Whether you are the sole proprietor of a small professional services firm or a business development manager with a corporate giant, the chances are good that lead generation is at the top of your list of marketing priorities. For most businesses, getting new business is challenging and, executed poorly, can consume time and financial resources far more quickly than sales are able to sustain.
And it seems to get tougher with every passing year. Competition increases. Choices proliferate. Buyers are savvier, and they have access to more information than ever before.
This handbook contains ideas you can explore as you look for ways to improve the lead generation process for your organization. The list is not comprehensive, and not all of the ideas described here are suitable for every type of business. It is merely intended as a guide to help you start thinking about new things to try and what might work in your particular situation.
Introduction ix
Announce Yourself 1
Check Public Records 3
Pay 'Em Off 5
Set Up a Fishbowl 7
Create a Hotline 9
Give 'Em An Earful 11
Strategize for Organic Search 13
Plan a Blitzkrieg 15
Help Their Fingers Do the Walking 17
Run a Classified Ad 19
Join a Leads Group 21
Advertise in a Card Deck 23
Play Tennis or Golf 25
Go to Your Customers' Trade Shows 27
Get on the Radio 29
Get Customer Referrals 31
Enter Contests 33
Hire a Telemarketer 35
Hand Out Bookmarks 37
Hire A Lead Generation Firm 39
Create An E-mail Signature 41
Give It Away 43
Join a Trade Association 45
Hold a Contest 47
Make Friends With An Editor 49
Send out Press Releases 51
Give A Book Review 53
Negotiate Reciprocal Link Exchanges 55
Buy Pay-per-Click Search Engine Listings 57
Sponsor Someone Else's Web Site or Portal 59
Launch An E-mail Campaign 61
Create An Audio Program 63
Change the Channel 65
Set Up A Web Site 67
Write A Book 69
Publish A Newspaper 71
Exhibit At Trade Shows 73
Send A Sales Letter 75
Participate In E-Zines, Forums & Newsgroups 77
Hold and Open House 79
Start A Newsletter 81
Set Up a Cross-Promotion 83
Use Community Bulletin Boards 85
Send Postcards 87
Ask Your Friends 89
Join A Service Club 91
Volunteer 93
Teach A College Course 95
Hand Out Your Card 97
Give A Seminar 99
Join the Chamber Of Commerce 101
Write Articles 103
Sponsor A Mailing 105
Give Them Sandwiches 107
Get Outside 109
Tell'em Where To Go With Signs 111
Go On Tour 113
Buy and Sell on eBay 115
Watch the News 117
Blog 119
Go Door-to-Door 121
Target Co-Registrants 123
Syndicate Your Site 125
"MACM": A Model for New Business Development 129
About INVICTUS Solutions Group 147
About the Author 151
Index 155
Overview
Whether you are the sole proprietor of a small professional services firm or a business development manager with a corporate giant, the chances are good that lead generation is at the top of your list of marketing priorities. For most businesses, getting new business is challenging and, executed poorly, can consume time and financial resources far more quickly than sales are able to sustain.
And it seems to get tougher with every passing year. Competition increases. Choices ...