It seems obvious, but the first step in selling a lighting project is finding a prospect. This is also the step that has the largest variety of approaches since every company has different strategies, skill sets, and resources. The key to all of them is maximizing your probability of success with your given resources. We’ve found that the key predictor of success is Focus. What that means is finding out what you’re good at and focusing on that. It could be a particular building type like warehouses, auto dealerships, or hotel chains. Or it could be a client type like the Army, local colleges, or National Accounts. It can even be outreach type like door to door, leveraging conferences and associations, or focused business development efforts.
The key is finding that angle and focusing on your strategy until you see success.
After you’ve found your sweet spot, you need some tools to ensure you maximize your chances of reaching your prospect, tracking that prospect, and closing that prospect. The most important tool you should consider before starting to prospect is CRM, Customer Relationship Management software. A CRM provide easy to use interfaces to ensure you’re tracking your prospects and coordinating that effort across your sales team. We highly recommend implementing a CRM software that starts at the prospect phase and using the built in project tracking in Retrolux from lead through commissioning.
Examples of CRMs to consider:
SalesForce: Salesforce is an industry leader for small and medium sized companies. It’s full featured and highly customizable, but also on the more expensive side. Retrolux will be supporting SalesForce integration first half 2017.
Nimble: Nimble is cloud based, super easy to use, affordable, and integrates your gmail, Facebook, and twitter feeds, finds your clients on LinkedIn, and is what we use at Retrolux. Great option for small and medium sized businesses.
Zoho: Zoho is similar to Nimble and is another great CRM for small and medium businesses.
Finally, you need to have some sales materials including: business cards, website, email address, office phone number (with voice mail), 1-page sales brochure, case studies, and many other items that can help you grab your prospects attention.
Leif Elgethun, CEO, Retrolux
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