How to Fill your Pipeline So Full it Overflows

The purpose of prospecting is to keep your pipeline so full and so abundant that you can create your own economy regardless of what is going on in the marketplace. This takes quantity, commitment, and not falling into the trap of “I hope someone shows up today.”

If you can generate your own traffic, you will become independent of the company you are working for and in turn more valuable and able to create your own opportunity. You will soon have people coming in the business asking for you. How can you do that? Generate you own opportunities and traffic. If you look at the richest people on this planet their pipelines are gigantic and loaded. A full pipeline means you have a plethora of prospects that you have greeted and are starting to move through the sales process to a close.

There are a few things you have to know in order to be successful at prospecting. First, have a great attitude, not just a good one. Take on the attitude of gathering instead of hunting. In other words, you have to have the attitude of community and service. Instead of going out solely trying to sell, go out and make calls with the intention for people to know who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. Be interesting and they will become interested, because you have a great product/service. The ultimate goal is for you to come out of obscurity so that lots of people can buy from you and your company. Become special in the eyes of the prospect and show them that you are different and looking to help them, educate them, and service them. And do this with an extraordinary attitude.

The next tip is to increase your activity and get your thinking right here. Attitude is how you approach someone and activity level is how much push you give. Most people hate prospecting simply because they never do enough of it! They will call once, give out one card, etc. If you correctly estimate the amount of effort and get your activity level up, you can’t fail! Take lots of action and think in 10’s. Never depend on one thing for anything. Massive is the only way to expect to win. Go after 10 businesses/individuals, create 10 mailers for those businesses or prospects, then send 10 emails, 10 phone calls, 10 personal visits; pound the marketplace.

It is vital that your expectations are correctly as well. If you have monster expectations, you will deliver the right amount of activity. Contrary to having low expectations, expect a lot and then create the activity level to generate the return. Prospecting is not like hunting or fishing, it is an investment and more like planting a seed. You know this already and you know that you will have people tell you no, tell you to leave them alone, not answer your phone calls, not respond to you, not be interested, not have time, already have whatever you are selling, etc. So, having the appropriate expectations, and knowing that these things WILL happen will help avoid letting your foot off the gas. These are only reactions. Never treat them like an objection. Just like when you are walking through the mall and someone at a kiosk tries to stop you, your reaction is automatically to avoid them. Never quit and be persistent, that is your expectation.

Commit to prospecting every single day. The only way this will pay off is if you do it every day. Not every other day, but do it every day and you will build muscle and become great. Anything worth doing once is worth doing every day. Prospecting is the only thing that will grow your business and it is the most important thing to your business; treat it that way. This requires commitment! You must go all in. Be creative and have a set plan to follow up each prospect for at least a month. Remember, 80% of sales are made on the 5–12th contact. So make the calls and be creative.

Lots of people run out of ways to stay in touch with people. Here are several ways to follow up, with variety, and stay creative to continue prospecting the same, and new, people. Again, you must commit to this thing called prospecting because creativity follows commitment. Maybe it is just “Thank you”, or a “Service reminder”, or a personal visit, or a personal visit offer; make sure to hit every special holiday and birthday, give them an event offer, send mail, emails, offer new products, offer lunch, make limited availability calls, send them a link of an article, etc. The list is endless! Just keep prospecting and following up. The only wrong thing you could do is not follow up.

Contacts only become a contract when the r is added. And r stands for relationship. That is your job, regardless of the business you are in because businesses need people. You need people to go see. The truth is this, if you are a great closer and don’t have a prospect, you have no one to close.

Recap

How to Fill Your Pipeline So That You Are Affluent with Prospects-

1. Make prospecting your number one activity every day

2. Get everyone you know supporting you and bringing you traffic and clients

3. Never depend on the economy

4. Increase the amount of personal visits you make

This is something everyone in your office should be involved with no matter their title. For example, John, the janitor, knows people in his neighborhood that need your product that you don’t know about. Every other week, twice a month, or more often, have a meeting with your team and have everyone there generate 5 new leads.

Practical

To generate more leads for yourself, ask yourself quality questions. Write down, who you know that, would buy your product today? Don’t just go over the customers you have waited on recently. Who do you know that needs your product today? Totally different list! Who do you know that has bought your product in the past? Who do you know who needs service on a product that you sell? Who do you know that knows someone that needs your product? Who do you know that could 10X your business if you could get in front of them today? Who is winning with your product or service?

You see? Now you are opening the pipeline! Take your mental power and put your attention on who you know. Until you make prospecting a priority, it will not take care of you. Make prospecting a priority and go close some deals and make money!