LEAD GENERATION

What kinds of resources do we have to utilise?

"Are we focusing on the ideal customer profile to increase probability of success?"

Here are some common lead generation activities for people without much resource:

Research ways to find a target market database. But be careful buying data because any data that is sold generally in the market is usually not worth having.

Find complimentary products and partner with those organisations to work together and share contacts. Companies that sell Tennis rackets benefit from sales of Tennis balls for example. Vertical market industries have common applications, requirements, etc.

Lead Generation Activities:

COLD CALLING

    -Warm up the cold calling by ensuring you are calling the right contact who stands to benefit from your product

    -Make reference of their friend or associate who you might know so that you are not a complete stranger, or make reference to how you did something for a similar person or company previously which helped them to benefit

    -Be succinct and direct offering the benefit up front and use the tactic, "if you could benefit from X, would you be intersted in knowing how you could have it/do it"?

    By all means avoid thinking about what you are selling and focus on the benefits of the prospective customer and how they will enjoy them. They don't care about your product, they care about themselves!

E-MAIL SHOTS

    -Email a special offer to download a white paper, or invitation to an executive briefing addressing business issues for a particular vertical market.

    -Build an opt in list on your website where visitors can subsribe to receive relevant information, and build a list of interested people

    -Provide company / product / industry newsletters

WEBINARS

    -Provide presentations and product demonstrations over the web.

    -Offer free videos and blogs for interested people to watch and learn, and be sure to include a call to action.

OLD SCHOOL

    Mailshot out a mail back form with tick boxes - remember to include a call to action asking the prospective client to do something, and offering something of value such as a white paper, try before they buy, or discount or something. Try 10 each day and follow up with a call, don't ask if they got the letter just sell benefits and get agreement for a meeting or something to make forward progress.

    Offer an incentive to existing customers of yours and other complimentary supplier's customers to refer contacts, or invite friends to social gatherings, horse races, skeet shooting, happy hours or any kind of industry social event where you can meet them

    Expand existing business. Learn to treat an old customer like a new prospect.

    Utilise your suppliers to get leads and ensure you are the first choice for any new leads by providing them back with detailed reports of your activities outlining successes and victories