How to generate leads from the resources you already have

Call your partners- Partners can be a great source of short term sales opportunities. Work directly with the sales reps at your key partners. Before you consider working with a partner, be sure you are comfortable with their approach to selling and their reputation on the street. Once initial trust is established, the formula is simple–give a lead to get a lead.

Start with an overview conference call or meeting to determine overall fit- Do they call on the same types of accounts and functional areas as you? Are they active enough to be able to provide you with enough leads to make spending time worth while? Once you have determined that there is a fit, take some time and do a lead swap with them. Be prepared to give them a few currently active projects or at least some valuable contacts in organizations they may want to penetrate. Expect to get roughly the same type and quantity of leads in return.

E-mail your existing contacts- Chances are, if you have executed a performance for your past and existing clients, 9 times out of 10, they are willing to refer you to someone that is in their network.  Many times, companies focus on creating new leads from a “floating source”.  This “floating source”? Pulling from a completely new area that you are not familiar with, or cold calling.  But why cold call when you already have a great network to pull from? 

Creating incentives for your existing clients is a great way to go.  Let them know that you would like to discount their current or future projects in exchange for new business and referrals. 

Do your research before any sales attempt

Scenario,

You just got home from work, your relaxing and fading into the completion of a hectic work day with a good book, or a television show.  The phone rings.  You answer.  Who is on the other end?  Someone asking for what seems to be a variation of your name that sounds VERY ridiculous.  Then?  You are annoyed.

They proceed to try to sell you something that you already have!  In this world, it is one of my biggest pet peeves.  As this person is talking on the other end of the line, all you can think is, “What an idiot”. 

 DO YOUR RESEARCH. 

I have trained my sales staff to know the difference between pulling out a prospect, and pulling out a lead.  It’s one thing to have 100 leads, it’s another thing to try to turn those leads into sales.  

There are so many different levels to a good sales point.  YES, knowing the product or service your selling inside and out is a 100% must.  But what about knowing your demographic, what about knowing the potential client before actually contacting them?  Also VERY important. 

Know what the potential client needs before hand so you can give them a genuine, honest run-down on how to go about making things better for them.  Be genuine.

What is the point of purchasing a lead list if you are only turning the people on this list away due to your lack of knowledge about the consumer?

The question is, why waste the money on leads if you will never get anywhere with them?  Why not invest in your clients and know that you will have future contracts with them continually over the course of your career? If you invest in your clients, your clients invest in you.  It’s just fact in my mind as a business person.  When your clients invest in you, they refer you.  When this happens, you don’t have to worry about chasing down meaningless leads.