Ditch the Silence for a Guarantee Call Back: Your ProBF 15-Minute/5 Prompt Prospect Research Plan

Welcome to ProBF ProTips, our advice column from Facilisgroup’s Director of Professional Development and professional best friend (ProBF), Terri Harland! She’ll share her tips and tricks in the promotional products industry to help sales reps elevate their skills and drive incredible growth. For this installment, Terri breaks down the importance of researching your prospects and gives us the proper research prompts for better results.

Okay, best friend. Pull up a chair. I need to lovingly call you out on something I’ve watched salespeople do for years, including myself when I didn’t know better.

We guess.
We assume.
We spray and pray into inboxes and voicemails and then wonder why no one calls us back.

And then we say things like:
“People just don’t answer anymore.”
“Prospects are impossible to reach.”
“Everyone’s busy.”

They are busy. But they’re also paying attention, just not to messages that feel like they could’ve been sent to literally anyone.

So let me be your professional best friend for a second and give you the gentlest (but firm) nudge:

👉 Five prompts and 15 minutes of research will save you weeks of silence.

Set a timer. 15 minutes. That’s it. This isn’t a deep dive. This is a smart skim that arms you with enough context to sound like a human who did their homework.

Here’s how to use those minutes like a pro.

Prompt 1: Understand the Brand (Not Just the Logo)

Start with their website.
I know. Revolutionary.
But don’t just look at what they sell, look at how they talk about it.

Ask yourself:

• What do they actually do?
• Have they used promotional products before? How?
• Did it feel thoughtful… or checkbox-y?

Are there any:

• Big announcements
• New launches
• Hiring pushes
• Pop-ups, events, campaigns
• “Moment-in-time” highlights

This is gold. This is context. This is how you avoid saying something vague like, “I’d love to learn more about your business.” (Please. We can do better.)

Prompt 2: Find the Right People (And the Influencers)
Titles lie. People don’t. Yes, find the decision-maker, but also look for the influencers:

• Who’s posting?
• Who’s engaging?
• Who seems proud of what the company is doing?

Sometimes the fastest way to the right person is around them, through someone who already has internal credibility.

Then head to LinkedIn:

• What are they passionate about?
• Who do they interact with?
• Any mutual connections?
• Any content that hints at what matters to them?

Almost everyone shows you something if you pay attention.

Prompt 3: Identify Needs & Buying Triggers
Now we shift from product mode to solution mode.

Look for triggers:

• Are they hiring or expanding?
• Opening new locations?
• Launching something new?
• Doubling down on culture, sustainability, community, or brand storytelling?

Then zoom out:

• How have they shown up at trade shows?
• How do they celebrate milestones?
• What story are they trying to tell?

Your job is not to tell them how great a product is. Your job is to ask: “How could promotional products help them tell this story better?”

Prompt 4: Quick Competitive Scan
This is not a rabbit hole; this is a reality check.

Take a fast look:

• • What are competitors doing?
• • Are there gaps?
• • Are there tired ideas being repeated?

Sometimes the best hook is: “Here’s what everyone else is doing… and here’s how you could do it differently.”

Prompt 5: Craft the Hook (This Is Where the Magic Happens)
Now, and only now, do you reach out.

Not with: “Just checking in” or, even worse, a fricking “circle back.”

But with a custom hook that proves:

• You paid attention
• You respect their time
• You have a reason for reaching out now

Example framework:

“I saw that your company is gearing up for [X]. I work with similar brands in [industry] and help them increase visibility and engagement using thoughtful promotional tools. I’d love to share a few ideas tailored specifically to what you’re building.”

See the difference?

Plug-and-Play Hooks
Use these as starting points, not scripts. Make them yours.

1. The Moment-in-Time Hook
“I saw you’re preparing for [launch/event/announcement], and it got me thinking about how brands use promotional products to extend that moment beyond the initial buzz.”

2. The Growth Signal Hook
“I noticed you’re hiring for [role/team], which usually signals growth. I help companies reinforce culture and brand during expansion, and I’d love to share a few ideas.”

3. The Social Proof Hook
“I came across your recent [campaign/post/initiative] and loved how you highlighted [specific detail]. Have you ever explored using branded merchandise to support that message?”

4. The Competitive Gap Hook
“I work with several companies in [industry], and I’ve noticed a trend in how brands are showing up with promotional products. There may be an opportunity for you to stand out where others aren’t.”

5. The Storytelling Hook
“Your mission around [value/initiative] really stood out to me. I help brands tell stories through thoughtful, intentional promotional products — not just logo placement.”

6. The Referral-Style Hook
“I’ve worked with companies similar to yours that were focused on [goal], and it made me think of your team. Would you be open to a quick conversation?”

7. The Curious-but-Confident Hook
“Quick question — when it comes to [initiative/event/campaign], who typically weighs in on promotional decisions? I have a few ideas that could support what you’re building.”

Final ProBF ProTips
This isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about being intentional.

Five prompts/15 minutes:

• Saves you from sounding generic
• Gives you confidence
• Makes your outreach feel human
• Turns cold conversations warm fast

So please, for the love of your pipeline, stop guessing. And do not make an ASS of yourself by ASSuming.

Set the timer.
Do the work.
Craft the hook.

And then show up like the professional you already are.

Yours always,
ProBF