Have you defined your target before prospecting? Do you know it in all its aspects? Do you have a prospecting plan? And if not, how do you plan to get in touch with your prospects? If you are interested in these questions, you are on the right page.
Any company should have defined one or more personas before prospecting. This will allow you to develop an effective prospecting strategy . But just knowing your target buyers won't help you turn them into customers. You need to get in touch with them. But how? By what means ? Which prospecting channels to choose to have the best results ? We tell you everything in this article.
How to choose your prospecting channels?
First of all, you should know that there are no “ good” prospecting channels per se. It is the channels you choose according to your target , your persona and your budget that are the best. So, before thinking about prospecting , make sure you have these three elements first.
If you have defined your persona well, you should have relevant information about your prospects . You know their habits , interactions, values , tastes , and many other details. But it's especially important to know where you can find them . This way, you will know on which channels your prospects are most active and on which they would be willing to listen to you. If you want to have a better chance of converting them, you need to go where they are .
For example, if your target is not on Facebook, it would be useless to advertise there. But if it's an entrepreneur who regularly monitors their inbox, it would make more sense to include them in your email campaign's contact list.
What are the main prospecting channels?
There are two main approaches to prospecting . Either you attract your prospects to you, or you go looking for them. In the first case, we talk about inbound marketing . In the second case, we talk about outbound marketing . These two approaches are based on different concepts, but can be complementary . Your customer acquisition strategy can be better by combining the two. Understanding these different methodologies is essential to define which are the most appropriate prospecting channels .
Currently, there are many channels for prospecting that are sometimes difficult to choose . With the evolution of the web in recent years, prospecting methods have also evolved. Now it's easier to get information about prospects. There are websites , social networks , professional events , etc. But make sure you choose your channels based on your persona. Also, you should know that there are two main types of prospecting channels.
1 – Physical channels
These are the communication channels that allow you to get in direct contact with your prospects. They may come spontaneously when they are looking for information or solutions . We can take into account the prospecting missions carried out by the sales representatives of a company with other companies. In this context, the sales representative goes directly to the prospect. It will therefore have borrowed a physical channel.
Some examples : field prospecting (door-to-door), trade shows or business events.
2 – Digital channels
Digital channels refer to the different digital communication channels . In other words, these are the online communication solutions that companies can use to get in touch with their prospects and customers . Although these channels are varied, it is not necessarily necessary to use them all to have a strategy that works.
Some examples: emailing, social networks, podcasting, phoning, chatbot, blogging, etc.
Multichannel prospecting: 2 channels of first choice!
Today, the single-channel prospecting strategy is outdated. The evolution of digital is constantly changing the behavior of prospects . They now tend to navigate between multiple channels simultaneously. So it's your turn to adapt to this new rhythm . It's no longer about choosing between physical or digital channels, you need to combine the two to get the best strategy .
In addition, your company may have one or more buyer personas depending on the different target segments. This means that your prospects can be on different channels . So you have to go where they are. You need to get in touch with them, engage them and then convert them. You need to approach them on the platforms where they are most active. This will increase your chances of conversion . That's why it's best to launch a multichannel prospecting campaign.
Here are two channels to focus on for your multichannel prospecting strategy .
1 – Emailing
Don't think that email marketing is no longer effective. It is always one of the channels that convert best. According to studies, it is said that every euro spent on an emailing campaign brings in about 34 €. This interesting is for a return on investment.
To ensure good results , you need to have a quality email base and generate more qualified leads . You also need to make sure you share relevant content that perfectly addresses the real problems of your prospects. When you send a prospecting email , you are mainly looking to convince . This is why it is essential to master the best practices of emailing to obtain good performance . If you encounter any blockage, our experts can help.
2 – Telephone prospecting
Phoning or telephone prospecting refers to direct marketing actions carried out by telephone . It's also an effective way to acquire new customers, especially when applied to qualified prospects . For many sales representatives around the world, phoning is the preferred sales channel. The proof is that 92% of interactions with a prospect are still done by phone. We can say that phoning remains a safe bet for sales professionals.
Aim time evolves and with it the emergence of new technologies. Prospects' practices and habits aren't static either. Now, if your prospecting strategy is based on only one channel, you may miss out on many opportunities. The ideal would therefore be to switch to multichannel prospecting.
