Avatar Evolution: 4 Sure-Fire Roads to Research
Now, when I say research don’t freak out y’all. I’m not talking about PhD-level thesis research here. Spending hours and hours researching before meeting face-to-face (or screen-to-screen) with a client is probably not going to help you too much in the long run.
But spending 15-20 minutes on some quality online digging and jotting down a few notes? That’s what I’m ALL about. Ultimately, we know it’s one of the keys to closing more deals, which is what it’s all about!
In order to connect with your client in that first meeting, you want to already know who they are. You’ve got to understand what’s important to them and what problems their company is facing. You don’t want to waste 15 minutes of their valuable time asking questions that Google could have answered for you in less time.
This week we’re continuing with our Avatar Evolution series, zeroing in on the FIRST step of the avatar creation process for sales representatives. And that, of course, is research.
This is down and dirty, quick and easy today y’all. Let’s dive in.
1. GOOGLE IT!
Seriously, Google is your friend. It may seem too simple but a quick google search can reveal a lot of important information about your client. You’ll see their top recent news items, definitely any big scandals, or high-level turnover events may be posted. Google the name of your contact. See what you can learn about them. Anything and everything can be helpful.
For instance, if I sell online security systems and go into a meeting with Equifax in 2017 without googling them first, I’d be dead in the water. A quick google search will help you understand the mood at the company, how they’re presenting to the public, or where huge trouble spots are.
When you’re searching, make sure to check stock prices and notice recent trends. Have they taken a big dip or jump lately? See if you can discover why.
And finally, don’t leave Google without setting an alert so you can know right away if something new breaks. Be in the know and stay in the know.
2. LinkedIn
Another extremely easy way to learn more about your client is to search for them on LinkedIn. You may even have some connections in common, which is an extra bonus. Scroll through their work history, see how long they’ve been at the company, what positions they’ve held. Notice any articles they write, projects they promote, or links they share.
LinkedIn is the perfect place to understand an individual’s professional presence. It’s professional social media after all. It’s also a great place to see what other connections your client may already have.
A friend of mine, Jason, was starting up conversations with a bank (we’ll leave out the name) he was hoping to partner with. A quick search around LinkedIn after their initial meeting let Jason know that the CFO was already working with one of his competitors. Better luck next time. Thank goodness Jason took 4 minutes to do that search or he could have been chasing down that client for months! Much better to spend his time elsewhere.
3. Industry Rags
Subscribe to industry magazines. Set aside time each month or quarter to read through them over your favorite beverage. Make it something you look forward to. You know that the higher ups in your client’s organization are reading these. You should be too. CIO Magazine and CFO Magazine are good places to start.
And further down that rabbit hole, what else are your clients reading? Where do they get their information? Wall Street Journal? NYTimes? Forbes? Read what they read. Know what they know.
4. Pay-to-Play
There are a few places online where you can get more detailed information on the company you’re hoping to partner with or your contact with that company. The ones I use most are DiscoverOrg and Linked In Sales Navigator. These do cost a little, but the info you’ll receive is usually well worth it.
Plus, like the industry publications mentioned above, perhaps your company will even pay for it. No harm in asking, right? Especially if you mention how much a few minutes of research can improve your numbers.
Remember, a small amount of research leads to closing more deals, faster. I can’t say it enough y’all. I also can’t wait to hear feedback. Let me know your favorite pre-meeting research tips in the comments below! Always looking to learn more.
Next time we’ll look at the specifics of Avatar Creation so buckle in folks. If you’ve got a new client meeting before our next post, use these tips to research beforehand, PLUS make sure to sign up below to download our Living Avatar template and put it to use.
Looking for additional guidance to help bring this advice to life? We’ve got more resources available all the time. Join the email list and get access to This Sales Life’s FREE Living Avatars Spreadsheet.
sign up today
Keywords
Sales | Sales Professional | Sales Skills | Sales Hacks | Avatar | Close Deals | Research | Organization | Sales Habits
We have had quite the ride this fall exploring the many angles of avatars. I admit that avatars are much more useful than I had initially realized. In fact, I didn’t even fully understand how often I was using this concept in my own work. And now, I’m more excited than ever to keep integrating this tool into my sales processes to close more deals and help more people get what they need to succeed.