Why don’t they prospect?

I was working with an inside sales manager when she blurted out;

“Why don’t they prospect?”

We both smirked at the outburst and then started to dissect the three reasons inside salespeople resist prospecting.

Can’t
> what is completely missing in your environment that prevents your team from prospecting?

Here are three I see all the time:
1. no efficient way to gather information about companies who would make the best targets.
2. frustration that the data is bad/old/duplicate.
3. no clear, manageable next step to “find new customers”.

Won’t
> they know WHAT to do & HOW to do it… yet aren’t willing to.

Top 3 here are:
1. it is frustrating.
2. I don’t like to bother people.
3. I tried and it doesn’t work.

Don’t Know How
> it isn’t that they don’t know what prospecting is – it is they don’t have a prospecting plan that works.

Which looks like:
1. I don’t know what to say.
2. What questions should I ask?
3. How often do I call?

NOTE: the Can’t – Won’t – Don’t Know How Model was developed by Dr. Hannah Rudstam of Cornell University, School of Industrial & Labor Relations, 2005

Can’t – needs organizational change to overcome.
Won’t – is when you as the sales leader need to put your coaching hat on.
Don’t Know How – indicates training is needed.

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