To ensure their development, companies need to find customers on a permanent basis. This operation falls within the framework of commercial prospecting. An action that relies on countless processes to meet prospects. The operation consists in approaching them and offering them a product or a service in order to increase the company’s sales tenfold. In other words, commercial prospecting has a rather simplistic definition. It is an essential development lever, especially in the era of strong digitalization. How to concretely define commercial prospecting? Which tools should be used to turn it into a growth lever? Discover the answers to these questions in this article.
Towards a concise definition of commercial prospecting
The best-known definition of commercial prospecting is based on the need to find new customers or prospects. In order to keep a company afloat, it must multiply the number of people or entities that buy its products or consume its services. It is from this action that the concept of commercial prospecting was born. A technique that has become essential to ensure the development of a company, regardless of its size. It is the sales representatives of a company who mobilize to prospect in order to find these potential customers. Their actions are articulated around a richly established plan whose objective is to convert prospects into customers.
As you can see, commercial prospecting is a long-term job. It is based on innumerable steps put in place to obtain results that meet the company’s expectations. However, it should be noted that the processes are not the same for B2C and B2B prospecting. These two types of prospecting require different approaches since the profile and nature of the targets are not the same. B2C (business to consumer) prospecting seeks to reach end consumers, while B2B (business to business) targets company managers.
Regardless of the type of business prospecting a company conducts, it must establish a strategy. Here are the essential points that make this action successful:
- Define the target according to the actions to be carried out (B2C or B2B prospecting);
- Create a database to classify and list all potential prospects;
- Develop the prospecting campaign with the entire team, especially the sales team;
- Define the message and the approach to reach each target in the prospecting actions;
- Ensure the follow-up of all actions carried out so that the company can remain proactive;
- Ensure customer retention
Each of these points is an integral part of a successful business development operation. Companies set up their own approach techniques and strategies to obtain the expected results. Nowadays, some tools have become indispensable to carry out successful business prospecting.
Tools for successful business development
In the past, commercial prospecting was simply related to advertising. Nowadays, it takes on more subtle and less aggressive forms. Indeed, sales representatives are no longer satisfied with distributing flyers or going door-to-door. Technology has changed the way we do things. Apart from database tracking tools, networks are becoming an effective way to increase the chances of successful prospecting. Here are some practical tools that have revolutionized the quest for new customers:
Kaspr to facilitate business prospecting
Businesses are mobilizing a variety of digital tools for successful business development. Among the most common are lead-generating tools like Kaspr, which allows salespeople to quickly find contact information for prospects with just a few clicks. Kaspr is an extension of the LinkedIn social network. Simply go to a prospect’s profile and the extension will automatically generate the relevant information. That is to say, the phone numbers or the e-mail address. This contact information can then be stored in the company’s database or listed on an appropriate CRM.
In general, a tool like Kaspr is an effective way to approach prospects easily. It also makes it easier for salespeople to find their contact information and contact them directly. For these reasons, more and more companies are using it in their marketing strategy, especially to find new customers.
A CRM for a meticulous follow-up of the commercial prospection
In order to be successful, a commercial prospecting must be permanently followed by the members of a team. Everyone has the obligation to know the progress of each step concerning a prospect or a customer. In order to have a similar level of information, the company must have an intuitive CRM. There is a wide variety of them on the market. The choice of CRM ranges from free to paid versions. Companies are also free to design their own tool.
Prospecting as a growth lever
In a simplistic definition of commercial prospecting, this action is essential for a company to grow. It is indeed a growth lever for all companies. Acquiring new customers directly increases sales and the company’s turnover tenfold.
However, companies must master different techniques to ensure the success of their commercial prospecting. They also need to develop a rigorous plan to find customers in the long term and increase sales at the same time. These actions are facilitated by digital tools such as Kaspr and many others.