Reaching Key Decision Makers

As small business owners, one of our key challenges can be reaching key decision makers in larger companies. Getting to the right person who can seal the deal can be a frustrating experience, especially if you don’t have a game plan. Here are three ways to connect with the right people.

Cold Calling

In this age of voice mail, reaching prospects by phone has become quite difficult. Cold calling will likely reap stronger results if you’re trying to reach small business owners, where connecting with the owner by phone is more likely, but with persistence you can reach corporate managers as well. Consider these important steps to help get results from cold calling:

• Write a 30 second phone script that conveys what you do and what benefit similar customers have gained from your service. This is essential. Your phone script must answer the prospect’s question, “What’s in it for me?”

• Practice your phone script until it feels natural, fits your communication style and conveys your excitement about your offering.

• Once you get the right person on the phone, tell them you’d like to share some exciting information and ask their permission to have 30 seconds of their time. When the 30 seconds are up, ask their permission to continue.

• End your script with an intriguing piece of information, impressive product results, or a question that will make them want to know more.

• Be persistent. Call at different times of the day until you’re able to reach the prospect. Leaving a message is rarely successful, but if your prospect is difficult to reach, you could leave an occasional message.

• Script what you’ll say after each possible response. For example, if the prospect says they’re not sure they want to meet with you, what will you say?

• If you gain permission to continue past 30 seconds, expand briefly on what you’ve told them and ask for an appointment. Tell them exactly how much of their time you’re requesting.

• If you’re contacting enough targeted prospects, you’re bound to close some sales. However, calculating the call to appointments to sales ratio is important in determining if cold calling is a worthwhile strategy.

Warm Calling

This is a higher-results approach. Put a simple request out to your database explaining that you have some exciting information, pertinent articles or new products or services and you need to connect with, for example, operations managers in mid-level companies. Ask if anyone knows someone that they could connect you with that fits that category. Offer them a reward, gift certificate or coupon if you feel they need an incentive. If possible, see if they will arrange an introduction by calling or e-mailing this person to let them know about you. Then contact these “warm” leads. They’ll be much more likely to respond to your communication. To make this work, you must be very clear about what type of person you need to meet. Saying that you need to meet corporate managers, for example, is much too broad. Those in your database also need to trust that you will not take advantage of their contact, so you need to be clear about why you want to make the connection.

Focused Networking

Consider the lifestyle and interests of the prospects you’re trying to meet. Where would they spend their free time? What business and social organizations would they join? What speakers or topics would motivate them to attend a meeting?

Then plan to attend the same meetings or socialize in the same places. For example, there are many swim and golf clubs that are frequented by corporate executives. Even telling people at church about what you do and who you’d like to meet can yield results. Every industry has its own professional organizations, awards and charity events, and most welcome guests.

• Volunteer to work on a committee.
• Offer to speak on a relevant topic.
• Offer gift certificates to be used in a drawing.

Focused networking means using networking time only in places where you can connect with your target customer or with others who can connect you with them. Before you attend, be sure to prepare a brief description of the kinds of problems you solve, not just what you do. Make it intriguing, so people want to know more. Focused networking is about building relationships, so give it time. Once you gain a few happy customers in the group, chances are they’ll become a regular referral source. In addition, you may connect with people who can become sources for your warm calling campaign.

As a small business owner, it’s important to develop a network of other business owners so you can support each other and share contacts. Consider developing a six-month strategy that includes all of these approaches. Be very, very specific about the type of prospect you’re looking for. Track your results so you learn how your time is best spent. I guarantee that six months from now you’ll be looking at some very positive results!