The primary function of any sales department is to turn leads into paying customers, ultimately increasing business revenues. Before they can do that, however, there’s an even more basic step they must take, and that’s identifying who their potential customers might be. This is the work of business prospecting, and it’s a vital activity for any company looking to boost its sales numbers.

Business Prospecting 101

When we talk about business prospecting, we’re referring to the first step in the sales process, which can involve any efforts or strategies to determine target customers. In other words, business prospecting is the work that sales teams do to find new sales opportunities, or to “warm” cold leads. It may involve a number of specific activities, including:

• Cold calling
• Sending cold emails
• SMS messaging

Basically, prospecting can denote any activity used to increase the pool of potential buyers, or to nurture leads that may have grown cold.

Prospects vs. Leads

Here, we should pause to clarify some terminology. The terms prospect and lead get thrown around a lot, but it’s important to understand a few core distinctions.

One of the main differences is the level of qualification. Leads tend to enter your sales funnel in larger quantities, through channels like search engine rankings or social media. Leads are not necessarily going to be great fits for your business. Prospects, on the other hand, have been pre-determined to be good fits, based on your criteria of an ideal customer. In many cases, prospects have already spoken with a sales rep or interacted with your brand in some other meaningful way. To put it differently: Prospects are by their very nature “warmer” than leads.

The Best Methods for Prospecting

So how can sales teams be intentional in their prospecting efforts? There are a number of common methods to employ, including:

• Phone calls. Cold calling is a tried-and-true method by which sales professionals try to establish a meaningful connection or rapport with the potential customer on the other line.
• Email marketing. Cold emails can be effective ways to prospect, especially if your company has purchased or developed a list of potential customers.

In-House vs. Outsourced Prospecting

As you can probably surmise, the work of prospecting requires a high level of effort, data, and coordinated messaging. While larger enterprises tend to prospect in-house, smaller businesses may simply lack the time and resources to prospect effectively

That’s where we come in. At Piedmont Prospecting, we have a proven track record helping small companies grow via effective prospecting. We’d love to take over your business development efforts, allowing you to focus on strategy, teambuilding, and customer service. To find out more about our outsourced prospecting services, contact Piedmont Prospecting today.