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Develop relationships with similar customer targeting associates and attend industry and non-industry events to generate sales leads. Allow prospects to initiate contact and use social media to engage potential customers. Non-industry events can provide less competition and better chances of standing out. Utilize online forms and contact boxes for interested individuals. Don’t underestimate the power of social media.
Developing relationships with individuals who target similar customers can lead to excellent sources of business leads. Another good source are events, both industry and non-industry related, that allow for live interaction with stakeholders. There are some prospects who are best treated if they are given the opportunity to initiate contact and provide some information in a way that appears pressure-free. Social media also provides companies with tools to generate sales leads among the most innovative people in their target markets.
You can generate good sales leads from business associates who target similar customers. For example, a representative of a product supplier may know a representative of a lingerie company. These two parties can exchange hotel and restaurant contacts, which is a target market for both. This method generally depends on establishing genuine relationships. To retain a business associate as a source, however, you generally need to be of benefit to that person.
Renting booth space at events can be an effective way to generate sales leads. Trade shows are an option because people who attend these events do so because they are interested in a particular category of product or service. That doesn’t mean sales reps should limit themselves to these events, however.
Other options to consider are conferences, trade shows, and exhibitions that aren’t related to the industry. There is a risk that you will not meet people in your target market, but this risk can often be drastically reduced if you do the proper research about the event. There are significant benefits to attending non-industry events and one of them is less competition. A realtor may have a hard time standing out and making a memorable impression at a homeowner’s trade show. If she attends a bridal show, however, where she’s exposed to people who are likely to be interested in her products, but where there are few other real estate agents, she may have a substantially better chance.
In some cases, the best sales leads are those that result from individuals who are given the opportunity to express interest by requesting more information. Some people instinctively resist offers because of an automatic defense against selling. In some cases, individuals are unwilling to resist, but offers are presented at the wrong time. For many, the ideal situation is the opportunity to request information using an online form or physically placed contact box. These people are often more drawn to a particular option if they are given some information they can evaluate for themselves before attempting to contact them.
Many businesses initially fail to understand the power of social media to generate sales leads. When they discover the effectiveness of these tools, they tend to be amazed. There are many people who have almost or completely abandoned the traditional means of communicating and conducting business. Those companies that don’t realize this leave their competitors with a highly desired means of engaging with markets that have significant potential.
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