Get Leads While You Work!

How can you generate leads without being there?

Is there a business that is related to your product that would allow you to set up a small display?

If so, a fun idea is a lead generation box.

 

 

You have probably seen these before. A nice looking box sits near the checkout area at a store, and slips of paper and pens are available. A sign offers you the opportunity to win a free product if you fill out the form and put it in the box.

 

This is a lead generation box.

 

  
How can you use this for your business?

·      Create a list of possible businesses that would allow you to place a box in their shop.

·      Create signage for the box (are you going to do a weekly raffle? Are you going to do a gift certificate for one lucky winner? Why should people give you their information).

·      Create your opportunity signage (what do you sell? What does it look like? Why would people want it? Can you display an actual product?)

·      Create your lead generation forms (include name, email, and you could even include information about hostessing if you choose to)

·      Contact your businesses – make a list of two or three that you can start with.

·      Create your lead generation boxes. Make sure they are professional looking, creative, and fit with your brand/company. Make sure that you can easily access your leads without destroying the box so that you can use it again. Not feeling creative? Check out these lead generation box options that I found through a Google search (not an affiliate link, just some examples I found).

·      Place your boxes with signage, pens, and lead generation slips. You may want to place some slips already filled out in the box – most people don’t want to be the first (make sure you indicate on the slips which are “fakes” so you remember).

·      Check the boxes as often as you say you will (a once a week raffle obviously means you check it once per week and follow through on your giveaway).

·      Use the leads you generate – email prospects who have won (obviously) but also email prospects who didn’t and thank them for entering. Tell them a little about your business and offer to add them to your mailing list for your newsletter.

 

One thing that I have found that is fun is to have a weekly winner but also to offer a “free session” with your business to all other entrants – “2^nd prize” or “runners up” if you will. In my industry (jewelry) I offer non-winners a styling session with me and 3 of their friends for free (doesn’t that look like a party?). If they ask for the styling session but don’t buy, you are still getting your name and business “out there.”

 

So how can you use lead generation boxes in your business? Where can you place them that would give you maximum exposure? Start the checklist and see what leads you can create!

 

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Photo from http://www.salesleads.com/

You Can’t Sell to Everyone (With Bonus Leadership Coaching Tips)

If you’re thinking about expanding your business (as you should be – because if you’re not expanding your business, you’re killing your business), then you are probably wondering, “Where am I going to get these new customers?”

Let me first ask you – who are your customers?

What is your niche?

You may have read the title of this post and thought, “Sure I can! I can sell to anyone!” and that’s not what I’m saying in this post. You may be the best sales person ever, but if you don’t know who to market to you’re going to throw this wide blanket out to everyone and it’s not going to be anyone’s favorite blanket (if you get my drift). Would you rather have dedicated customers that know that you’re in it for THEM or would you rather have 10,000 likes on your Facebook page but none of those “likes” converts (i.e., nobody buys)?

So back to the questions – who are your customers? What is your niche (i.e., an activity or place that fits your talents or personality)? Most of my customers are 25-45 year old women who have disposable income and professional jobs. They are moms typically and are looking for a way to “feel more chic” or “dress up themselves.” Jewelry does that for them. Because I am similar to my customers, I can market to them as a niche easily because I have an idea of what they would be interested in.

You may notice that because I have my niche, because I know my customers, I can easily think of ways to find more. For example, I can think of what other direct sales reps to pair with to expand my network – beauty and clothing companies will work well with my niche. By knowing my customers and what they’re looking for, I know how to help them in other ways and I know where to find them. Schools, parks, the grocery store – these are all places where I can find my target demographic and use conversational selling to get them interested in my product.

Since I know my target demographic, I can use messages that “speak” to them in my online marketing (instead of trying to use a blanket strategy that doesn’t emotionally appeal to anyone). I can use things that appeal to them (pictures of kids, discussions of how jewelry makes me feel when I get ready to go out) in order to help them see how my product can help them do what they want to do. Because really, sales is all about answering a question or fixing a problem for your customer. If you can do that, then you can have a customer for life. Whenever they have a problem relating to your product, they are going to come find you. And when their friends mention that they have a similar problem, they are going to refer their friends to you.

What is your niche? Who are you good at helping fix problems? Haven’t found one? Keep working on it. Understanding your niche and your target customers will help you to focus your strategies for marketing and make your plan for finding new customers that much easier. In the comments below, tell us who your target market is and one innovative strategy to market to them.

Leader feature - are you a leader of a direct sales team? Download this Niche Marketing Leadership Coaching Guide to learn Ninja Coach strategies to work with your team members!