SMP 017: What are the best places to find business to business sales leads?

The Sales Mastermind Podcast: Entrepreneur | Small Business | Sales & Marketing | Online Sales

Jeffrey asks, What are the best places to find business to business sales leads?

NOTE: 10 of these tips were taken from a previous Blog post HERE.

Manufacturer’s Sites: Look at the manufacturers of the products in your industry and find the area of their website that lists the companies that use or sell their products. Compile a list of these vendors and add them to your target list.

Trade Magazines: Subscribe to all the trade magazines related to your industry that you can find. Pay attention to the companies that are interviewed in the articles, and to the companies that advertise in that magazine. Compile a list of what you find.

Blogs/Podcasts: Subscribe to the prominent blogs and podcasts in your industry and pay attention to the people that are interviewed, or the companies that are advertising on those sites or shows. These people are potential customers.

Internet Searches: Search sites like: Google, Amazon, Yellow Pages & Angie’s List to find companies that are in the same industry and add these to your database.

Word of Mouth: Ask those you know who are consumers or users of products in your industry who they use or prefer.

Referrals: Ask your existing customers to recommend you to other people who might be able to use your services. If you have taken good care of these clients, they will generally be happy to give you a few recommendations.

Social Media: Facebook & Linked-in will be the most useful sources for finding leads in the business world. Search for keywords in your industry and compile a list of the people who are active on social media. Be sure to also pay attention to the groups section of these sites that relate to your industry. Join some of these groups and participate in them to gain authority and business contacts.

News and Current Events: Pay attention to news and current events to find potential companies that are in a time of transition or growth.

Events: Attend as many trade shows or seminars in your industry as you can. Make sure to go out of your way to meet people and gather contacts. Always connect with people in a classy way that leaves a good impression.

Volunteering: Give of your time to support your favorite charity, and not only will you be making a positive difference, but you will be meeting potential leads. Do this ethically and with a good heart and truly be there to serve. Build connections, and don’t try to sell or market while you are there.

Chamber of Commerce: Every metro area has a local Chamber of Commerce. This can be a gold mine, because they have data on all the businesses in the area. EXPERT TIP: If you can volunteer to work there, or become a member of the board, you will have a huge inside advantage and will have more business leads than you know what to do with.

Data.com: This is a great website for gathering the e-mail and contact information for people within the businesses that you are wanting to target. This site is owned by salesforce.com (the leader in CRM tools) and is an excellent source for gathering contact information.

Once you have saturated your current market, don’t be afraid to venture outside of your target market (snow blower story) and search for other out of the box uses for your product.

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

1. Ask Your Sales or Marketing Question to be answered on the Podcast: salespurpose.com/smpodcast
2. Join the FREE 7 Day Sales Course, “The 7 Secrets of Sales Success.” http://www.salespurpose.com/academy/
3. Sales Mastermind Facebook Community: www.salespurpose.com/community/