Sep
5
2011
Getting Sales Appointments With Small Business Owners
Author: adminOne of the most important roadblocks to success that I hear from sales professionals is they don’t have enough qualified prospects. Here are four easy small business marketing strategies you can do today to find better prospects.
The fact is that the majority of us are pretty good at selling when we get a prospect, but prospecting is one of the most difficult things we have to do as a sales leader.
The swiftest method to get more prospects is to ask the folks that already know you, like you and trust you…
Your friends, family, business contacts and current clients to introduce you to other people like them who could gain advantage from the work you do to safeguard families and companies.
So to get you more prospects this week here are 4 simple actions you can do TODAY to get additional referrals:
1. Make a list of the Top 10 prospects you would like to be introduced to. If you are going after business owners this would be an inventory of area smaller businesses.
If you’re going after baby boomers, maybe it’s an inventory of 10 folks of that generation that you know (but don’t know well). You must do a bit of homework, but less than you believe. You should 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 folks who are connected and whom you know well, but only the second is really required. Show them the list and ask if they know anybody on the list.
If they do…ask for an “introduction.” (1-hour)
3. Use LinkedIn to look for your top prospects. You will often find that you might be more connected to them then you think. LinkedIn will tell you specifically who you know who knows your prospect. All you’ve got to do is pickup the phone 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 have the potential to develop them into a solid referral partner.
If you do, then schedule a follow-up lunch or breakfast once a month…referral alliances won’t built in a week.
You’ve got to give early and often in this type of relationship for it to generate dividends.
Now go out and make something occur!
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.