You can’t get sales without first getting leads. While this isn’t always the subject of sales, it is actually one of the most important, and one of the biggest obstacles to a business that is first starting out. In order to get these leads, it is important to develop a profile of your target customers, a list of potential customers, and a way to reach them. Here are some ways to get in touch with possible customers.

Referrals

This may not be the way to get the most leads, but it is certainly the way to get the highest quality leads. When a third party recommends a service, especially a friend, people are much more likely to trust that service. How exactly to do this will depend on your industry and your business model, of course.

Mass Mail

The sales letter is one technique that is often underused. Perhaps the most effective method is the use of direct marketing. This is why you submit very high quality letters to a very targeted group of high quality leads. This tends to yield the best results.

Seminars

The best way to use seminars to generate leads is to find a problem that your customer base wants to solve, and to find a way to solve that problem for them. Seminars are also very inexpensive, requiring only the cost of a room, promotion, A/V equipment, and perhaps some refreshments. Teleseminars are least expensive, while webinars are actually more expensive.

Advertisements

Advertising can be difficult and costly to pull off, but when done right it is a very effective method of generating leads. You need to have access to a medium that will be encountered on a regular basis by your target audience. That medium should be used to create advertisements which persuade people to take action. If you can’t pull this one off right, it is best to avoid it because it can burn through your money very rapidly.

Online Advertising

Online advertising is often a better choice than traditional advertising, and it is much easier to “dabble” in. If you know what keywords your customers are likely to be searching for, you can advertise for these keywords.

Cold Calls

While almost everybody hates this technique, if it is utilized properly it is a good way to reach leads. This method requires especially good sales skills, however.

Trade Shows

These can be helpful, but it is important to note that the audience of most trade shows consists of businesses who are trying to sell their products, rather than potential customers. There are some exceptions to this rule, and these are the shows that you should be taking advantage of for leads. Trade shows are most beneficial for business to business sales.