Following Up Sales Leads

How to generate sales leads and keep them! The most effective form of sales leads generation is networking, whether at social gatherings or network events arrange specifically for that purpose. I describe how you should approach those types of events in my series of articles on lead generation. But networking does not, of itself, generate sales leads, nor should it. Networking should be the platform to create opportunities at a later stage. In this article I'll describe how you should follow up your networking activity to turn opportunities into concrete sales leads. Follow Up A networking criminal is someone who squanders opportunities for sales lead generation by not following up after the event. If you have approached your networking professionally, then you have already moved outside your comfort zone, so it is a serious offence to retreat back into your comfort zone and fail to make the follow up call.

Sales Leads Generation Expert Will Kintish Article 10 of 10 in the Lead Generation Techniques Series Go Back

An example scenario

You meet Pamela at an exhibition and get on really well, building some strong rapport. You have asked all the pertinent questions and spotted a potential opportunity. You are following the latter part of the networking process, working the room, by:

• asking for her business card
• finding something to comment on
• asking permission to contact her, and
• writing the date you agree on the back of the card, within Pamela's sight.

These are vital steps in sales leads generation, because they show commitment and provide a link to the next stage. Pamela will be expecting your call, and it should be treated as a firm commitment on your part.

What to do after the event

IMMEDIATELY after the event:

• record your follow up actions so you don't forget. If you have agreed a date then you have, in fact, promised to call your prospect. So put it in your diary as if its an appointment with an existing client.
• If the contact date is longer than 5 working days, send a note or email saying how much you enjoyed meeting her and, as promised, you will call on the agreed date.
• Annotate her card with all relevant information, such as:
  • where you met
  • the date
  • what type of event it was
  • make a note of any useful pieces of small talk to use as a bridge to the next step
  • the name of her receptionist or secretary, if it came up in the discussion
  • record the actuals words she spoke which gave you a sign there is a business opportunity, the more accurate the better.

Start your research on her business; every serious business has lots of useful information on their websites. Find out if there has been any business done or connections made with her company previously. You aim should be to know lots about her business

Making the phone call

If you find that it is difficult to motivate yourself to make the call, then read the guidelines for overcoming the sales fear of rejection.

Before you pick up the phone, plan, think and prepare:

• Create enough time for the call
• What do you want from this call? Usually, it is only to set up a face-to-face meeting, that's all.
• Work out what you're going to say to her and, if you're not sure, write it down. You may just want to ask a few more preliminary questions before moving forward, but aim to keep the conversation to a minimum. Know how you believe you can help her (even with the limited knowledge you may have).
• Work out what you're going to say to the gatekeeper and, if you're not sure, write it down.
• Prepare to answer the question 'why should we do business with you?'
• Organise your desk:
  • make space
  • have her business card in front of you with her details
  • have blank paper available
  • staple the card to the blank paper
  • which can be used for the history of turning Pamella the prospect into a new customer or client
  • Turn your computer screen to blank
  • Have your diary ready.

Note, if you're not the best person in the company to be talking to Pamela, have that person or their diary standing by, so you can still set up a face-to-face meeting.

When you make the call:

• Consider standing up; the adrenalin flows faster
• Expect a positive outcome; you believe you can help and she is expecting you to call to do just that
• Give your full attention to her
• Do your best not to get into too much dialogue or detail.
• Keep focused on the goal of arranging a face-to-face meeting.

If you would like to do an in-person or online course, to develop your skills in networking and sales leads generation, then contact Kintish Ltd

©2013 Team Technology. Privacy policy and cookies.