--- title: How to Upgrade Your Targets | The Sales Blog description: To create more real sales opportunities, you need to focus on the right targets. Here's how to upgrade your targets. image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2013-03-25-at-10_48_02-PM.png --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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Some of the “[prospects](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/its-a-lead-not-an-opportunity)” on that list have been there for years. Many of them experienced changes in their business and no longer buy much of what you sell. A few of them don’t buy at all. They’re no longer prospects. Some of these “prospects” might buy a lot of what you sell, but [they don’t value what you do](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/we-can-have-the-business-if-we-match-their-price) enough to pay you for it. They buy on price alone, and you don’t compete on price. Because you can’t sell to them at a price they’re willing to pay, they’re no longer prospects either. Some of your “prospects” have needs that you can’t meet (even outside of price). They need delivery terms that don’t work for you, or payment terms that you can’t meet. Or maybe the way they need a solution work isn’t something you can deliver. They’re no longer prospects or leads. **Target Companies That Buy Now** To upgrade your target list you need to [build a list of dream clients](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/all-your-best-dream-clients-are-taken) and prospects that use what you sell now. Companies that are buying what you sell have orders now. You can only get orders from people that have orders to give you. **Target Companies That Value What You Do** You also need to upgrade your list by [identifying targets](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/how-to-choose-targets-that-are-not-price-driven) that value what is you do. Clients that value what you do will expect you to create that value, and they’ll also allow you to capture some of the value that you create. **Target Companies That Don’t Need Exceptional Exceptions** It’s tough to let go of targets that buy what you sell because you can’t meet their needs. You want to make exceptions, win the business, and move on. But sometimes your company’s business model, your processes, and the other unique ways you do business won’t allow for those exceptions. You’re better off targeting prospects that don’t need exceptions that you can’t make. Upgrade your target list. Eliminate the old stuff that hasn’t been good for years. Fill it back up with real leads and prospects that do buy what you sell, value what you do, and for whom your work will make a difference.   [* *Tweet](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How+to+Upgrade+Your+Targets&url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2013%2F03%2F25%2Fhow-to-upgrade-your-targets%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare&via=iannarino) * *Pin [* *Share18](https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2013%2F03%2F25%2Fhow-to-upgrade-your-targets%2F%3Futm_source%3Dlinkedin%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [* *Share4](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2013%2F03%2F25%2Fhow-to-upgrade-your-targets%2F%3Futm_source%3Dfacebook%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [* *Email](mailto:?subject=How%20to%20Upgrade%20Your%20Targets&body=Take%20a%20look%20at%20your%20target%20list.%20Some%20of%20the%20%E2%80%9Cprospects%E2%80%9D%20on%20that%20list%20have%20been%20there%20for%20years.%20Many%20of%20them%20experienced%20changes%20in%20their%20business%20and%20no%20longer%20buy%20much%20of%20what%20you%20sell.%20A%20few%20of%20them%20don%E2%80%99t%20buy%20at%20all.%20They%E2%80%99re%20no%20longer%20prospects.%20Some%20of%20these%20%E2%80%9Cprospects%E2%80%9D%20might%20buy%20a%20lot%20of%20what%20you%20sell%2C%20but%20they%20don%E2%80%99t%20value%20what%20you%20do%20enough%20to%20pay%20you%20for%20it.%20They%20buy%20on%20price%20alone%2C%20and%20you%20don%E2%80%99t%20compete%20on%20price.%20Because%20you%20can%E2%80%99t%20sell%20to%20them%20at%20a%20price%20they%E2%80%99re%20willing%20to%20pay%2C%20they%E2%80%99re%20no%20longer%0D%0A%0D%0ARead%20More%20Here:%20%20https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2013%2F03%2F25%2Fhow-to-upgrade-your-targets%2F%3Futm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [* *Pocket](https://getpocket.com/save?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2013%2F03%2F25%2Fhow-to-upgrade-your-targets%2F%3Futm_source%3Dpocket%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [* *Buffer](https://bufferapp.com/add?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2013%2F03%2F25%2Fhow-to-upgrade-your-targets%2F%3Futm_source%3Dbuffer%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare&text=How+to+Upgrade+Your+Targets) 22 Shares ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2013](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2013) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on March 25, 2013 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2024-09-05T10:45:44 AM", "datePublished" : "2013-03-25 22:55:07", "description" : "To create more real sales opportunities, you need to focus on the right targets. 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