Leed Research
B2B Lead Generation — Leads That Generate Results

By: Lee | November 17, 2015

Whether you have a new start-up, or you are a seasoned business professional, there is one important concept to keep in mind when choosing your lead generation approach...

establishing & strengthening prospect & customer relationships

is the foundation of success!

I’m sure you’ve heard this and read about it countless times. It’s nothing new, but it should be the philosophy within every organization.


To get you going in the right direction, here are some tips to consider:

Choose Your Path Carefully: Take It Slow

As we all know, there are various tools available for conducting lead generation—including, but not limited to social media, videos, web site testing, email marketing, workshops, print advertising, PR, conferences, seminars, webinars, prospect calling, and the list goes on.


When developing an effective strategy for your business, there is no such thing as one size fits all. What works well for some companies is not necessarily a good fit for others. The reason for this is that your prospects and customers are individuals with their own set of needs and preferences. Each one may have a different response to whatever lead generation method you use. For example, some business professionals do not have time to participate in social media, and if you only use that tool to reach out to your potential customers, you may be missing some opportunities. There are also those who may be more receptive to emails, while others may prefer getting phone calls so they can speak to a live person. 


The bottom line is that while all of these choices may seem overwhelming, you can start out slowly by testing some options, and then determine which combination works best for you. Each vehicle has its own merits and strengths, but the chances of success are even greater with the right blend of programs. Trying a few approaches instead of putting all of your eggs in one basket reduces your risk and increases your success of finding the right match for your company. A little of this and a little of that goes a long way.

Prospect Calling is NOT a Dead End

Before we go any further, I would like to clarify something. You may have noticed that I included prospect calling within the list of lead generation methods. The terms prospect calling, outbound calling, or cold calling are often used interchangeably. 


Despite what you have heard or read about cold calling, it is not “dead,” and, it is not just about numbers. If you do the research, you will find that many successful companies and entrepreneurs use prospect calling techniques to generate and qualify leads, while gathering important information about their target markets. In fact, organizations are still hiring lead generation and appointment scheduling experts. Why? Because these companies know that in order to be successful in any aspect of business, you have to look at the big picture and think outside the box. They also know that when performed correctly, prospect calling works very well, and is essential for managing and strengthening your business relationships! Keep in mind, that this concept is achieved more effectively through prospect calling than any other marketing medium, and maximizes your opportunities for building trust with people—which ultimately increases your visibility, growth, and revenue over the long term.

Accelerate Change and Move Forward

This is not to say that outbound calling programs should be conducted using the same approaches that were done in the past. We can all agree that the way we do business has changed, and we all have to embrace the challenges associated with those changes by working smarter toward finding the right solutions that lead to better results—without compromising our core objective in maintaining our relation-

ships with prospects and customers.  One other key factor to remember is...

Start with the right attitude. Be positive, tenacious, assertive, creative, 

knowledgeable, and respectful.

Shift Into Gear With Experienced Help

If you don’t have the time to implement any of these lead generation programs on your own, and you are on a tight budget, consider outsourcing these services to an entrepreneur like yourself. Top freelancers or independent contractors who are experienced in your industry are often good sources because they most likely have gained knowledge and expertise by working as employees for other companies before they struck out on their own. They know how to deal with decision makers in your target market, and can provide references and testimonials from companies they have worked with. They may also be more flexible about working within your budget constraints.

Time to Get Going!

Now that you have some information to help you get started, it’s time to test drive some of these options to see what works best for your business. If you have any suggestions on approaches that you found helpful, please share them. We can all learn from each other.

About the Writer

Lee Dill is an Entrepreneur and Independent Contractor with over 15 years of marketing and sales experience helping businesses, including start-up companies, increase growth, visibility, and revenue within the healthcare and technology sector. Focus is placed on establishing and strengthening prospect and customer relationships, generating and qualifying leads, and scheduling appointments with key decision makers. If you would like a free strategy consultation, with no strings attached, Lee can be reached at [email protected], or call (505) 369-2235. 

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