The most difficult task for any B2B marketer is generating sales leads. Sales leads are not exactly clients; but they are potential clients. A sales lead is an individual who has shown a certain interest in the product or services, whether by inquiring directly through a company’s website or by leaving a business card at a trade show, or responding to a sales call in a positive note.
Generating sales leads initially begins with building a network and this is a simple task. You can do this by contacting your friends, family, peers and existing customers asking if they know anyone who may be interested in your products or services. These referrals are indexed as sales lead tips. There are some proven techniques for generating B2B sales leads:
- Networking
- Advertising and social media (SMO)
- Telemarketing
- Direct or email marketing campaigns
- Websites and search engine optimization (SEO)
- Buying a Sales lead list
Amongst all, the quickest way to assemble hundreds or thousands of sales leads is to buy a sales lead list. There are dozens of marketing companies that gather and sell specific lists for certain businesses and consumer sectors. The advantage of using these lists is that a sales person can get instant access to thousands of prospects and their contact info for a few hundred dollars. But, when you think about buying sales leads? Here are a few questions that you should try before making a decision:
7. Have the sales lead contacts been given the option to opt-out or to opt-in?
6. Whether they have a return policy for inaccurate sales lead?
5. How the contact details are compiled and updated?
4. How consistent is each record?
3. What are the other practices implemented for managing existing customers?
2. What is the minimum purchase limit?
1. What is the pricing for the sales lead list and any discounts available for larger orders?
The Bottom Line:
Sales leads can be profitable or a disaster. As sales grow, you will learn how best to turn the audience into potential prospects, and then into loyal customers who provide qualified referrals. The sales process is ongoing and you will enjoy the honors of being a Golden Rule Seller.
