It’s no secret that sales is a numbers game. If you want to increase your sales, you need more leads. This is where the prospect data list comes in. Prospect lists are a great way to find new clients and create opportunities for conversion and grow profits. 

But of course, it’s not smooth sailing to the sunset yet. 

Having a solid prospect data list is like having a tool in your hand. If you just hold it, it doesn’t really do much. If you know how to use it though, you’ll be able to accomplish whatever you set out to do. That said, it’s not enough to have a robust prospect list; you also need to know how to use your list wisely to generate sales, which is why we put together 4 extremely useful strategies to help you turn your prospects into profits.

Strategy 1: Get the full story

Knowing your prospects will help you understand why they’re interested in your product or service. Arming yourself with this knowledge puts you in a better position to start a relationship with them so the real work can begin.

You won’t be able to create mutually beneficial and genuine relationships with your prospects if you just see them as names on a list. Take a different approach and see the people behind those random names. Set aside time to look at all the names on your list. See if there are any you’ve never heard of. If you haven’t heard of them, try to imagine what they’re like: what motivates John Horberry to use a certain type of product over another? 

What challenges does Michelle Burg deal with every day? What solutions appeal to Dr Johnson? It may sound a little ridiculous, but asking these ‘stupid’ questions is one way to get into the minds of your prospects. Who knows, these people may be the best customers you’ll ever have. Put in as much time as you can to get to know them as individuals. 

Strategy 2: Don’t make assumptions

Stop unproductive thinking by making baseless assumptions. Imagining is one thing, assuming is quite another. Imagining helps you explore options and possible opportunities. Assuming, on the other hand, has the tendency to limit the possibilities you can consider and trap you in a ‘notion magnet’.

Imagining helps you acknowledge that your prospects are unique individuals who are free to make their choices; assuming convinces you that prospects are only allowed to act in ways that you think they should — and when they break your assumptions, you inevitably become disappointed. 

Guided assumptions may help you plan ahead and address hiccups that may come along, but do yourself a favour: keep assumptions at arm’s length.

Strategy 3: Use the power of the internet

Chances are, your data list also includes online contact information. If your prospects are online, why not meet them there? Now, you don’t need to send people specific emails to get them to buy your product. 

You can just send them to your list and hope they click on the add to cart button or your ad. “They are in the browsing phase,” says Jeff Rulifson of The Sales Journal. “If you can make it easy for them to be on your list, they will look you up.” Don’t forget, you can email your list from your list itself, avoiding duplicate emails. 

Strategy 4: Trust in your gut

As the saying goes, ‘trust your guts.’ When it comes to selecting a data list to generate leads, you should never let your doubts get in the way of making the best decision. If your gut says that the list vendor you choose is a good one, don’t second guess yourself. 

Try to avoid looking for multiple data lists and data options to compare. That’s too much data in your hands that you’ll need to organize and sort and that just takes time away from more important things.

Conclusion

A prospect list is a powerful tool that every salesperson should have. Apart from just having it on hand, it’s also important that you know how to use it to your advantage. Used properly and thoughtfully, your prospect data list can become a sales and profit gold mine.