What Is A Prospect?
A prospect is a potential buyer whom the offer genuinely serves the right person to sell to.
The definition matters because it centers fit, which distinguishes a prospect from anyone who might be sold to. A prospect is not just anyone who could potentially buy; it is a potential buyer the offer genuinely serves whose needs the offer meets, whose situation it fits, whose problems it solves. The fit between the offer and the buyer is what makes someone a prospect: the right person to sell to, because the offer serves them. The seller who identifies prospects the people the offer genuinely serves focuses on selling to the right people; the seller who tries to sell to anyone, ignoring fit, sells to people the offer does not serve. Understanding what a prospect is a potential buyer the offer genuinely serves directs the seller toward the right people.
Sales System Framework
This matters because focusing on prospects the right people the offer serves is what produces sustainable sales. The seller who focuses on prospects sells to the people the offer serves, producing satisfied buyers and sustainable sales; the seller who tries to sell to anyone sells to people the offer does not serve, producing dissatisfaction and regret. The focus on prospects directs the selling toward the right people, producing the sustainable sales that serving the right people produces. Understanding what a prospect is directs the seller toward the right people the offer serves.
Why Focusing on Prospects Produces Sustainable Sales
Focusing on prospects produces sustainable sales because selling to the right people produces satisfied buyers.
Selling to prospects produces satisfied buyers. The prospects the people the offer serves are satisfied when they buy, because the offer serves them. The satisfied buyers value the offer, trust the seller, and may buy again or recommend the seller, producing the relationships and reputation that sustain sales. Selling to prospects produces the satisfied buyers who sustain sales.
Transaction vs Relationship
Selling to non-prospects produces dissatisfied buyers. The non-prospects the people the offer does not serve are dissatisfied when they buy, because the offer does not serve them. The dissatisfied buyers regret the purchase, distrust the seller, and may complain or warn others, damaging the relationships and reputation that sustain sales. Selling to non-prospects produces the dissatisfied buyers who undermine sales.
Why People Buy Things They Do Not Need
This is why focusing on prospects produces sustainable sales. Focusing on prospects selling to the people the offer serves produces the satisfied buyers who sustain sales; selling to non-prospects produces the dissatisfied buyers who undermine sales. The seller who focuses on prospects builds the satisfied buyers, relationships, and reputation that sustain sales; the seller who sells to anyone produces the dissatisfaction that undermines sales. The focus on prospects produces the sustainable sales that serving the right people produces.
Identifying Prospects
Identifying prospects requires understanding who the offer genuinely serves.
Understanding who the offer serves identifies the prospects. The seller who understands who the offer serves whose needs it meets, whose situation it fits, whose problems it solves identifies the prospects, the people the offer serves. The understanding of who the offer serves is what identifies the prospects, distinguishing them from the people the offer does not serve.
What Is An Offer?
Identifying prospects directs the selling toward the right people. The seller who identifies the prospects focuses the selling on them the people the offer serves rather than on anyone who might be sold to. The identification directs the selling toward the prospects, focusing the effort on the right people the offer serves. The seller who identifies prospects directs the selling toward the right people.
Lead vs Prospect
Identifying prospects also qualifies the people to sell to. Not everyone who shows interest is a prospect some who show interest are not served by the offer. The seller who qualifies the people to sell to identifying which are prospects the offer serves focuses on the prospects, not the non-prospects who show interest. The qualification identifies the prospects among the people who show interest, focusing the selling on the right people. The Sales System identifies prospects the people the offer genuinely serves directing the selling toward the right people.
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The Practical Reading
A prospect is a potential buyer whom the offer genuinely serves the right person to sell to. Focusing on prospects produces the sustainable sales that serving the right people produces.
The first move is to recognize that fit distinguishes a prospect. A prospect is not just anyone who might buy; it is a potential buyer the offer genuinely serves. The fit between the offer and the buyer is what makes someone a prospect.
The second move is to recognize that focusing on prospects produces sustainable sales. Selling to prospects produces satisfied buyers who sustain sales; selling to non-prospects produces dissatisfied buyers who undermine sales. The focus on prospects produces the sustainable sales.
The third move is to identify prospects by understanding who the offer genuinely serves. The understanding of who the offer serves identifies the prospects, distinguishing them from the people the offer does not serve.
The fourth move is to qualify the people to sell to, identifying the prospects among those who show interest. Not everyone who shows interest is a prospect; qualifying identifies the prospects the offer serves, focusing the selling on the right people.
Sales System Framework
A prospect is a potential buyer whom the offer genuinely serves the right person to sell to. The seller who identifies prospects, understanding who the offer serves and qualifying the people to sell to, focuses the selling on the right people, producing the satisfied buyers and sustainable sales that serving the right people produces. Understanding what a prospect is directs the seller toward the right people the offer genuinely serves.
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Lead vs Prospect
What Is An Offer?
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Sales System Framework
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Frequently asked questions
Find answers to the most common questions about our products, shipping and returns.
What is a prospect in sales?
A prospect is a potential buyer whom the offer genuinely serves whose needs the offer meets, whose situation it fits, whose problems it solves. The fit between the offer and the buyer makes them the right person to sell to. A prospect is not just anyone who might buy, but a potential buyer the offer genuinely serves, distinguished by the fit between the offer and their needs.
What distinguishes a prospect from anyone who might buy?
Fit distinguishes a prospect. A prospect is a potential buyer the offer genuinely serves the offer meets their needs, fits their situation, solves their problems. Anyone might potentially be sold to, but only those the offer genuinely serves are prospects. The fit between the offer and the buyer is what makes someone a prospect rather than just a potential buyer.
Why focus on prospects instead of selling to anyone?
Focusing on prospects produces sustainable sales because selling to the right people those the offer serves produces satisfied buyers who value the offer, trust the seller, and sustain sales. Selling to non-prospects those the offer does not serve produces dissatisfied buyers who regret the purchase and damage the seller's reputation. The focus on prospects produces sustainable sales.
How do you identify prospects?
Identify prospects by understanding who the offer genuinely serves whose needs it meets, whose situation it fits, whose problems it solves. This understanding distinguishes the prospects from the people the offer does not serve. Qualifying the people who show interest identifying which are genuinely served by the offer focuses the selling on the prospects rather than the non-prospects who may show interest.
Is everyone who shows interest a prospect?
No. Not everyone who shows interest is a prospect some who show interest are not genuinely served by the offer. Qualifying the people who show interest identifies which are prospects the offer serves and which are not. Focusing on the genuine prospects, rather than everyone who shows interest, directs the selling toward the right people and produces sustainable sales.
What happens if you sell to non-prospects?
Selling to non-prospects people the offer does not serve produces dissatisfied buyers who regret the purchase, distrust the seller, and may complain or warn others, damaging the relationships and reputation that sustain sales. Even if the sale is made, the dissatisfaction undermines sustainable sales. Focusing on prospects the offer serves produces the satisfied buyers who sustain sales instead.
