You may use this image in your ezine or website if you choose to publish my article. Click here to see the picture full-sized.--- Alan Rigg

I have received a number of requests for advice from salespeople 
and sales managers that sell "commodity" products and services. 
When I refer to commodities, I don't just mean pork bellies or 
frozen concentrated orange juice. A commodity is any product or 
service where the target prospect is likely to be thinking:

   "I get contacted by (X) salespeople a day that sell (whatever 
   they perceive your product or service to be). Why should I 
   spend any of my time with YOU?"

How can salespeople prospect successfully if their target 
prospects see them as just one of many possible (and nearly 
identical) sources for a product or service?

The key challenge when prospecting in a crowded field is finding 
some way to capture enough of a prospect's attention to convince 
them to meet with you. This all-important first meeting is the 
starting point for building a relationship, which in turn is a 
crucial element of success in "commodity" sales. Here are four 
strategies that will help you win more of these elusive first 
meetings:


1. Write and Distribute Special Reports

What special report could you write that would be useful to your 
target prospects? Conduct the necessary research, write the 
report, make sure your name is highlighted on the cover page, and 
get the report into your prospect's hands.

What is the value of a special report that you have authored? 
Think about it -- How many of your competitors have AUTHORED a 
special report? Do you think authoring a special report might 
create the impression of significant or unusual expertise? Do you 
think it might increase your credibility with your target 
prospects?


2. Deliver Business Interest Seminars

Seminars are another great way to build credibility and initiate 
relationships. To be effective, they need to address subjects 
(ideally, problems or frustrations that your company solves) that 
your target prospects really care about. You and your company can 
offer these seminars on your own or in partnership with suppliers 
or other (non-competing) companies that wish to pursue the same 
target prospects.


3. Build Relationships With Other Salespeople Who Sell to Your 
Target Prospects

What other products and services do your target prospects buy? 
Which companies provide those products and services? Who are the 
salespeople for those companies?

Look to establish mutually beneficial relationships with 
salespeople from non-competing companies where you can REFER 
prospects to each other. Your success rate for booking 
appointments from referrals should be much higher than your 
success rate with cold calls.


4. Learn From Successful Salespeople in Your Company Who Have 
"Cracked the Code"

You don't have to re-invent the wheel. Invite the successful 
salespeople in your company to lunch or dinner. Use your time 
together to pick their brains by asking them the following 
questions:

* How did they achieve success?

* What are their favorite prospecting techniques?

* If they are at a stage where they are focusing solely on 
  servicing existing accounts, how did they originally initiate 
  their relationships with these accounts?

After the meeting, think about what they said and decide which of 
the suggested prospecting approaches might fit well with your own 
talents and interests.


Conclusion

The key challenge when prospecting for "commodity" product or 
service sales opportunities is capturing enough of your 
prospect's attention to convince them to meet with you. Use these 
four strategies to win more of those elusive first meetings!
 

Sales performance expert Alan Rigg is the author of How to Beat 
the 80/20 Rule in Selling: Why Most Salespeople Don't Perform 
and What to Do About It. His company, 80/20 Sales Performance, 
helps business owners, executives, and managers DOUBLE sales by 
implementing The Right Formula™ for building top-performing 
sales teams. For more information and more FREE sales and sales 
management tips, visit http://www.8020salesperformance.com.