Learn & Earn: The Discipline of New Business.

Prospecting has always been the heartbeat of successful selling, no matter how the tools or technology evolve. That truth came through loud and clear in a recent episode of The Selling Edge, where longtime media sales professional Allen Willis shared how discipline, curiosity, and genuine interest in a client’s world can keep a seller’s pipeline healthy in any market.

With more than 40 years in radio and media, Willis has seen prospecting shift from phone books and spec spots to a blend of AI insights, Chamber of Commerce research, and trend-driven preparation. Despite the changes, one principle remains constant: new business does not happen by accident. New revenue comes from sellers who commit to making progress every week.

“What I try to find out is what their needs are,” Willis said. “If you care about their business, you can talk their talk. That immediately builds credibility.”

Below are several takeaways from the conversation that highlight how sellers can build a stronger, smarter approach to new business.

Prospecting Has Changed, But the Discipline Behind It Has Not

Willis remembers the early days when new account executives were handed a phone book and told to start dialing. Although the tools are different today, the expectation is the same. Sellers still need a consistent flow of new conversations, and those conversations require preparation.

In recent years, business owners have become harder to reach in person. Many grew accustomed to limited in-store visits during the pandemic, and today they field constant digital noise just like the rest of us. To cut through that clutter, Willis focuses on quality outreach anchored in insight, not just availability.

He uses Chamber of Commerce websites to identify decision-makers, learn about businesses before reaching out, and craft a first contact that shows he has done his homework. The upfront knowledge often leads to a quicker connection and a more productive conversation.

Interest Creates Credibility

A recurring theme in Willis’ approach is personal interest. He stresses that sellers should pursue categories they genuinely care about or have experience with, because passion translates into trust.

When Willis helped aging parents navigate the healthcare system, that experience gave him the credibility to speak fluently with decision-makers in the nursing home category. Similarly, his experience in the financial vertical helped him connect naturally with advisors and institutions.

The more a seller knows about a category, the easier it becomes to ask more informed questions, identify client pain points, and demonstrate why their station or platform is the right fit. Even personal life events can become prospecting advantages. A kitchen renovation, a move, a new hobby, or a purchase can all turn into authentic insights that resonate with business owners.

Ideas Open Doors

Prospecting does not start with what a seller needs to sell. The process starts with what a prospect needs to hear.

Willis relies on valid business reasons, or VBRs, to guide his outreach. A VBR answers one question: Why should this business owner take your call today?

Trends from Futuri’s weekly category insights, heat maps showing audience concentration in key zip codes, and market-level research make it easier to bring ideas to prospects that feel relevant and timely. When Willis approached a jewelry store with a heat map highlighting the exact neighborhoods they wanted to reach, the conversation shifted from cold outreach to a meaningful conversation.

Sellers who lead with ideas not only differentiate themselves, but they also demonstrate value before ever presenting a schedule.

Consistency Protects the Pipeline

Even in strong years, sellers cannot rely solely on existing business. Willis shared examples from this year of major clients reducing budgets, going national, closing their doors, or being acquired. None of these changes were predictable, and none were related to performance. They simply reflected the reality of business.

To protect against attrition, Willis schedules a dedicated weekly prospecting block. Every Wednesday from 2 to 4:30pm, he focuses on finding new leads, researching businesses, and booking appointments. The time is blocked on his calendar so internal meetings cannot overwrite it, and he turns his email off to avoid distractions.

Treating prospecting time with the same importance as a top-client meeting helps ensure the funnel is always moving. Over time, this consistency compounds into a balanced book of business with new opportunities at every stage.

Curiosity Makes Better Sellers

Willis believes great sellers notice opportunities everywhere. They watch television differently, listen to radio differently, and observe their communities with a constant awareness of who is advertising, who is growing, and who is not being called on.

That curiosity makes sellers more creative when matching prospects with ideas, especially in categories like sports, where alignment matters. From “keys to the game” for auto dealers to “meet the officials” sponsored by an optometrist, Willis looks for ways to tie a client’s brand to features that feel natural and memorable.

Curiosity also builds the confidence needed to ask the essential questions, including the one that many sellers avoid: What is your budget? Asking directly prevents under-selling, over-pricing, and mismatched proposals. A direct approach also signals professionalism and partnership.

Turning Insight Into Action

Building new business sits at the foundation of long-term success. The work requires patience, preparation, and a willingness to stay disciplined even when the calendar is full. As Willis emphasized, sellers cannot control every shift in a client’s business, but they can control how consistently they look for the next opportunity.

The fundamentals still matter: Schedule the time, bring meaningful ideas, know the categories you pursue, and stay curious about the businesses around you. Combine that discipline with the right tools and insights, and sellers position themselves to grow, regardless of what the market delivers.

Kathy Eagle is President, Sales Intelligence at Futuri, where she leads the TopLine platform, which leverages AI to help sales teams win more business with data-driven insights. Reach her at linkedin.com/in/kathyeagle. For more on this topic, explore Futuri’s “The Selling Edge” podcast.