So, how's your prospecting? Do you rush to work and immediately grab the phone and start making outbound calls? Or, do you arrive at work and after organizing your desktop for the ninth time that week, pouring your fifth cup of coffee, and catching up on the weekend game, then settle in to see who's going to reject you for the day?

 

Here are seven steps to get you going using the acronym "PROSPER".

 

P= Put away all of your negativity. If you want success, you'll need to visualize that you have it. Dispel the nay-saying and focus on the positive!

 

R= Reward yourself with strokes. Literally pat yourself on the back when you leave a message, talk with a prospect, and you get double pats when you book an appointment! (If your arms are short, try chocolate, a latte, or a deep breath of fresh, cool air.)

 

O= Organize your follow up plan. What is your next step? If the prospect isn't in, when will you try again? Is an email in order? What about a fax, snail mail, or an invitation to an event? Have some structure and reap the benefits.

 

S= Sell, Sell, Sell. (Need I say more here?)

 

P= Present yourself less and focus on asking your prospects more questions. Most salespeople yak, yak, yak. Customers today want to know if you are listening--all of us can talk!

 

E= Enjoy your profession. There is no other job out there that provides as much delight and satisfaction as selling. Where else can you (legally) use both sides of your brain, meet new people all the time, make a difference, and earn great money?

 

R= Respond to opportunities quickly and skillfully. If you receive an inbound call, return that call immediately. Business runs at the speed of light, so you need to be right there making those calls!