How to Sell Challenging Prospects

Do you wonder why some prospects are harder to reach than others? Are you curious why you connect with some clients like metal to a magnet? There is good reason for this and if you make a few adjustments to your selling style and marketing strategies, you can broaden your attraction level to the clients you want to reach.

The question of why some prospects are harder to reach started with a conversation with my son, Jonathan who is 33 years old and single. I am older, married and we have different interest because of our age and how we like to spend our free time. When Jonathan and I talk about sports, we find common ground to relate with one another. We don't watch the same programs or read the same magazines and there are hundreds of choices in these areas which makes it even more challenging. When my father was my age and I was my son's age, there were only a handful of TV stations and a few magazines to select from. These fewer choices made it easier for us to relate to one another.

Finding the Common Ground

With all the different entertainment options in the form of hundreds of TV or cable channels, video games and thousands of magazines, it can make it more challenging to find common ground. When you have the opportunity to visit someone in person and at their office, it is easier to find personal interest points you can relate to.

• Plaques on the wall and pictures will reveal interests and discussion points to connect.
• Clothing can reveal a lot about how your prospect prefers to be reached. If the clothing is distinctive and formal, this is a BIG clue that you should communicate this way. If the dress is more casual, you will relate better on that level.

Getting in front of a contact isn't easy. However, there are ways to discover what your clients like to do and what their interests levels are so you can have common ground.

The Social Networking Relationship Clues

You can learn important facts about your prospects on LinkedIn, Plaxo, Facebook and other social networking sites your customer are on by simply visiting their profile. When a prospect completes their profile, they often share key interest points you can use in conversation and communications that will help you reach them on a personal level.

I hope by now you understand that the reason you don't connect with some clients is because you don't have anything in common with them. If you use the tools and clues available to you, you can form high level relationships by showing interest in your contacts and making an effort to reach them on their level and interests.