and organize important data about prospects, such as contact information, company size, industry trends, etc.

• Clearbit: A data enrichment tool that provides access to a comprehensive database of company and contact information, including firmographics, technographics, and more.
• Lusha: A tool that provides contact information for potential customers by searching LinkedIn, company websites, and other online sources.
• Demandbase: A B2B marketing platform that provides real-time data enrichment and account-based targeting capabilities to help sales teams identify and engage with high-value prospects.

Social Media Management Tools

These tools help manage social media accounts, track engagement, and schedule posts.

• Hootsuite: A social media management tool that enables businesses to manage multiple social media profiles, schedule posts, and track mentions and interactions.
• Buffer: A social media management tool that helps businesses increase their online presence by scheduling posts on various platforms and tracking post-performance.
• Sprout Social: A comprehensive social media management tool that provides advanced analytics, scheduling capabilities, and team collaboration functionalities.

Conclusion

Putting It All Together.

Improving your sales prospecting efforts is key to making the adjustments you need to hit your goals. With the right tools, tactics, and strategies, filling your pipeline and closing deals can actually be pretty simple—though, let’s be real, it’s never going to be easy.

Closing deals requires keen attention to detail, persistence, and the ability to handle rejection on a regular basis without taking it personally.

Embrace the process, be willing to adapt, and continue refining your approach to achieve better results. And don’t forget – with a well-equipped arsenal of the best sales prospecting tools, you’ll be one step closer to reaching your sales targets and growing your business.

Ready to take your sales prospecting to the next level? Schedule a demo of Convex today to see how it can enhance your prospecting efforts and help you close more deals.