In case you have not read “Purple Cow” by Seth Godin, go get it – today. It’s about being remarkable, how to exceptionally market yourself, your products and your services. The idea is that in a field full of cows, if you’re purple, you’re going to stand out.
Long-term business success requires more than purple cow marketing – it requires purple cow prospecting.
Marketing is helping customers find you. Prospecting is how you find them.
Case study: My client “Jackie” works in the lighting industry as a sale rep. She needs to know volumes about recessed, incandescent, LED, art lighting, task lighting, landscape lighting, etc. Her sales skills need to be top notch. She also needs to know where to find her clients.
Jackie started finding prospects the same way most lighting reps did: she went to construction association meetings, she scoured the web for contractor websites, she cold-called. She visited contractor offices, made nice with the gate-keeper and left cards and brochures. She was earning a decent income, but she wasn’t bringing home super-star commission checks. Jackie knew that her competition was reaching contractors the same way she was. She knew because she saw their brochures when she made office visits. Jackie needed help being remarkable and finding her prospects in remarkable ways.
So what was the answer?
Port-A-Potty Prospecting
Yes, you read right. The secret to her success were those blue, green, stinky, unstable, women-cringe-to-think-about, poo portals. You see, Jackie knew that where there were port-a-potties, there was usually construction. And where there was construction, there was also, usually, a contractor. Jackie’s port-a-potties were like Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumbs. (Except the birds can’t eat them and they lead to sales, not home.) And best of all, her competition was not out in the field; they were still looking for prospects in offices and online.
What are your port-a-potties?
What are the subtle, easily overlooked clues that will lead you to qualified prospects?
Oh, and yes – you will be a purple cow prospector.
Photo Courtesy of Cathy, Sam, Max and Mai
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear Alicia,
Another resonating blog post that hits home for ANY business owner/entrepreneur at ANY stage in their business (whether start-up or 15-years-running).
I’ve owned Career Trend 11+ years’ now; yet, I’m continually trying to review my prospecting strategies to ensure I’m not so far off the beaten path that I am inefficient or ineffective (or both). As well, I’m trying to vet whether I ’should be’ veering off the too-well-worn path more to distinguish myself and boost effectiveness of my message.
Thanks again for your ever delightful oh-so-professional content with the perfect blend of fun (I love the reference to ‘poo portals’) – you’re a treasure Alicia!
Jacquii
Jackie is the smelliest (and smartest) lighting sales rep I’ve ever heard of.
Good stuff. And I second your Purple Cow recommendation. It’s a rockin’ book.
Jacqui – Glad you like the “poo portals.” Port-A-Potties are so disgusting to me. But in terms of your prospecting journey, that’s a great question. Should you be on the path less traveled? Should you find radically different ways to promote yourself and find clients? Or should you go the traditional routes? What you should do depends on a lot on your personality and your risk tolerance. Have you read Seth Godin’s book?
Ben – Thanks for the comment. I never get tired of reading the case studies Seth has in the book. It’s good stuff!
Alicia – thanks for your reply to my comment. I greatly dislike porta-potties or any public ‘potties’ for that matter, but your analogy is so catchy!
Also, I appreciate your follow-on considerations re: personality and risk tolerance (in re: to ‘what one does’ to perpetuate their prospecting goals)!
And yes, I not only have read Seth’s Purple Cow book, I own a copy! Your blog post is inspiring me to pull it back off the library shelf and re-read it!
Cheers,
Jacqui