Social network change the way even a long time hunter salesman does it's prospection. We use it and share some good practices

1. Prospecting in 2013 using
linked-in.
Prepared by JR Bloch jr@salestrainingemea.com
February 2013
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2. Brief Introduction
• My profile:
– My partners always considered me as a
« crazy » New Business Hunter.
– I mean even after 35 years doing it, I’m still
excited by the challenge, the emotion, the risk
taking, the “yes” , the “no”, getting in a new
department, new account where we didn’t
make any business yet.
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3. Starting defining your targets.
• After I define my target account list, my
1’230 linked-in direct contacts change
dramatically the way I prospect in 2013.
• There is no limit to researching
information, since you can get the
professional profiles and details of nearly
anyone inside the target account.
• Either going direct or playing billiards, you
should find very usable information about the
person you want to contact.
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4. Research
• Looking into people close to their
community is also a serious accelerator.
• Some let you even look into their own
contacts, you may find that a competitor is
a long time contact of your prospect.
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5. Contacting Business decision makers
• Contacting Business decision makers
becomes easier, playing with the
advanced option of the search engine; you
may be able to locate nearly any key
Business decision maker in that account.
• Simply enter a keyword with the activity
you are targeting, and HR
directors, marketing directors, Compliance
officers will come into your nets.
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6. Example: we look for the HR Director of Barclays
Bank in UK. ❸
❹
❶ ❺
❻
❷
❼
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7. We are getting close now!
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8. Check other information like previous jobs, &
companies
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9. Continue searching….
• Now follow me , I’m
dragging down a bit to
the section: people also
viewed
• This is not 100% their
network but rather a
lead for similar people
that people who used
linked researched..
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10. Stay with me for the next interesting piece of research..
• How are we connected to
each other?
• I’m frequently using this
information in my
introduction email/inmail
eg. We have X
connections in common…
this is valid inside large
organizations and prove
that you are already well
connected to them.
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11. Time to act!
• Eventually you may want to get directly to them calling or
emailing.
• Calling is not obvious since most of the members of
linked-in do not provide their direct phone numbers.
Emailing is a bit simpler:
• You could rebuild the email address knowing the naming
policy of that company together with first and last name
of your target contact.
• Even better, I’m using the Linked-in Inmail option to
contact them.
• Linked-in sends the message, the response rate is
generally excellent.
See next slide how we prepare this email/ inmail
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12. Writing an Introduction Email or Inmail :
• Go straight to the
value you may
bring to your
target contact.
• Do not speak
about yourself if
there is no
valuable
contribution to
them now!
• If there is an
existing
connection, refere
nce, that may
ease your direct
approach, then do
mention it upfront.
• The inmail to S….
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and improved.

13. And now an example of a bad inmail!
Dear Sara, Our expert advice:
I’m Barclays Account manager at HR
performance solution. We are the
leader in Europe for the Staff
• Me, me , me and again
management solutions with over 80
me..
customers in 11 languages (including • Speak too much about
Russian). Since we are sure We you and your company.
have the best possible solution in the • Going to details, S. does
market I’m pleased to offer you a face not yet know what you
to face meeting Monday Feb 18th may be bringing to the
afternoon or Tuesday morning before
11:30 ( I have to rush to the dentist
table
then). • You have the best
Kindest regards solution ? Who said this ?
Paul Smith
You did …
Account director Barclays. • The meeting proposal is
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impolite.
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14. Need more information
• contact JR Bloch: +972 52 64 57
477
or +33 183 64 74 07
• Email : jr@salestrainingemea.com
• Coming next : « the practice of cold calling »
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