New Sales Simplified

About the Author

Mike Weinberg is a renowned sales consultant, speaker, and author who has dedicated his career to helping businesses and salespeople achieve exceptional results. With years of experience in the trenches of sales, Weinberg has become an authority on new business development and sales management. His practical and straightforward approach has earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor to companies of all sizes.

Weinberg's journey in sales began with a deep-seated passion for the profession. Over the years, he has honed his skills and developed a profound understanding of what it takes to succeed in the competitive world of sales. His insights are grounded in real-world experience, making his advice not only credible but also highly actionable.

In addition to his work as a sales consultant, Weinberg is a sought-after speaker, delivering powerful and motivating presentations at conferences and corporate events. His ability to distill complex sales concepts into practical, actionable steps has made him a favorite among audiences looking to boost their sales performance.

Main Idea

New Sales. Simplified. demystifies the often daunting task of prospecting for new business. Weinberg presents a practical and actionable framework that both seasoned and novice salespeople can use to boost their new business generation efforts. The core of his approach is the “New Sales Driver,” a three-stage model designed to streamline the prospecting process and maximize effectiveness. This model consists of targeting, developing sales weapons, and planning and executing sales efforts.

Weinberg's approach is grounded in the belief that prospecting is a skill that can be learned and mastered with the right mindset and tools. He emphasizes that success in sales is not about having the perfect pitch or product, but about persistence, strategic thinking, and effective communication. By breaking down the prospecting process into manageable steps, Weinberg provides a clear roadmap for salespeople to follow, making the task less intimidating and more achievable.

Table of Contents

1. Select Prospects to Target
2. Develop Your Sales Weapons
3. Execute the Sales Effort

Select Prospects to Target

Weinberg emphasizes the importance of strategically selecting potential customers who resemble a company's best existing customers. This step involves analyzing the common characteristics of top clients and seeking similar prospects. He suggests asking key questions such as:

• Who are the company’s best customers?
• What do they have in common?
• What do these companies and their markets look like?
• Where or how can we find potential customers who resemble our best customers?

By focusing on these questions, salespeople can develop a clear profile of their ideal prospects, making the task of finding new customers more targeted and efficient. This strategic approach ensures that efforts are directed towards the most promising leads, increasing the likelihood of success.

Resources for Finding Prospects

Once you have a clear profile of your ideal prospects, there are numerous resources available to compile a list of specific names. Weinberg highlights the usefulness of local business journals, which publish annual lists of businesses categorized by size, sector, and other criteria. These lists can be a goldmine of potential leads, providing a ready-made database of companies that fit your target profile.

Online resources like Hoover’s, LinkedIn, trade shows, social media, and referrals are also invaluable tools for prospecting. For instance, LinkedIn allows salespeople to identify and connect with decision-makers in their target industries, while trade shows offer opportunities to meet potential clients face-to-face and build relationships.

Referrals, in particular, can be a powerful source of new business. When current clients recommend your services to others, it provides a level of trust and credibility that can be difficult to achieve through other means. Weinberg encourages salespeople to actively seek referrals from satisfied customers as part of their prospecting efforts.

Target List Parameters

Creating a strategic and manageable target list is crucial. Weinberg outlines four key parameters for an effective target list: