Jaarvanvermeer

Consider the companies who have purchased from you. You may not know the people who benefitted from what you bought, but there are important people in these companies that have purchased from you. These people are worth contacting for information and referrals on future projects.

You may also find people within associations, consulting firms, or your own company that has benefited by working with you. These people can be used to introduce you to difficult-to-see executives.

People who are impressed by your sales presentation will see the value your sale brings to them. These are coaches who can introduce you to their decision-making hierarchy and provide valuable information about how to win over their bosses.

These are your Golden Network members who can be leveraged.

Common Situation

Salespeople are uncomfortable asking others for introductions, no matter how close their relationships are. They may feel that it is unnecessary to ask for introductions from others in a sales situation. The result is that the salesperson becomes stuck, either with a gatekeeper or with one of many decision-makers. These results provide little information about how to win the sale and lose control over the contact. There is no opportunity to have an impact on other executives involved in the selection process.

Here are some ways to improve this situation.

Get Ready

1. You can list accounts you have sold. Who were your coworkers? Who were their bosses? Which other departments were able to benefit from your services? Who were their bosses, and what was their overall rank? These people are ideal candidates for your Golden Network. These people are worth getting in touch with. They were able to benefit from your efforts. If you ask, they will assist you in your climb to the top.

2. Ask them to introduce you to their bosses, colleagues in other departments, and people they know from other companies. This is how to prospect effectively and avoid cold-calling. Ask these people for information to help you win the sale if you are working on another deal. What is the best way to win?

3. Make sure to specify the type of person you want to be introduced to. You don’t want to meet anyone and don’t want them choosing who to introduce to you. Make sure you are specific about what you want. Don’t just ask for party-line stuff. You want the inside scoop. Don’t get bashful about asking. They know you deserve it.

4. Ask your contact to provide some business information on the person you would like to meet. What are the problems or issues these bosses are having? Are you experiencing in relation to your business or sale?

5. Tell them about yourself once they have agreed to introduce you. Ask them to meet you face-to-face. Do not settle for names. It is weak to ask for a title. Words are not enough to get through voicemails and give targets any reason to call back. Ask your Golden Network contact for help.

6. You can list companies that you would like to enter who are members of your professional associations. Ask members of your professional associations to introduce you to people at the companies you are interested in.

7. Plan your attack. Which companies are you looking to enter? Ask your Golden Network members and yourself who they think is the perfect contact. You can practice what they will say to introduce you and how you would like to be introduced.

These seven steps will ensure that your contacts help you to fill your funnel with quality leads. You’ll find it so simple to sell that you’ll wonder how you ever managed without your Golden Network contacts.