Separating the Amateurs from the Pros: Three Methods to Expand Your Target Market

by Linda P. Kester March/April 2015
Linda P. Kester understands that developing leads and marketing plans can be overwhelming, but she has three methodologies to help sales people separate themselves from the pack and boost their success in their target markets. Ultimately, she advises sales professionals to find what works for them — and do it consistently.

Trying to develop leads and a marketing plan in a new industry can be a sea of confusion. Everyone has an opinion on how you should form your marketing campaign. People will tell you, “You should start a blog and you definitely need a Facebook page,” or, ”You need to start writing a newsletter or making videos,” as well as, ”You need to be Tweeting and doing webinars, and you need to get on Instagram.”

Where to start? All marketing starts with knowing WHO you are going to sell to. The WHO is your list of leads. You can write the best newsletter in the world, but if you don’t have good leads, it’s not going to help you acquire new business. There are three different methodologies to acquiring leads: The Trickle, Medium Bang and Tsunami.

Trickle Marketing requires you to add a few leads to your database every day. For example, a trip to the doctor can result in three different types of medical equipment leads. Who manufactures the examination table? Who is the distributor for their testing equipment? Where did they get their office furniture?

You can also get leads from the Internet by doing a search and qualifying one lead at a time.

Another example of trickle marketing would be to put an email capture form on your website. People will come back to your site again and again if you provide content. This is what modern marketing is all about: giving information and adding value. For example, offer a free report, e.g., 5 Ways to Decide If You Should Lease or Buy, and give the visitor the opportunity to enter his or her email address to obtain the information.

The goal is to know who visits your website and to build a relationship with them over time.

You can also acquire a trickling of leads by asking for referrals. The trick to getting referrals is to ask, “Who do you know who can use my financing services?” Most people ask, “Do you know someone…?” That yes or no question is typically answered with a “no.” When you ask “Who do you know…?” they are more likely to think to themselves, “Who do I know?” and come up with a referral. Try it. It works.

I also love getting leads through serendipity. If you are thinking about a particular industry and a truck for that equipment type drives by, jot down the number and call it. You may be happily surprised at the results.

With trickle marketing, you are always looking for leads. The positive is that you may find a terrific vendor. The negative is that you can easily lose your focus, get caught up in “doing deals” and forget all about new leads.

Medium Bang Marketing is dedicating one day a week to finding new leads. Social media marketing sites like LinkedIn are good example of this. If you build your list this way, your calls are a little more qualified. LinkedIn Groups are very interactive. Participating in a group of equipment vendors can make you a valuable asset, and the vendors will look to you for answers. Let me be clear here, I like using LinkedIn and participating in groups but it is NOT a substitute for meeting people face to face. Some people believe that social media is where relationships are made. I believe that social media is a warm up to a face-to-face meetings. This is so true in my own life. I have met people through social media and through this column in Monitor and, because they have seen my picture so many times, when I walk into a conference they recognize me. However, real life is where relationships are made. Once I talk to them one-on-one we begin to have a relationship. The social media warms them up. The real conversation is where things start to happen.

Getting back to list building, associations and National Accounts also qualify as medium bang marketing. Working member lists of associations and dealer lists from a specific manufacturer once a week is a solid way to build your list of leads. Don’t be afraid of National Accounts. Even if the manufacturer has a captive leasing company, the dealers use outside sources. Maybe they need help with pre-owned equipment, maybe they need help with storied credits. You don’t know until you connect with them. Again, it’s all about relationships.

Tsunami Marketing is a major event where you purchase a tidal wave of leads. Identify the niches that you want to specialize in and then order your list. You can gets lists from:

  • Dun & Bradstreet
  • Hoovers
  • Sales Genie
  • Info USA
  • Lexus Nexus

You don’t necessarily have to buy leads. Spencer Richmond, owner of American Financial Network tells me that his local library has a subscription to D&B. He uses their subscription to get leads for free.

Once you have the leads, market the heck out of them. This includes calling them on the telephone on a regular basis. Some proponents of social media marketing say that calling is old school. They say we should just email and Tweet and use videos. I firmly believe that they are wrong and that the telephone is your very best way of generating new business. Scott Smull, from Big Scott Truck and Equipment, says “Selling is linking together conversations and commitments. My volume grows when I’m actively prospecting, adding value to my clients and getting commitments from them.”

Pick up the phone. You will most likely land in voicemail 80% of the time, but it doesn’t matter. You will eventually connect with people who want and need your services.
Use the new tools that are available like videos, Facebook and Twitter in conjunction with the phone. These tools are supplements — not replacements — for traditional prospecting. It doesn’t matter which platform you use, just find what works for you and do it on a consistent basis. Consistency is what separates amateurs from the pros. You can’t publish a blog post and then disappear for four months before you publish another one. Remember, for every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward. Once you start calling and providing valuable information on a regular basis you will be rewarded with applications.

Linda P. Kester is a bestselling author and professional speaker with 20 years of experience in leasing sales and marketing management. As founder of the Institute of Personal Development, Kester has helped hundreds of salespeople increase their volume. Her book, 366 Marketing Tips for Equipment Leasing, has produced results for leasing companies in the U.S., United Kingdom and Australia. For more information, visit www.lindakester.com.

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