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Inspiration
Boundless creativity
I t not uncommon for merchant level salespeople change may be, the wise salesperson will take
(MLSs) to complain periodically of not having advantage of those new opportunities in reviving
enough good leads. In Good Selling!SM: The Basics, 'stale' prospects.
Paul H. Green stated that this kind of complaint
"often indicates more of a lack of creativity on the part • You: Don't forget! You change with time and ex-
of the salesperson, than a true limitation on the market- perience. Surely you're better at what you do than
place." you were six months ago. Your product knowl-
edge has increased as well. Don't let pride stand
He mentioned one enterprising sales rep with a severely in your way ? try those accounts that slipped
limited market for his product: locomotives. His only cus- through your fingers when you were new. You'll
tomer was Union Pacific Railroad. If anyone could have probably be amazed at how much better and
used the excuse that he didn't have enough leads, this in- stronger your 'net' has become. Fishing for pros-
dividual could have. "But he didn't," Green said. "He first pects is just like fishing for fish ? it requires you
found his way to small logging companies and eventually to put a line, and sometimes a net, in the water.
to the Santa Fe Railroad."
You've likely considered lead generation ideas that you
Green's primary point was that today's business world is haven't yet tried. There's no better time than now to ex-
teeming with opportunities. The success or failure of an periment. In "9 Proven Ways to Generate Sales Leads," pub-
MLS will normally rest on realizing that changes are oc- lished on CIO.com in August 2013, Jennifer Lonoff Schiff
curring constantly in personnel, situations and individual wrote that when it comes to lead generation, "one method
sales reps. He elaborated as follows: does not fit all."
• Personnel: A recent study involving hundreds of She suggested a variety of methods for gaining new sales
human resources departments showed that posi- leads, including customer referrals; online pay-per-click
tions are changing at a rate of 50 percent every six advertising and search engine optimization; cross-pro-
months. Note these are positions, not necessarily motions and co-marketing; providing useful content;
people. The person you spoke to last year might speaking at tradeshows, conferences and industry events;
have been promoted and replaced by someone using social media such as LinkedIn and Twitter; provid-
more receptive to your views and/or product in- ing contact information on all pages of your website; and
formation. offering live chat.
• Situations: Changing policies and procedures Another solid source for lead generation ideas is to peruse
or advances in technology may have made your The Green Sheet's archives. Using the Search function in the
product or service more viable to the prospect's left-hand column of our home page, www.greensheet.com,
new outlook (such as significant fraud losses dur- try terms like "lead generation," "sales leads," "prospecting"
ing the Christmas season, building a need for and others that occur to you. You'll find a wealth of advice
check guarantee, or a new POS system that could at your command. Apply it, and your creativity will soar.
dramatically increase the prospect's efficiency).
Over time, the products and services that you or
your company offer will change. Whatever the
Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
