Before you make that call: use research to stand out from your competition

Perform competitive intelligence research before making the call or in-person visit. You only have one chance to make a great first impression that prompts your prospect to say, "Tell me more." You have to justify immediately why the other person should spend his or her time with you. Research to identify your prospect's true pain points, opportunities for improvement, potential ways of doing things differently, ideas to [blank], and so on. Generic emails, telephone calls, and office visits should be things of the past. Solid research helps spot trends, turns assumptions into facts, and most importantly, makes you stand out. (article) Ira Koretsky, "Before you make that call: use research to stand out from your competition," January 21, 2010

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