As a sales professional or business owner, you need to find prospects you can deliver your sales presentation to. My sales mentor, Eric Lofholm, calls this process lead generation.
One of the keys to lead generation is systems. You want to develop multiple lead generation systems.
Lead generation begins with a database. Do you have a database where you are entering leads? If not, then you might be leaving money on the table.
Lead generation begins with identifying your target market. Who is your ideal client? You need to find ways to connect with new prospects, whether through networking, phone calls, or email.
A POI is a Person of Influence!
Eric’s number 1 lead generation idea is POI. A POI is a person of influence. Everyone has a network. A POI is a person who has a large network where a % of that network is your target market.
Another great strategy to prospect for new leads is through Top Down Selling. This is another way of describing a POI relationship. You influence the POI to refer you, recommend you, or endorse you to their network.
So, what can you do if you want to reach a POI in an organization? You can use an approach called Climb the Ladder Selling. This is where you know someone who knows the POI. You get the person you know to refer you to the POI.
Another strategy that many people know about, but that few do well is the Reciprocal Referral Relationship. This is where you find someone that you can refer business to and then can refer business back to you. An example would be a real estate agent and an insurance agent.
What are you doing to find new prospects? Select one new strategy to implement and you will be well on your way to finding new prospects.
Sell with Confidence,
Kevin Perkins
Sales Trainer, Eric Lofholm International
Kevin delivers training through conference calls and live training sessions.
