Prospecting Priorities

What is inspected, is respected. What needs to be inspected daily is the pipeline. A pipeline deserves respect.

It is not the sole responsibility of leadership to inspect pipelines. Sellers need to be responsible for inspecting their own pipelines. It is the seller’s responsibility to know the status of all of the prospects in the pipeline.

Pipelines can be tricky. One minute they seem full. The next minute we are wondering where all the sales went.

Prospects Have a Shelf Life

Prospects need attention. If a seller is neglecting a prospect, it will not be long before the prospects seeks attention elsewhere.

A pipeline is a list of all of the deals currently being worked. Knowing what is in the pipeline and the status of the sale is crucial to maintaining effective follow up strategies. Deals can also be prioritized so the ones that can close quickly are closed quickly.

Daily pipeline reviews keep prospects from being overlooked. Most importantly daily reviews keep prospects in the pipeline and ensures that deals get closed.

Time Plays Tricks

Sales time moves very quickly at times and also very slowly at times.

When we are waiting on prospects to get back to us, time moves at a snail’s pace. Other times, time skips away from us. On Monday we start the week. Then it is Friday before we know it. Then the month gets closed out and then the quarter ends.

Sales time flies by. This can trick sellers. It might seem like it was yesterday that a prospect was touched. In reality, a month has passed.

Regular pipeline inspections prevent time’s tricks. Review the pipeline daily and stay engaged with prospects. These are easy steps to keep a pipeline flowing.

There is No Such Thing as ‘Too Busy”

Too busy to prospect because I was closing groups.

Too busy to add pipeline because there was a training or a company meeting.

Too busy to keep the pipeline growing because (just insert the excuse).

That what it is. An excuse.

Potential deals go into a pipeline. Closed deals come out of the pipeline (as do lost opportunities). As prospects fall out or close, new deals have to go back in.

No excuses. There is not another option. Failing to put prospects back into the pipeline will result in an empty pipeline.

Looking at the pipeline daily should prevent the pipeline going dry. There should be several red flags and warning signs that the pipeline is not strong.

A problem that can be seen, can be fixed.

Take Aways

Pipelines need to be checked daily. Knowing a pipeline intimately prevents deals from getting missed. It also ensures regular touch points are happening and that deals are being prioritized.

For every deal that closes or prospect that is lost, the pipeline needs to be refilled. Do not ignore the pipeline. It will dry up much sooner than you think it will.