PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION
PROSPECTING& LEADGENERATIONTOP PRODUCER’S EDGEA Southwestern Coaching TPE ModulePROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not RedistributePR OS PEC TING AND LEAD GENER ATION / OPTION 1
DISCUSSIONQUESTIONS How do you generate leads? Do you have multiple lead sources? On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your prospecting activity? How do you make propsecting fun? Do you use LinkedIn to prospect? Do you know what percentage of your leads come from referrals? What do you think could take your prospecting to the next level?PRINCIPLES When prospecting, make sure you are fishing with several poles in the water. Don’t put all of your prospecting eggs in one basket—diversify yourprospecting portfolio. Generating new leads is the number-one Income-Producing Activity (IPA).PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute1
FISHING FOR PROSPECTSAre you fishing in an empty pond?Have you ever heard anyone use the excuse, “I just don’t have anyone to call on!”?Fishing in a pond without fish is not fun. Our job is to find the ponds that have fish.There are three main pools of prospecting waters you can fish from to fill yourpipeline with warm referrals.3 REFERRAL POOLS1. ABP Lake (Always Be Prospecting)Ask for a referral from every person you meet.2. Old Man Joe’s Farm PondCalling on existing clients to “farm your book of business” and ask for referrals.3. Fish HatcheryDeveloping a network of referral power partners who send business to you.HOW TO GO ABOUT PROSPECTINGTrue sales professionals know that prospecting is a vital ingredient in the recipe forsuccess and one of your most important Income Producing Activities (IPAs). Infact, prospecting should be one of your daily tasks. As you may have heard before,prospecting can make or break your sales effort—which is exactly why you need to doit well—but what does it take to be “good” at prospecting?First of all, it’s important to keep in mind that prospecting is more than just a parttime task. It is your livelihood. Prospecting should not be a duty that’s left only to“slow” times. Continued prospecting ensures constant growth and can minimizeincome and production slumps. Your prospecting efforts should be viewed as aninvestment in long-term goals and your future success. If you’re consistently seekingout new leads, you guarantee yourself an audience regardless ofmarket status.Secondly, recognize that prospecting is a discipline. It won’t matter how“good” you are at prospecting if you don’t have the discipline to see it through.Much of being a successful salesperson is perseverance and a solid work ethic. Setprospecting activity goals for yourself and use a schedule to get there.And finally, prospecting should be viewed as a task that requires both quality andquantity. Prospect well, but prospect often. Prospecting is just like fishing. You don’thave control over how many times you must cast before you catch a fish. Sometimesyou can catch a fish on the first cast and then you can catch one every other cast.Whereas other days, you might not catch a fish all day long, after hundreds of casts.Like fishing, prospecting is a numbers game. Make sure you are “fishing” like a pro andasking for referrals.PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute2
WOW/HOW TECHNIQUEWhen meeting prospects for the first time, it’s important to have a good elevatorpitch that explains what you do. You want it to be punchy but clear, inspiring butnot cheesy. Most important of all is saying it with conviction. People will catch yourpassion if it’s genuine. The best technique to develop your elevator pitch is the Wow/How.Wow/How is a technique that helps people create a dialogue when someone asks,“What do you do?” Tell them something that makes them say, “Wow, that’s cool. Howdo you do that?” You don’t want them to think, “Wow, what does that mean?” or“Wow, you’re boring,” or “Wow, get over yourself.”For example, financial planners might say, “I help people become financially literate.”Then someone says “Wow, that’s great. How do you do that?” Then the plannerreplies with, “Do you remember opening your first 401k and how overwhelming allthe terms and options were with investing? I help people learn about their investmentoptions and help them plan for their future retirement and other endeavors. Doyou feel prepared for your retirement? Do you have a business card? Let’s connectsometime soon for a cup of coffee.”Write your own Wow/How elevator pitch in the space below and discuss withyour coach.PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute3
GENERATE LEADSAND TURN CONTACTS INTO CLIENTSAs you already know, referrals are the number-one way to generate leads. In additionto working a referral system, here are six additional ways to generate leads throughself-marketing efforts.1. Be personable.Send thank-you notes to let your current clients know that you truly appreciatetheir business. After any successful transaction, send a greeting card or ane-postcard. This thank-you note process will help you earn repeat business andis very well received in client circles.2. Follow up, follow up, follow up.Did you know that most people have to see or hear a message seven times beforeit is captured in their “memory bank”? Create a follow-up system using a variety ofthe following options: an email, a postcard, a letter, a phone call, a newsletter,a text.3. Potential clients like to hear what other clients are saying.Ask your clients for testimonials that can be published on your web page, salescopy, and pamphlets. This is a great way to show your prospective clients thatother “real” people are truly happy with your services. Video testimonials are anexcellent option as well.4. Market yourself with events.Promote events, webinars, seminars, and other industry-related activities. Speakpublicly as often as possible and use you as a resource. Marketing yourself can bejust as important as marketing your business.5. E-mail printed newsletters to leads in your pipeline.Giving potential patrons an option to receive a monthly business update ornewsletter by e-mail is a great way to spark interest over a long period of time.6. Promote through social media.Become a maven of information that informs your network with industry updatesand relevant information about what you and your company does so you’re atthe top of their mind when the time comes for the need of services.PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute4
LINKEDIN LEAD GENERATIONOther than working a referral system, LinkedIn is the best lead-generation tool onthe market today. Over the next few pages, you will find basic and advanced leadgeneration techniques using LinkedIn that will take your business to the next level.BASIC LINKEDIN TECHNIQUES1. Use quick search.You can search names, companies, and titles with the top search bar.Image 1: Quick Search Tool2. Click in the search field, then click the magnifying glass that appears to accessthe advanced search tool.Image 2: How to Access the Advanced Search ToolImage 3: Advanced Search ToolPROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute5
LINKEDIN LEAD GENERATION continued3. Use filters to refine your search. Connections: 1st, 2nd, 3rd Locations Current companies, Past companies Industries Additionally: Profile language, Contact interests, SchoolsImage 4: Select All Filters to refine your search.Image 5: Viewing All Filter options. Example:All People.4. Review profiles for relevant information. Profiles reveal insights to people’s likes and dislikes, their hobbies, andpersonal information about their past. A profile will also tell you if there is someone that you both know. This is whereyou are looking for that “2nd” box next to their name. These connections of yourconnections are “indirect referrals” and your warmest leads.5. Searching is limited for free LinkedIn accounts.LinkedIn has an algorithm that identifies accounts that are using their searchfeature for “Commercial Use.” The number of allowed searches has not been definedby LinkedIn, but they do state that the free monthly usage resets at midnight (PST)on the 1st of each calendar month.PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute6
LINKEDIN LEAD GENERATION continued6. Save your favorite searches.You can save up to three searches in which LinkedIn will email you new searchresults weekly or monthly. This is an automated lead source.STEP 1Enter a search into the search bar. Search operators can be used directly in thesearch box to narrow your results. Search operators complement the filters on thetop of the results page and the AND, OR, and NOT boolean operators.LinkedIn currently supports the following search operators: firstname: Finds members based on first namelastname: Finds members based on last nametitle: Finds members based on their current titlecompany: Finds members based on their current company (keyword search)school: Finds members based on schools attended (keyword search)When using search operators, remember to use quotes for multi-word searchterms, and parentheses for AND, OR, and NOT phrases. Be sure to separate thesetwo criteria with a colon.Here’s a quick example. To search for prospects with President or CEO in their title,try searching: title: (president OR CEO)Image 5: Using Search OperatorsPROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute7
LINKEDIN LEAD GENERATION continuedSTEP 2You can save up to three searches in which LinkedIn will email you new searchresults weekly or monthly. This is an automated lead source.Image 6: Saving Searches —Create Search AlertClick the Create search alertbutton to save a filtered search.Image 7: Setting Up Search Alert SettingsImage 8: Managing Your Saved SearchesPROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute8
ADVANCED LINKEDINLEAD-GENERATION TECHNIQUES1. The Repeat FeatAdding existing and past customers to your network to help grow your networkof connections.2. The Simple SweepUsing the Advanced Search function, fill in the criteria you are looking for such as“President” and cast a broad net. Filter to just the United States, or to your localarea so that your results are the most relevant to you.Image 9: Simple SweepSearch keywordSelect LocationsSave SeachPROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute9
ADVANCED LINKEDINLEAD-GENERATION TECHNIQUES continued3. The Super SweepConduct an Advanced Search with only 1st and 2nd Connections selected. Thissearch returns only people who are within your “2 degrees of separation.” Makesure that a super sweep is at least one of your saved searches.Image 10: Super SweepSearch keywordSearch KeywordsApply rrentCompanyPROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not RedistributeSave Search10
ADVANCED LINKEDINLEAD-GENERATION TECHNIQUES continued4. Hunt-and-Peck TechniqueClick on any one of the profiles for any of your existing connections (this is whyyou want to constantly add more contacts). To the right of their profile, look forthe area that shows their number of connections and click that link.Image 11: Profile Page for Dave Brown*If their “Connections” line isnot visible or clickable on aprofile, the user disabled thisfeature via their settings.It will instantly display their private, virtual Rolodex. You can scroll through everyperson they are connected to. On a computer, you can use your browser’s searchfeature to search for a name, title, and company from their list of contacts. Makepersonal notes about who specifically you would like to be referred to.Image 12: Using Browser to Search Dave Brown’s ContactsNow, when asking for referrals, you canspecifically mention who you want tobe referred to. This takes your numberof referrals from 0-2 to 5-9 each timebecause you are making it as easy aspossible for your client. Plus, you knowwho you want to be referred to betterthan they do, so take the time to identifyyour referrals beforehand.PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute11
MULTIPLE LEADGENERATION METHODSSOUTHWESTERN COACHING’S LEAD-GENERATION METHODS1. Past Campaign Counterparts Call your managers from past territories to say hi and get their counterparts orother referrals in new cities. Call the current managers of former employees who are no longer at yourcompany. Nobody else will be calling them, so build a relationship withthem by introducing some of our changes and new products and then gettheir counterparts.2. Referrals In-person presentations Over-the-phone reaches3. Circle of Influence College Alum—Many colleges have nationwide directories of what and wheretheir alumni work. Get in touch with yours and start calling them. Family Friends4. Master Client List (Vertical Marketing)List each and every client you’ve had. Go through it line by line and make sure thatyou’ve searched for them on Google, LinkedIn, and on yellowppages.com. Find other opportunities within that client to upsell or cross-sell other services. Find other branches/offices to prospect. Look up their competition to call.5. National Account ListList of large companies that are nationwide that we know often have salespeople.6. Southwestern Alumni List Pre-loaded leads that we get from Nashville home office. Call your Southwestern alumni friends and their friends.7. List Don’t ask yourself “is this a good industry to work?” Just DIAL and ask them!Sort your list by number of salespeople and start by calling the biggestcompanies in the random industries and learn something about their business bytalking with the gatekeeper.PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute12
MULTIPLE LEADGENERATION METHODS continuedSOUTHWESTERN COACHING’S LEAD-GENERATION METHODS8.LinkedIn SearchRefer to the LinkedIn Lead-Generation Techniques earlier in this module.9.Business JournalGo to the library and ask for The Book of Lists. They will know what it is and it willhave many of the companies listed in the area.10. Networking BNI, Chamber of Commerce, Young Professionals, etc. Meetup.com lists professional networking groups in your area. Once you join agroup, you have access to their upcoming networking events.11. Phone Number Lists Phone Book Dex Online12. Purchase an SIC Code ListGo to www.infoUSA.com and purchase a list based on the industry SIC code(Standard Industrial Classification) for your target business or consumer market.13. Canvassing BuildingsGo to an office park and write down all of the companies in that building whomight have salespeople. Introduce yourself in person to them and/or go homeand Google their info and approach like normal. You can even use names of otherpeople in the same building!14. Multi-Level MarketingDSA List (Direct Selling Association website lists its members).15. Territory Re-WorkCall back prospects that blew you off.PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute13
MULTIPLE LEADGENERATION METHODS continuedRemember, there are no bad leads! There is no magic secret, but it’s steady,consistent performance with each method of lead generation.EXAMPLE: 15 METHODS OF LEAD GENERATION FOR REAL ESTATE (BROKER)1. Phone duty2. Open houses3. Circle of influence4. Expired listings5. For sale by owners (FSBOs)6. Past client referrals7. Orphan buyers (from past transactions)8. Out-of-state agent referrals9. Builder/lender referrals10. Farm your existing book of business11. WebsiteGoogle AdSense12. IVR – Interactive Voice Response13. Traditional advertisingmailers, billboards, magnets, etc.14. Offering public info-seminars15. Social networking site groupsLinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute14
YOUR 15 METHODS OF LEAD GENERATIONWrite out your own 15 methods that you can use to generate more leadsand discuss them with your G & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute15
THE 7 “TIONS”FOR REMEMBERING NAMESIf you can’t remember someone’s name, it’s usually because you never knew it in thefirst place. In order for something to be programmed into your short-term memory,you have to remember it for at least 15 seconds.1. RelaxationThe number-one reason we forget a name is because we are stressed out. Takea deep breath before meeting someone and focus on listening to them.2. RepetitionRepeat someone’s name to yourself at least 5 to 10 times in the first 15seconds to program it into memory. This works best when someone has aunique name.3. UtilizationUse someone’s name 3 to 5 times when you’re talking to them, especiallywhen you meet first them. For example, “Joe. It’s Joe. Nice to meet you, Joe.Joe, where are you from?”4. AssociationMake their first name rhyme with something or create an alliterative pattern. Forexample, “Hannah banana” or “Angela apple.”5. VisualizationOverlay a new person’s face with the face of someone you know really well whohas the same name.6. PicturizationRemember, pictures are the language of the mind. Many names canautomatically be associated with a picture. For example, Reed, Holly, Robin,Matt.7. FinalizationIt is crucial to end every conversation by using the person’s name. “Very nicemeeting you, Mike.”PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute16
THE SERVICE OF NAMESUnfortunately, the phrase “dropping names” has a negative connotation. When youhear it, you probably imagine someone telling you about all the people they know whothey hope you’ll find impressive.In sales, you don’t necessarily want to drop names, but using names is extremelyimportant, and there is a specific way to do it. Generally, people prefer to do businesswith people they know or who have done business with other people they know. Forexample, would you rather buy a home from some stranger whose name and face yousaw on a billboard or would you feel more comfortable buying a home from the realestate agent that your dad has used for 35 years and has served your family well?Using names during your sales process can help your prospects feel more at ease andis a great way to practice Servant Selling. You want to “drop names” by incorporatingstories about other clients with whom you have done business, especially if it is acontact you have in common.When you use names of satisfied clients your prospect is familiar with, you enable yourprospect to feel more trust in dealing with you, which helps them honestly determineif what you’re providing is the right fit for them. It may be or it may not. Building thattrust is critically important in any selling situation. Using names is one of the simplestand most powerful tools that you have to build that trust.“ACCEL-ORATE” YOUR PROSPECTSTop producers use sales physiology with their prospects. They “accel-orate” theirprospects. Accelerate means “to move forward.” Orate means “to speak in an elevatedmanner.” Whenever you accel-orate your prospects, you’re going to speak great thingsinto their lives to help move them forward.One way to accel-orate your prospects is to find out positive qualities about them.If you’ve asked for a referral from someone, also ask, “What is one great thing aboutthis person?” Then, the first time you speak with that referral, tell them how youappreciate them and mention the positive thing your contact told you.It’s important to accel-orate people right away. It sets the tone for your entirerelationship with the prospect. You’ll create friends more quickly. You’ll setappointments more quickly. As you speak powerful things into your prospects’ lives,they’ll grow. It helps them get closer to the best versions of themselves. And they’llknow that you’re the person who helped them feel that way.PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute17
TESTIMONIAL STORIESDo you have some satisfied clients who your prospects might be familiar with and whowould be happy to let you share their stories? Make a list of potential contacts andwrite out their stories below.1.2.3.4.5.PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute18
ACTION ITEMSPROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute19
ACTION ITEMSLINKEDIN PROFILE & CONNECTIONS Update your LinkedIn profile and start adding as many connections as you can. Create at least three saved searches on LinkedIn for potential prospects.CUSTOMIZE Create your own Wow/How elevator pitch. Create a custom version of the 15 Methods of Lead Generation on page 15. Write out at least 5 testimonial stories to share with propsects on page 18.READRead this module’s Recommended Reading: Fanatical Prospecting by Jeb Blount.PROSPECTING & LEAD GENERATION Southwestern Coaching, a division of Southwestern Consulting - Do Not Redistribute20
prospecting can make or break your sales effort—which is exactly why you need to do it well—but what does it take to be “good” at prospecting? First of all, it’s important to keep in mind that prospecting is more than just a part-time task. It is your livelihood. Prospecting should not be a
Abstract. We studied nest prospecting by Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) females in north-central Minnesota. Adults unsuccessful in nesting, those with broods, and nonnesting yearlings were captured in nests while prospecting. Prospecting began in late May and continued into early July. Active nests received up to 25 prospecting visits per
At a glance: Prospecting skills Start now: ready, set, go! 5. What is your prospecting personality? 6. Event day prospecting strategy 7. Tips to remember people’s names 8. Role-plays 4. Do’s and don’ts of approaches in person, on the phone and online 3. Powerful talk 5-talking points: additional script
Prospecting is the process of searching for potential customers, clients, or . Observation,, cold canvassing, trade shows, bird dogs (spotters) Prospecting Mistakes to Avoid 13. Prospecting Mistakes to Avoid Keep an eye for any of
8 critical success factors for lead generation Brian J. Carroll 2 8 critical success factors for lead generation My book, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale (McGraw-Hill, 2006), was inspired by the inarguable fact that concerted lead generation endeavors were primarily that in name only until recently. Until now, "lead generation"
1. Develop a Lead Generation Action Plan. At the end of this course, you will create a plan that outlines the specifi c actions you will take to achieve your lead generation goals. You will also create a calendar that helps you schedule your specifi c activities into your daily 3 hours of lead generation time. 2.
Prospecting and Lead Generation. Sample . Corporate . Then, ask participants to stand in a circle, shoulder to shoulder. They should place their name card at their feet. Then they can take a step back. You as the facilitator should take the place in the center of the circle
Revenue streams can fluctuate if “pipeline” isn’t managed Prospecting isn’t easy and often includes a lot of rejection. THE STRATEGIC PROSPECTING PROCESS Generate sales leads (qualify sales leads) Determining Sales Prospects Prioritizing Sales Prospects Preparing for Sales Dialogue Remaining Stages
Zrunners-repeaters-strangers-aliens [ (RRSA) (Parnaby, 1988; Aitken et al., 2003). This model segments inputs of demand from customers (in this case, the requests from researchers for data cleared for publication) and uses the different characteristics of those segments to develop optimal operational responses. Using this framework, we contrast how the rules-based and principles-based .
