7 Ways To Generate More Sales Leads For Your Business

Leads are the essential first step in the sales process. A steady flow of good quality sales leads, when allied to an effective conversion strategy will lead to a regular stream of new business, allowing business owners to plan ahead with confidence.
This post contains 7 common and effective lead generation ideas, which you should consider using in your marketing arsenal. Of course there are plenty of other methods of lead generation but these 7 will give you a good start.
Why do you need so many?
Many small business owners make the mistake of relying too heavily on just 1 or 2 sources of leads.
The problem with that approach is that if one of those lead sources slows down or stops delivering, you are in BIG trouble! It’s far better to develop a wide spread of ways to generate sales leads.

Sales Leads via Word of Mouth
If you want to get the marketplace talking about you to their friends, give them something to talk about!
The golden rule of generating leads via word of mouth, is that you need to be remarkable if you want people to remark on you!
– Remarkable for the methods you use.
– Remarkable for the results you generate.
– Remarkable for the products you sell.
– Remarkable for the service you provide.

Sales Leads via Email Marketing
This is easily one of the most powerful forms of lead generation. For very little cost, a professionally copy written email marketing campaign will generate a steady supply of high quality, targeted sales leads for your business. Don’t do like most small business owners and use amateur marketing copy – it doesn’t work.

Sales Leads via Twitter
Twitter is a relatively new medium and one many people are using very badly. Your objective is to get potential customers to follow you and then to use your tweets to demonstrate your expertise and to reveal a bit about your character. Potential customers can then decide to interact with you and you can start to build a relationship.

Sales Leads via Telemarketing
If you don’t fancy picking up the phone yourself there are plenty of telemarketing agencies out there. Setting aside the skill of the telemarketer, telemarketing is a numbers game. If you make a few calls, you may well not get any joy from it. However if you make a large amount of calls, the chances are that you will generate a quantity of sales leads.
To do telemarketing you do have to stick at it and not take rejection personally.

Sales Leads via Networking
Networking is one of the classic ways for lead generation. A quick search will reveal plenty of local networking groups. Most of these meet for breakfast although some meet at other times of day.
These days you can also network online which has the benefit that you don’t have to leave home to do it and it’s also free. Whether you choose online or offline networking, the key is to network with the right kind of people. You should also remember you’re not just connecting with contacts directly but with all their contacts. So don’t write off someone just because they may never be a customer for you because they may know someone who will be.

Sales Leads via Direct Mail
Direct mail has been around for ever. However since the advent of digital communications direct mail has fallen out of favour. This therefore presents a real opportunity for people prepared to send things through the post. Due to the decrease in the amount of direct mail people receive, a hand signed letter from a fellow businessperson can really have an impact. Of course the letter you send and any accompanying collateral have to be well crafted and relevant to the recipient.

Sales Leads via your Website or blog
Bottom line: Your site should be a lead generating machine for your business.
Get your site’s SEO right so that people can find it and get it professionally copy written, so people feel compelled to interact with your site, click your links and get in touch.
Also, make it easy for people to contact you. Publish your phone number and email address on every page. If you use a contact form, just ask for their name, email address and message. You don’t need anything else to begin with and every extra piece of info you ask for, massively lowers your lead conversion rates!
If you need help with generating sales leads talk to Mike Jennings on 01483 200387 or email info@bda.me.uk
www.businessdevelopmentadvisors.co.uk