Leaving one’s comfort zone involves trial and error, learning, and the opportunity to engage in new, meaningful pursuits. Although leaving our comfort zone can be frightening initially, the benefit is that the more we experience success when venturing beyond our comfort zone, the more we can increase our self-efficacy (Positive Psychology, 2019).

When you make strides to push outside of your zone—like approaching prospects in a different part of town or an unusual industry—you are expanding your zone by transforming what was once uncomfortable into something familiar.

First, it’s essential to look at your product or service and ask some fundamental questions, such as, for what problems or needs do your product/service offer solutions?

Once you’ve identified your new prospects, research. Try to learn everything you can about them—how they live, work and play, their core values, and their needs and goals—so that you can approach them in an educated manner with relevant ways to solve their problems.

One of the easiest ways is the most direct. Try this simple sales technique: Ask questions! The best tool a sales rep can possess is curiosity. Be curious. Learn to ask questions that will gather information about prospects.

The next step in the learning process involves networking and direct interaction with your target group. While background research is essential, nothing beats a face-to-face conversation.