What are sales leads? Sales leads refer to businesses or individuals who can become your prospective buyers. You can identify them through consultations, product trials, networking, social media, referrals, and advertising. Sales leads only to become prospects when they develop a purchasing intent for the products you offer.
Not all sales professionals have marketing support they can rely on to generate a steady flow of inbound sales leads. But, they are still required to reach a specific quota. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to generate inbound sales which we will discuss in this article. So if you want to know more, keep on reading!
Table of contents
1. Host a Webinar/Online Workshop
You can share your expertise on webinars and online workshops to create leads online. By sharing what you know about a certain relevant topic, you can build trust which helps in the quick generation of leads.
2. Write Informative Articles
You should start writing blog posts if you have not written one yet. Write about the things you consider yourself to be an expert in. May it be about the services or products you offer or about marketing strategies, start writing. Once you have written one, post it on your website or on other social media platforms. You can also share it with your customers.
Being visible in your area of expertise shows your proficiency and is a great way to educate prospective customers. You can consult your blog editor or resident marketer for some tips if you need help in writing your first blog post.
Related: Unlocking the Secrets to Lead Generation: A Beginner’s Comprehensive Guide
3. Be Active at Networking Events
Attending networking events is an excellent way of expanding your reach and increasing business. Before you go to networking events, take note of the following:
- Don’t be too serious. Networking events are about having fun and socializing with people.
- When potential customers come up to talk to you, explain that you are always there to help them with whatever they need.
- Hand business cards to the people you talk to.
- Ask if you can connect with your acquaintances on LinkedIn. If they agree, just offer your phone to them and let them find their profiles to make things easier.
- If you are attending trade shows, make sure that you have an appealing booth to attract more people. Companies like AplusExpo can help you customize your booth.
4. Ask for Referrals From Your Current Clients
Don’t lose communication with your current clients. Thank them for doing business with you and ask them for referrals. Here is how to do that:
- Check if your customers are happy and satisfied. If not, it is good to contact them anyway to get an idea of how your company can improve your business.
- Email or call your clients and ask them if they can give you a few minutes of their time for a conversation.
- Thank your clients for doing business with us. Express how much your company values your relationship with them and that you are always interested to offer your service to them.
- Ask your clients if they can give you other companies or contacts who might be interested in your service.
- If the client you called gave you a potential contact, ask for the contact’s name, email, and phone number.
5. Look for Prospects on Social Media Platforms
Take advantage of social media platforms to find prospects without spending a lot of money. Below are some recommendations you can follow to generate leads by leveraging your presence on social media:
- Connect with more people to expand your reach.
- Share updates to help you identify specific types of prospects with specific types of problems.
- Ask for 3 recommendations each from your current clients who demonstrate high-quality works. They can attest to your effectiveness, professionalism, and value.
- Expand your reach by using Snapchat, Twitter, and Facebook.
6. Social Media Profile Optimization
Make sure to keep your social media accounts updated to help you generate more leads. For salespeople, LinkedIn would be the most ideal platform. Draft a stellar headline along with a descriptive summary in your LinkedIn profile to make it stand out. Give your profile visitors details about what you are doing and who you are serving.
You can also use Twitter to generate sales leads. When creating a Twitter account, make sure you have a professional profile photo and include the following:
- The account of your company
- Your LinkedIn account
- A few relevant hashtags for buyers to easily find you
Conclusion
Inbound sales generation is an effective method of identifying and connecting with prospective buyers by building relationships even before your customers are ready to buy. But, the majority of successful salespeople are also practicing the solution selling methodology.
These salespeople know that sales are not about closing a deal but solving their prospect’s problems. Hopefully, the tips we have mentioned here will help you build confidence and gain customer trust.
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