In sales, a “lead” refers to someone who’s on track to purchase one of your products or services. Salespeople seek out their leads in a lot of ways: networking, advertising, social media, search engine optimization, and even cold calls. There are plenty of inbound and outbound marketing strategies that are working great this year, so let’s go over a few!
Networking: Especially if you’re in a business that retains clients for a long time, it’s worth going out of your way to meet them in person and get to know them. Networking events are great for introducing yourself to people from other firms in your local area or industry, who can become business partners, sources for more connections, mentors, and friends! Never forget to approach these events and interactions from a human perspective — it’s important to show that you’re there to help, first and foremost. Identify people whom your services can help, exchange contact info, and remember to follow up later with a thank-you note or email for their time.
Social Media: One thing about social media marketers love is user self-selection. Users self-select and categorize into groups based on what information they choose to share — for example, LinkedIn users sharing their job title and company tells you what industry they work in and what they do, giving you insight into their needs. Using social media as a database of users sorting themselves into easily searchable boxes, you can quickly identify those in need of what your company provides.
Following Up with Old Leads: Former leads that have turned you down in the past should stay top of mind! “No” can mean “not now” when it comes to sales, especially when you’re given a reason that might change in the future (e.g. current economic conditions, budget, company size). Do your best to maintain a good relationship with your previous leads even when things don’t work out, and there’s a good chance your follow-up email can lead to a new opportunity.