Getting Sales Appointments The Easy Way
One of the biggest challenges to success that I hear from small business owners is they don't have enough qualified prospects. Here are four straightforward small business marketing strategies you can do today to find better prospects.
The reality is that most of us are fairly good at selling when we get a prospect, but prospecting is one of the hardest things we must do as a entrepreneur.
The swiftest method to get more prospects is to ask the folks that already know you, like you and trust you...
Your acquaintences, family, business contacts and current clients to introduce you to folks like them who could gain advantage from the work you do to protect families and firms.
So to get you more prospects this week here are 4 straightforward actions you can do TODAY to get more referrals:
1. Create a list of the Top 10 prospects you'd like to be introduced to. If you are going after entrepreneurs this might be a listing of area small firms.
If you are going after baby boomers, perhaps it's a brainstorm of 10 folks of that generation that you know (but do not know well). You must do a small amount of homework, but less than you believe. You ought to be in a position to assemble a list of 10 in under an hour. (1-hour tops)
2. Make appointments to network with and share your Top 10 list with at least 2 of your contacts in the community.
Preferably people who are connected and whom you know well, but only the latter is really required. Show them the list and ask if they know any person on the list.
If they do...ask for an "introduction." (1-hour)
3. Use LinkedIn to search for your top prospects. You'll regularly find that you are closer to them then you suspect. LinkedIn will tell you exactly who you know who knows your prospect. All you have got to do is pickup the telephone and ask for the introduction. (1-hour)
4. Identify one key referral partner in your network who isn't referring you yet. Schedule a lunch with them to determine if you've got the capability to develop them into a solid referral partner.
If you do, then schedule a follow-up lunch or breakfast once a month...referral alliances aren't built in a week.
You have got to give early and often in this type of relationship for it to give results.
Now go out and make something happen!
Steve Gordon is a small business marketing consultant, host of the Small Business Marketing Show podcast. Steve teaches methods for getting sales appointments with small business owners without cold calling.
Tags: Small Business Marketing
