| This is the second in a three part series of lead | | | | If all your prospects eat at the same restaurant, I'd |
| generation. In the first part, we examined why your | | | | start eating there too. If it's an upscale restaurant, |
| lead generation system was broken, and some | | | | that might be a good place to sponsor the coat |
| insights on how to fix it. Here are 7 new ways to | | | | check room for a few nights. For a few dollars, I'm |
| make your lead generation strategy more effective. | | | | sure most restaurant owners would be happy to put |
| Clients jump ship every couple of years, and yours | | | | up a small sign noting tonight's coat check is FREE, |
| did, too. So? | | | | courtesy of your firm. A small and tasteful sign does |
| Here's how you can change all that with a better | | | | it. |
| sales lead strategy, and a better sales lead | | | | Of course if your clients eat at Denny's... then, |
| generation program: | | | | yeee-ha: time to get some new clients there, Jethro. |
| Lead Generation Tip 1. Figure out who your current | | | | Sorry. If it wasn't for bad taste, I wouldn't have any |
| customers are. | | | | jokes at all. |
| Dig through your files for commonalities: is it location? | | | | You could always sponsor desserts for an evening. |
| Income level? Value of home? Is net worth the | | | | Or if you're in the city - sponsor parking. |
| driver? Neighborhood? Business type? Circle of | | | | Lead Generating Tip 5. Create media awareness. |
| Friends? Write all this stuff down on a sheet of | | | | As a traditional direct marketer, I don't believe in |
| paper. This will become the heard of your sales lead | | | | unfocused mass advertising for generating leads, |
| generation program. | | | | especially higher quality sales leads. Those methods |
| Hey... if I do this for you - figure out who your | | | | only work in very select circumstances. But some |
| customers are, and write it down on a sheet of | | | | campaigns in traditional media such as newspapers, |
| paper I call it marketing research and charge you two | | | | magazines and local TV can work well to raise the |
| grand. You can do this for free, and call it whatever | | | | level of awareness of your firm in your own |
| you like - it's your sheet of paper. | | | | back-yard, and generate quality leads of local |
| Sales Lead Generation Tips 2. Figure out where your | | | | leads...and phone calls. And you know who likes to |
| current customers and client hang out. | | | | shop in their own back yard? Everyone. |
| And hang out there, too. What restaurants do they | | | | Create the right message, the right image, and |
| eat at? What mailing lists are they on. What do they | | | | present it consistently in the right media, and presto - |
| read - what newspapers or magazines? What do | | | | people get to know you. Then you know what |
| they watch on TV? What circle of friends do they | | | | happens? The phone rings. |
| go out with? What charities do they donate to? | | | | Marketing Tip 6. Create trust. |
| What gym do they work out at? What associations | | | | Build up your network of referrals and referral |
| do they belong to? Now, go on - hang out there | | | | sources. Start by referring customers to others, and |
| yourself. | | | | it will come back to you-in spades. Remember, every |
| Lead Generation Tip 3. What do your customers | | | | referral - whether you make one or receive one, |
| own? | | | | needs to be followed up by a WRITTEN piece of |
| Do your customers all drive Chevys? Do they all own | | | | correspondence. Either thanking someone for giving |
| boats? Airplanes. Tractors? Write all this down, too. | | | | you the referral, or letting someone know that you |
| It's part of the marketing research. (Remember, two | | | | just referred a potential client to them. Written. No, a |
| grand?) | | | | call is not the same. Sure you can call them, but |
| Lead Generation Tip 4. Now - What exactly do most | | | | then... you still need to write something down and |
| of your clients have in common? | | | | send it. |
| If you could clone a few clients, what are the | | | | Lead Generation Strategy 7. Pick up the phone and |
| common characteristics they'd all have? Because | | | | call. |
| that's exactly what I'd start looking for in new clients: | | | | Just say thanks for your business. Don't sell anything |
| the same demographics of clients in my own | | | | - you don't have to. Just thank customers, and ask if |
| customer database. Section out people who have | | | | you can help with anything, provide any information |
| those same commonalities with your current clients, | | | | they may need. Giving away something FREE is one |
| and advertise or mail to them. | | | | of my favorite offers. Quotes are always the first |
| Suppose you find out that every one of your clients | | | | line of a sale. |
| reads the same 3 magazines. Those magazines would | | | | In the next article in this series on lead generation |
| be good places to start a highly qualified lead | | | | strategies, 8 additional tips on how to generate leads |
| generation program: take out an ad schedule, or send | | | | and get more sales. |
| press releases regularly - wouldn't they? | | | | |