5 Ways to Research Your Prospect

Researching your prospect before a sales call is essential for making the most of your call, saving the prospect time, and increasing your chances of closing a sale. Personalizing your conversation with the prospect will make it go more smoothly and you will be able to anticipate their challenges. Here are some ways to research your prospect before a call.

1. LinkedIn
One of the best places to find information about your prospect is on LinkedIn because it is a professional network and people include a lot of valuable information about themselves on their profiles. The personal profile also shows you the type of work that the person has done and can give you a sense of their decision making authority.

Sending a message to someone via LinkedIn can also be better than sending a message through another email service, because with LinkedIn, the prospect can immediately go to your profile and see who sent the message. You can also use something that the prospect has posted on LinkedIn as a conversation starter.

2. Credibility
There are several websites online where you can find information about a company to assess their credibility and whether or not you should work with them. Some of these include The Better Business Bearueu, Glassdoor.com, Yelp, and Google Reviews. The Better Business Bearueu is a great place to start because they provide reviews on over four million businesses.

3. Databases
There are databases online where you can find and research information about prospects. Some of these databases are InfoUsa.com, JigSaw.com, Hoovers.com, and ZoomInfo.com. They can provide you with information on millions of companies and individuals. You can perform searches based on industry keywords, company name, location, person’s name, job title, and more.

4. Google
Search Google to find information on your prospect company such as news stories and press releases. The resources that you use should be credible publications. You can also use advanced Boolean searches to find information on individuals.

5. Facebook
Check to see if your prospect has a Facebook business page that they post updates to. The things that they post on this page can give you information about their company and interests. They may also be a part of Facebook groups in their industry as well as being part of LinkedIn groups. Also, check to see if you have friends in common. You may also find some personal tidbits about the prospect on their Personal Facebook page that you can use on your call.