Buiness
Maximizing Your Prospecting Strategy: Lessons for Pasifika Business Leaders and Salespeople
As Pasifika business leaders and salespeople, we understand the importance of building genuine relationships, adding a personal touch, and working with integrity to create value for our customers.
by Joey Nanai I 24th November 2025
The art of prospecting is central to driving business growth, but there’s always room to refine our methods. Today, we’ll explore a detailed prospecting strategy and take a critical look at where improvements can be made, particularly when viewed through the lens of cultural values like service, humility, and community building.
This guide will break down key elements of a prospecting strategy and provide actionable insights Pasifika leaders and salespeople can use to optimize their efforts.
The Power of Multi-Channel Prospecting
A well-rounded prospecting strategy uses a variety of channels to engage with potential clients. Here’s an example of channels commonly used:
• LinkedIn for prospecting info and brand familiarity
• Twitter for uncovering personalization opportunities
• Cold email to close major deals
• Cold calls with validated contact numbers in the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
• Networking through mutual connections, ghostwriting introductions, and rewarding people for their kindness
• Current customers by asking for referrals
• In-person visits with handwritten notes or small gifts like cookies or donuts
This multi-channel approach is thorough, but there are a few key things to keep in mind.
1. Focus and Efficiency
One risk of using so many channels is spreading yourself too thin. It’s tempting to be everywhere, but maintaining consistent, high-quality engagement across all platforms can be difficult, especially if you’re juggling a full schedule.
For Pasifika salespeople and business leaders, it’s important to remember that relationships are our strength. Sometimes, less is more. Narrowing your focus to the most effective channels for your audience—whether that’s LinkedIn, cold email, or networking—can allow you to deliver a more thoughtful, impactful message.
2. Personalization vs. Scalability
Personalized outreach is vital to successful prospecting, especially in smaller markets like New Zealand. Personalization builds trust, which is critical in Pasifika communities. However, there’s a fine line between valuable personalization and over-complicating the process.
For example, creating customized graphics, videos, and handwritten notes for each prospect may work for a few key clients, but it’s not scalable. With such an approach, you risk limiting your outreach volume, which could mean missing out on valuable opportunities. If you spend too much time on ultra-personalized approaches, you might struggle to maintain a consistent pipeline of leads.
The key takeaway? Balance is crucial. Use personalization, but make sure your methods are scalable. A carefully tailored email or a well-researched LinkedIn message can sometimes be just as effective as a fancy video or graphic.
Creative Prospecting Techniques: What Works?
As Pasifika professionals, standing out from the crowd is essential. In a competitive business landscape, innovation in your outreach can be a great differentiator. Let’s evaluate a few creative strategies:
• Photo Booth with a Whiteboard and Prospect’s Logo: Taking a selfie with a handwritten whiteboard message or the prospect’s logo can make you memorable. But be careful—this can feel gimmicky if it’s not done authentically. Would a prospect in your industry appreciate the humor, or would they see it as trying too hard? Be mindful of the industry’s tone and culture.
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• Cookie Drop-Offs: Delivering fresh cookies to an office with a handwritten note is a sweet gesture, literally. However, while this tactic works well in person-centric industries or smaller markets, it might not be practical or scalable for every business. Think carefully about the ROI of this method. Driving two hours to deliver cookies for a prospect who may not convert can drain your time and resources.
Instead, consider digital alternatives that still reflect Pasifika values of thoughtfulness and service, like a personalized note or an email that shares valuable industry insights tailored to the recipient.
• Prospecting Videos: Video outreach can be effective, but ensure that it doesn’t come off as overly polished or forced. Prospects appreciate authenticity, so if you’re creating videos, make them as personable and genuine as possible. A simple 30-second video offering value, rather than a hard sell, can resonate better.
Creative Prospecting Techniques: What Works?
As Pasifika professionals, standing out from the crowd is essential. In a competitive business landscape, innovation in your outreach can be a great differentiator. Let’s evaluate a few creative strategies:
• Photo Booth with a Whiteboard and Prospect’s Logo: Taking a selfie with a handwritten whiteboard message or the prospect’s logo can make you memorable. But be careful—this can feel gimmicky if it’s not done authentically. Would a prospect in your industry appreciate the humor, or would they see it as trying too hard? Be mindful of the industry’s tone and culture.
​
• Cookie Drop-Offs: Delivering fresh cookies to an office with a handwritten note is a sweet gesture, literally. However, while this tactic works well in person-centric industries or smaller markets, it might not be practical or scalable for every business. Think carefully about the ROI of this method. Driving two hours to deliver cookies for a prospect who may not convert can drain your time and resources.
Instead, consider digital alternatives that still reflect Pasifika values of thoughtfulness and service, like a personalized note or an email that shares valuable industry insights tailored to the recipient.
• Prospecting Videos: Video outreach can be effective, but ensure that it doesn’t come off as overly polished or forced. Prospects appreciate authenticity, so if you’re creating videos, make them as personable and genuine as possible. A simple 30-second video offering value, rather than a hard sell, can resonate better.
Daily Habits that Drive Success
Consistency is key in prospecting. The daily routines of successful salespeople often include the following:
• Posting and engaging on LinkedIn every day
• Sending personalized, well-researched emails (aiming for quality over quantity)
• Regularly researching accounts to stay updated on new developments
• Continuous learning through industry podcasts, articles, and thought leadership
The key here is discipline. For Pasifika salespeople, time management and prioritization can help ensure that these activities are done consistently. However, some points in the example strategy raise concerns.
1. Overcommitting to Daily LinkedIn Engagement
Commenting on every post from your prospects could make you seem too eager or even insincere if your comments don’t add value. It’s better to engage meaningfully on a few posts rather than spread yourself too thin by responding to everything. Authenticity is highly valued in Pasifika culture, and your prospects will recognize when your interactions feel genuine versus forced.
2. Structured vs. Unstructured Days
One key element of successful prospecting is having a well-structured day. The strategy above suggests not following a specific structure, which can be risky. Without a framework, it’s easy to lose focus, especially with tasks that might not have immediate payoffs, like research and learning.
Instead, consider creating a loose but reliable structure that ensures daily priorities are addressed. For example:
• Morning: Research and prospecting (emails, LinkedIn)
• Midday: Client or prospect meetings
• Afternoon: Learning and development
This kind of structure helps keep the workday focused while allowing flexibility for unexpected tasks.
Balancing Technology and Human Connection
The use of tools like ChatGPT4, Google, and career pages for research is smart, but it can also become a crutch. Pasifika business leaders and salespeople often excel because of their interpersonal skills, cultural intuition, and ability to connect on a human level. Relying too much on AI tools might limit your ability to lean into those strengths.
While ChatGPT can assist in gathering information, your prospects want to feel heard and understood. Make sure you’re balancing technology with the human element. After all, a tool can tell you a prospect’s job title or their recent tweets, but it can’t teach you the empathy and cultural understanding that Pasifika leaders bring to every interaction.
Conclusion: Finding the Balance
As Pasifika leaders and salespeople, we are uniquely positioned to excel at prospecting because of our emphasis on relationships, community, and service. While it’s important to stay innovative with strategies like video prospecting or personalized gift drop-offs, there’s also value in focusing on simplicity and scalability.
Here are a few takeaways:
• Don’t spread yourself too thin. Choose the most effective channels for your industry and audience.
• Personalize, but don’t overcomplicate. Find scalable ways to tailor your outreach.
• Leverage creativity, but don’t rely on gimmicks. Authenticity will always shine through.
• Structure your day to ensure consistent prospecting and learning.
• Use technology wisely, but never underestimate the power of human connection.
Ultimately, prospecting success comes down to finding the balance between personalized engagement and efficient, scalable outreach. By staying true to Pasifika values of service and community, while adapting to modern strategies, you can create a winning prospecting formula that drives growth and builds lasting relationships.