It's important to keep your pipeline busy to keep leads flowing and sales soaring. As a result, looking for prospects or prospecting is an important activity that sales and marketing personnel should always be doing. In most cases, the marketing department is usually tasked with bringing in leads but this does not mean to say that sales can just drop the ball. Even though inbound marketing and marketing automation has done wonders in bringing in leads for the business, sales personnel still have to rely on the traditional way of bringing in business.Here are some of the best prospecting tips to help inspire you today.

Prospect Everyday

If you want to be good at prospecting, you have to set aside time everyday to do it. if you're one of those people who go to the gym regularly, think of prospecting as going to the gym. However, instead of building muscles, you're building relationships and bringing in leads. Unless it rains prospects, your calendar won’t start filling itself. Set aside at least 1 hour a day to prospect. Pick up your phone and start making those phone calls. Prospecting is not the most fun activities but being consistent will yield good results.

Focus On Your Target Market

As they say, it's a big ocean out there. It is composed of different people, industries and companies. So where should you start?Before diving into the ocean, take time to find out who your ideal customer is. Do some research. Who are your 5 best customers? Who are your 5 worst customers? Who are the most profitable? Who are the least profitable? Create profiles for each group of customers. Just because these people are in your data base does not mean to say that they fit your ideal customer profile.Once you know who your ideal customer is, it will be easier to start prospecting. Once you know who to focus on, it can help you land leads and secure sales more efficiently.

Use Every Method Possible

Prospecting is about building relationships. But that's not what prospecting is for. Prospecting is about getting results from cultivating those relationships and there are many ways to do this. You can do cold calling, email marketing, networking, tradeshows, direct email, social networking, referral and many more.Make a list of all the methods that you should and will use. For every method you use, plan which customers you will use the method on and the expected results. For example, you plan to attend 1 trade show per month and promise to get at least 2 prospects per event. Measure the results of each type of method and focus on the method that generates the best rate of return.

Be The Best At Cold Calling

Cold calling is still the best way to schedule appointments and open relationships. There are many ways to become a great cold caller but that's for another blog. Find ways to do it and make sure that this is in your prospecting arsenal.

Nurture Relationships

Even if you’re the best in cold calling or use the best prospecting methods consistently, you’re still going to a No, and you’re going to hear it a lot. But relationships including those in business are built over time. A consistent and unrelenting pursuit of your clients should be a long term plan for success and not an overnight sales fix.This means that your clients need to hear from you consistently, like the sun rising every morning. Some of the best business relationships will take a long time to win and consistently nurturing this relationship will open opportunities over time. Being consistent and nurturing means that you are not going to disappear like some of your peers. It means that you really want to work with them. It means that you are determined and you can execute. This is one of the characteristics businessmen look for in salespeople.

Build Your Social Media Presence

In case you were living in a rock these last few years, social media is where everybody is at. 91% of adults are on social media. 80% of internet users visit social networking sites and blogs. 57% of marketers acquire customers through social media. Companies that blog have 44% more customers. 61% of global internet users use the web to research products before purchasing.This means that social media is where you need to be. Boost your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram presence. Hire bloggers to talk about your products or service and writers for press releases. Remember that social media should be another tool in your arsenal and should not replace any of your other prospecting activities.These are just some of the best examples on how you can be better at prospecting. It doesn’t have to be difficult or uncomfortable especially if you cultivate relationships and have a routine to help you get on track every day. No matter what tool you use for prospecting, always remember that salespeople open relationships and good prospectors can bring in good leads.