How to Find Prospect Leads if You're an American or Canadian Sales Representative
Identify and Find Prospect Leads
Gathering Prospect Lead
Information
Qualifying Prospect Leads
by Phone
Veteran sales people know how to find prospect leads. They claim that a sales person's ability to close sales is directly related to the quality of one's prospect leads. So, the first step to completing a sale is to find prospect leads who are qualified; that is, people who need the products or services you offer (even if they don't know it yet) and are able to make purchases.
You'll need to actively find prospect leads if you offer
services performed at the customer's location (such as consulting
services), from your home (such as bookkeeping) or through
other means (such as through mail order) other than the
customer "discovering" you. Even if you sell
products from a fixed location such as a store, you'll need
to find prospect leads by selecting the right location
for your store so that is convenient and easy for prospects
to find.
Find Prospect Leads by First Identifying Them
Some of the most popular prospecting methods are listed below.
There are many others, the only limitation to finding and using
them is your ingenuity!
- Be sure to promptly follow up on any referrals from customers.
Referrals from satisfied customers are highly effective because
you have a real or implied third-party endorsement built in. Also,
you've saved research time because the referred potential customer
has already identified herself as an interested, and probably
qualified, customer who can benefit from your product or service
and has the ability to buy it. Your behavior is now a reflection
on the customer who referred you, so don't let them down! And,
don't forget to thank customers and others for referrals in helping you find prospect leads.
- Use your contacts from clubs and organizations to which you
belong.
- Consider joining "tip clubs" or "networking groups"
formed for small business owners or sales people to share sales
leads and help one another find prospect leads.
- Exhibit at trade shows attended by your target audience. Follow
up on sales leads from the show. The purpose of trade shows, after
all, is to bring interested purchasers together with sellers! What better place is there to find prospect leads?
- Hold a contest to gather the names of people who show interest
in your products. For example, at a trade show booth ask visitors
to drop a business card in a fish bowl for a chance to win a free
product or service from your company. That way, you'll get the
names and addresses of prospects as well as an opportunity to
showcase your service to the contest winner. Contests and prizes
should be appropriate for your business, industry and target audience.
- As a way to find prospect leads, you can purchase mailing lists of all kinds and in many forms.
Contact a "list broker" for more information. Look in
the Yellow Pages or check with professional sales or marketing
organizations for suggestions of good list brokers in your area.
- Develop your own mailing lists from sources such as the Yellow
Pages, professional association directories or other sources.
How to Find Prospect Lead Information
Once you've identified potential prospects, you'll need to
gather as much information as you can to continue your evaluation
of them as qualified prospects and to prepare for meeting with
them. Take a look at this related article to learn how to weave
the information you learn about your prospect
leads into the sales process.
You can gather a lot of useful information on the Internet.
Check out Research
Prospect Leads on the Internet for more tips on how
to use this instant research tool.
You can also find prospect leads by gathering information at your
local library. (Many libraries also offer free Internet access.)
If you're not familiar with the library's business reference
section, ask a librarian to show you around. If you need information
about publicly held companies (companies that issue stock),
time spent with a librarian is a great investment.
You'll find the following reference materials at a library. (Some
of this information is also on the Internet.)
- Annual Reports - These documents are issued
by publicly held companies that contain financial information,
names of key executives and information about products, services
and business strategies.
- Business Guides - Dun and Bradstreet, Moody's and Standard
& Poors publish business guides containing information about
industries and companies. Even if you find prospect leads that are not public
companies and are not included in these guides, you may gain valuable industry information from them.
- Business Periodicals Index - This guide is organized
by subject and lists articles found in more than 175 periodicals.
- Electronic Databases - Many libraries have electronic
databases. If you're not familiar with them, ask a librarian to
show you how to find information.
- Trade Association Directories - These publications provide
information on trade associations, professional associations and
labor unions–organizations that are valuable sources of industry
and company information.
- Government Publications - You may find some government
publications on library shelves. If not, ask a librarian about
how to contact local, state and federal government offices for
information.
- Business Journals and Newspapers - Daily and weekly newspapers
cover local news stories and may cover small businesses not noted
in other reference materials. National newspapers will cover larger companies and business
and industry trends.
- Trade Journals and Specialty Publications - Trade journals
focus on an industry or market, such as financial services, training,
computer services, etc. Specialty publications focus on a defined
market such as cat lovers, sports enthusiasts, crafters, etc.
Articles in these publications often offer the most focused, in-depth
coverage of an industry or special interest and can be an excellent way to find prospect leads.
Find Prospect Leads and Qualify By
Phone
Most sales people use the telephone as an efficient way
to gather additional information as a way to find prospect leads and
qualify sales leads. Unless yours is a product or service
that is best sold over the phone, use your telephone as
a sales tool to gather information or to set an appointment
for a sales call. If you're interested in selling your product
or service over the phone, you'll want to read "Find Prospect Leads by Telemarketing."
Follow these tips to achieve success when trying to find prospect leads by phone.
- Schedule phone calling at a time of day when you're least likely
to be interrupted.
- Set a quota of calls to make and stick to it.
- Write down what you want to say and practice it, but don't sound
canned.
- To get a prospect excited about your product, be excited about
the product yourself.
- Don't forget your manners; remember "please" and "thank
you."
- Get to decision makers; tell them only enough information to
make an appointment. Suggest a time to meet. Give them choices
of appointment times and meeting locations.
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