Book excerpt: Selling is Easy. But Prospecting...? In truth, selling is anything but easy. But for professionals who understand and practice this from the heart, selling is easier! It is more natural-it is the result of building relationships. There is plenty of information out there on how to "sell." But to truly flourish, you must first prospect. Everyone has to prospect. Most people hate to do it, and we believe that the five most common reasons why sales professionals don't prospect enough are: They don't understand the value of what they are selling They have a fear of rejection They don't know what to do or how to do it They are not motivated They have a personal difficulty to overcome Do any of these statements describe you? If so, you are not alone. Indeed, it all truly comes down to sales, which cannot occur unless you keep your pipeline full. After all: The number one cause of FAILURE for sales professionals and job seekers is lack of prospects. While you have plenty of resources and options at your disposal to learn more about "selling"-but there is not enough out there to help sales people confront their fears and overcome their personal challenges when it comes to prospecting. Until now. Introducing the all new fourth edition of an intense, peer-reviewed, time-tested book on prospecting: Prospect & Flourish: How to Conquer the "Weakest Link" in the Sales Process. Originally created for use in the insurance industry, Prospect & Flourish is a comprehensive guide to business prospecting in all its forms. Readers will learn how to: Become a networking maven, and build connections and relationships with people from across town to around the globe. Develop centers of influence-often the cornerstone of a healthy client portfolio. Master the art of referrals and introductions-which begins with knowing the difference between the two. Establish their own trusted board of advisors, who can provide expertise, counsel, and yes, referrals. Become properly scripted, so they will know what to will say before they say it when it comes to engaging prospects in all types of situations. Get their foot in the door at companies where they do not have any prior connection (our secret: Use a Wedge(TM)). Learn about networking and referral groups, and how to make the best use of them not just for yourself, but for your colleagues as well. Learn to properly use social media, such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to engage prospects by delivering value while building a professional brand. And much, much more. This all new fourth edition contains nearly 300 pages worth of tips, how-to strategies and resources that will enable you to Prospect & Flourish continuously every day! What is Your Return on Investment (ROI) in Prospect & Flourish? Indeed, the return on your investment is fairly simple to calculate. While guarantees in many professional industries are difficult to extend, I guarantee this: if you adopt just a few approaches that you will learn throughout this book, you WILL see results. If what you learn enables you to create at least one new client relationship, your investment has just paid for itself many times over. Further: Look beyond your first paycheck for that single new client or job. What do you think will be the lifetime value of that one relationship? How much might you earn through serving that single entity over the lifetime of your career? The payback on your investment grows exponentially.