BUILD YOUR PROSPECTING RESERVOIR

"It's trite to say, but it's still true, prospecting is the life blood of our business."

The importance of prospecting and its contribution to your success cannot be overrated. An important sale you make is the one you make to yourself relative to being and staying prospect-minded. Professional Advisors regard their prospect file in the same light as they regard their personal bank account; they know that they must make regular deposits to offset withdrawals. If they fail to do this, they will be going bankrupt with their prospect account.

The "bottom line" prospecting goal is to develop Qualified Leads that can be seen under favorable conditions. If you are to achieve superior results, prospecting must become as natural as breathing. It will, if you conscientiously and consistently do these two things:

• Pay Attention - Successful Advisors observe. Keep your eyes and ears open. Do more than just look, see something. Do more than listen, hear something. Make notes. Develop an alertness and a probing, inquisitive attitude.

Paying attention can become one of the greatest factors in your selling career. Paying attention is a powerful mental process. Form this habit now - and practice it from now on.

• Maintain an up-to-date "reservoir building" file. Here's where you organize prospect data and other important follow-up information. The primary purpose of such a file is to provide you a system for bringing names of Qualified Leads to your attention at a time when it's best to make contact with them.

This should not be a "hope chest." It's not a sign of success to have a bulging file of "dead wood." The only "reservoir-building" file that works is one containing bona fide, Qualified Leads -- individuals who will appreciate the kind of work you do and the plans and services you offer.

The good prospector with a well-organized, active, "reservoir-building" file will have to work hard to find enough time to contact and work with all of the prospective clients he or she has.

It's trite to say, but it's still true, prospecting is the life blood of our business.

FINISH STRONG!