When I was young, we had an apple tree in our garden. Every autumn, until I grew tall enough, I remember being frustrated by not being able to reach higher than the lowest branches. It always seemed to me that the fruit just out of reach was redder, shinier, juicier. My friend and I used to shake the tree, dislodging the ripest fruit. Although it took a little more effort, the results were indeed better- the yield was greater and tasted sweeter. Low hanging fruit is not always the best target, and the same applies in the world of sales. Here’s why you should drop it from your corporate vocabulary.
Don’t confine your sales team
A lot of organisations tell their new sales hires to farm client accounts for sales leads in the belief that these are easily converted in a short amount of time. This idea definitely has its place, existing customers are an extremely valuable source of repeat business and revenue and provide a fantastic ROI. However, by confining your new recruits in such a way, they are missing out on valuable time carving out their own markets- something which is inevitable in new business sales. Sales opportunities within client accounts tend to become less and less as the client’s needs are met. Instead, allow your sales team some time to find their feet in new territories, and encourage them to persevere in uncovering potential both in existing accounts and new business.
Choose your battles wisely
The competition for low hanging fruit is immense. Don’t be fooled by seemingly ‘easy opportunities’! If you have come across a piece of information online which makes you believe that a company is looking for what you have to offer, chances are high that you’re not the only one to see this information. For instance if you’re a recruiter and you see an ad on a jobsite that a certain company is hiring in your space, you can bet your life on it that that company has already been approached by tons of recruiters who have the same idea as you. If that company even gives you the time of day, they are likely giving everybody else a chance too. There is nothing wrong with a bit of competition, but the more suppliers you have in the mix, the longer it will take the prospect to choose the right one for them. While it is important to still be in the game, learn to identify red herrings and don’t assume that these are quick wins.
Shake the Tree!
I have not yet come across a CRM system which has a button marked ‘low hanging fruit’. Imagine if Salesforce could filter results to show only those where there is immediate potential! It is sadly rare that a golden sales opportunity will fall into your lap as if by magic. Most of the time, you need to give that tree a good old shake and hope the ripe fruit doesn’t hit you on the head on the way down. The best way to uncover the potential in your target accounts is by picking up the phone, having conversations, asking questions, getting referred…
Without the help of my friend, I would never have got that fruit. Sometimes, a fresh view on how to tackle a problem can be the best way to achieve success. Companies find that by outsourcing this step in the sales process to us, they are delivered with quality, plentiful results. For more information on how we can help your company aggregate the market, get in touch, we’re friendly.
What are your thoughts on this? Can you see the value in this approach?
Maven TM is a specialist B2B Telemarketing and Sales Lead Generation company. With hundreds of sales lead generation campaigns completed successfully for technology companies, Maven TM consistently helps companies achieve their sales strategy and stay close to their markets. For more information, please contact Maven TM at info@maventm.com.
Written by Sarah Maher
