The Consultant's Guide to Lead Generation: Three Steps to Securing New Clients
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Do you wish your little black book was filled with names of promising new clients? Are you searching for new revenue sources, outside of your existing network? Learn from MBO Associate Bret Smith, an expert in lead generation. In this webinar, he shares the strategies he calls “High Impact Prospecting,” clever methods to successfully locate and message your target audience. Find more resources for independent professionals at www2.mbopartners.com/ic-resources
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The Consultant's Guide to Lead Generation: Three Steps to Securing New Clients
- 1. 1 THE CONSULTANT’S GUIDE TO LEAD GENERATION THREE STEPS TO SECURING NEW LEADS ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 2. 2 MODERATOR STEVE ARHANCET Director of Consultant Services ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 3. 3 ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 4. 4 WEBINAR CONTROLS The full screen icon maximizes the presentation area. The chat box allows you to send a question to the presenter. ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 5. 5 ABOUT SPEAKER Bret Smith • Founder, Managing Principal at High-Impact-Prospecting • 25 years experience in sales, marketing and business development • Content contributor and blogger • Solo practice owner, MBO Associate ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 6. 6 INTRODUCTION • The biggest challenge facing solo practice owners is securing the next big project. • Do you wish your little black book was filled with names of promising new clients? • Are you searching for new revenue sources, outside of your existing network? ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 7. 7 TODAY’S KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. How to RESEARCH a target audience 2. How to ACQUIRE contact information 3. How to COMMUNICATE with targeted messages ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 8. RESEARCH 8 ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 9. 9 RESEARCH HOW TO RESEARCH A TARGET AUDIENCE • LOCAL • NON-LOCAL • Business publications • Web-based resources • Filings for incorporation • Business-to-business • Trade organizations social media ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 10. 10 RESEARCH HOW TO RESEARCH A TARGET AUDIENCE Two Ways to Contact: 1. Via phone or email 2. Via social media for business EMAIL AND VOICE BUSINESS SOCIAL MEDIA Zoom Information Industry Websites Data.com Manta Hoover’s Plaxo LinkedIn Merchant Circle ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 11. ACQUIRE 11 ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 12. 12 ACQUIRE HOW TO ACQUIRE CONTACT INFORMATION EMAIL AND VOICE BUSINESS SOCIAL MEDIA ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 13. 13 ACQUIRE WHY ARE EMAIL & VOICE BEST? • Print media, direct mail, radio and TV are not cost efficient for professional B2B services promotion. • Extending your expertise via social media and the web is much more effective. • Communication via email and voice is TARGETED—push rather than pull. ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 14. COMMUNICATE 14 ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 15. 15 COMMUNICATE KEY ASPECTS OF THE H-I-P METHODOLOGY • EMAIL - personalized email as a prospecting tool integrated with voice prospecting to inform and educate sales prospects • VOICE - as a means to ―cement‖ the process and close for next level of interest, and to increase overall outcomes • APPEAL - informed peer-level appeals targeted towards prospects’ areas of responsibility/interest • MESSAGE - meaningful messaging in email and voice • FOLLOW-UP - persistent follow-up and engagement with the ©2011 MBO Partners Inc. prospect
- 16. 16 COMMUNICATE WHY H-I-P WORKS • CONTACTING PROSPECTS enough times, in the right context and in the right rhythm, increases the ―prospect engagement rate‖ by as much as 100% - i.e., doubles your potential opps • Converged email, voice and social media communication keeps you in front of prospects for a longer period, and the consistent thread of communications helps them remember who you are and WHAT YOU WANT TO DISCUSS – via ―meaningful messaging‖. • This process of persistent engagement in alignment with widely- held industry beliefs as to the most efficacious number & manner of TOUCHPOINTS needed to achieve response. ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 17. 17 COMMUNICATE THE TOUCH POINT PROCESS #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 ©2011 MBO Partners Inc. Send email Make phone call
- 18. 18 COMMUNICATE TOUCH POINT #1: EMAIL • Follows the format of an Executive Summary using #1 bullet points to hit key points, pertinent to the position/individual and the organization, includes: Respectful tone Thoughtful subject line (this can make a big difference) Opening and closing thank you A ―presumptive‖ statement about Autotask Mention of companies in their space who you currently work with (optional) A descriptive, bulleted list of benefits, not features Initial call to action ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 19. 19 COMMUNICATE TOUCH POINT #1: SAMPLE ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 20. 20 COMMUNICATE TOUCH POINT #1: ANALYSIS ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 21. 21 COMMUNICATE TOUCH POINT #1: ANALYSIS ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 22. 22 COMMUNICATE TOUCH POINT #1: ANALYSIS ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 23. 23 COMMUNICATE TOUCH POINT #2: EMAIL • Shorter and more concise #2 • Timing: 3 business days after #1 if no initial response • The subject line and body of the message is a call to action for a specific discussion time by phone, or permission to provide collateral • Contains succinct bullets stating benefits, not features ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 24. 24 COMMUNICATE TOUCH POINT #3 & #4- PHONE CALL & EMAIL • If contact is made via voice mail: #3 • Leave a recording that is engaging, professional and consultative in tone • Speak for 30-60 seconds • Provide a specific value proposition #4 • Reference collateral you will send via email • Give a call to action (meeting request, etc.) • Provide your contact information • If first four touch points do not engage the prospect: • Continue through #6 at 3 business-day intervals • If no response, do not contact for at least 90 days ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 25. 25 COMMUNICATE TOUCH POINT #3: THE VOICEMAIL “Good afternoon, Ken.” “My name is John Johnson with Autotask Corporation.” “Ken, I’m leaving this voice mail for you in follow-up to my email a few days ago in which I invited you to further explore with me Autotask’s all-in-one web-based software solution which helps you sell, implement, deliver and bill your services more efficiently, and more profitably. “If you recall, our fully-hosted solutions provides you with a service desk, contact management, outsourcing, contract administration, time tracking, billing, reporting and business analytics -- all running off the same database and accessible from a single screen.” “The next step you and I can take together on this, Ken, is a web-based demonstration.” “Should your schedule permit later this week, I’d like to make arrangements. Can you call me back at your earliest convenience?” “You can reach me directly at xxx.xxx.xxxx, or via email at john@autotask.com .” “Thanks for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you, Ken.” ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 26. 26 COMMUNICATE TOUCH POINT #3: THE VOICEMAIL Address prospect in the ―Good afternoon, Ken.‖ familiar State full name and ―My name is John Johnson with Autotask company Corporation.‖ ―Ken, I’m leaving this voice mail for you in follow- up to my email a few days ago in which I invited Use prospect’s name a 2nd you to further explore with me Autotask’s all-in- time, refer to prior email one web-based software solution to helps you sell, implement, deliver and bill your services more efficiently, and more profitably.‖ ―If you recall, our fully-hosted solutions provides Make a brief, emphatic, and you with a service desk, contact management, meaningful statement of outsourcing, contract administration, time tracking, uses/benefits billing, reporting and business analytics -- all ©2011 MBO Partners Inc. running off the same database and accessible from a single screen.‖
- 27. 27 COMMUNICATE TOUCH POINT #3: THE VOICEMAIL Suggested specific next ―The next step you and I can take together on step this, Ken, is a web-based demonstration.‖ Call to action with specific ―Should your schedule permit later this week, I’d time frame like to make arrangements. Can you call me back at your earliest convenience?‖ Leave phone number AND You can reach me directly at xxx.xxx.xxxx, or via email address email at john@autotask.com.‖ 2nd Thank You, 3rd use of ―Thanks for your time, and I look forward to prospect’s name and an hearing from you, Ken.‖ optimistic…not insistent…closing ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 28. 28 CONCLUSION 1. How to RESEARCH a target audience 2. How to ACQUIRE contact information 3. How to COMMUNICATE with targeted messages QUESTIONS? ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 29. 29 CONTACT BRET SMITH • High-Impact-Prospecting, LLC • www.high-impact-prospecting.com • 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 • 1-518-591-4665 • sales@high-impact-prospecting.com ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
- 30. 30 WANT TO LEARN MORE? • EMAIL US info@mbopartners.com • VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.mbopartners.com • FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @mbopartners • SIGN-UP FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION • Receive updates for upcoming webinars - email webinar@mbopartners.com ©2011 MBO Partners Inc. • Sign up for our Independent Consulting Brief at newsletter@mbopartners.com
- 31. 31 THANK YOU www.mbopartners.com http://www.mbopartners.com/blog https://www.facebook.com/mbopartners ©2011 MBO Partners Inc.
Editor's Notes
- Good morning all.I believe we’d all agree that business information appears to be more readily available, and from many different sources, than ever before. That said, the question of which resources to use for your particular endeavor remains and, as importantly, the 3 basic questions to ask as you seek to identify, communicate and connect with potential prospects for your consultancy is as true.Those questions are:1. How do I Research my ideal Audience?2. How do I Acquire Contact Information for the prospects in my target audience? and3. How do I Communicate effectively with them to secure the desired outcome?
- It goes without saying that how you research your target audience depends upon who and what type of audience that is.At the highest level, and apart from the type of business you may be in, the process begins with are they local, not local, or a mix of the two?At the local level there are certainly means of researching your target audience, from local business publications to filings for incorporation to the usual trade organizations, among others. It’s when you reach beyond your local geography that leveraging web-based resources and business-to-business social media become much more important. This is where we will begin our focus today and then we’ll drill into the specifics of using email and voice communications for new client development.
- Whatever resource you use to assimilate an informed view into your target audience, at the end of the day, the next question must be asked – how to obtain their contact information so that I may economically communicate my offering to them? Most consultants simply don’t have the luxury of advertising in any useful ad size within print media, or to use direct mail as a way to connect with prospects. Likewise, radio and TV. The good news? None of these older, disruptive means of reaching your target audience are as effective as email, especially email combined with voice, nor as economical and meaningful as b2b social media. We’ll see WHY in just a few more slides.But first, where and how to secure your prospects’ contact information?And frankly, it’s most economic for you as a private consultant to essentially “kill 2 birds with one stone”. That is, to research your ideal audience while also sourcing their contact information for later prospecting.In trying to size your potential prospect base, be it in total contacts, or by geography, or by enterprise size, there are a number of web resources that are readily available and virtually free to use, short of acquiring contact information. Zoom Information is an excellent example, as is data.com and the old standard, Hoover’s, which enable you to search for public filings, press releases, wikis and more on an unlimited basis. LinkedIn enables you to take that a step further and drill into company employee lists, key personnel bios and credentials, and discussion groups they belong to.With Zoom and data.com, you can use multiple filters to get to the target group you desire and then save that list for later review. Filters include company name, industry type, revenue and employee range and geography. Ultimately, you can gather your ideal audience in one place and even winnow down your contact count by when their information was last updated. With Zoom, you can essentially do the same.Of course, there are many industry-based websites where your membership enables a view into member companies, and there are broadly used but less valuable resources such as Manta, Plaxo and Merchant Circle.
- Now notice some of the similarities on this list compared to the previous one. As I said before, why not research who your target group is in the same place you hope to collect their contact data?Again, search is free across most of these resources. It’s the contact data you usually have to pay for. However, for as little as zero to $500, you can download complete contact information for as many as 500 contacts from most of the same resources. With both data.com and Zoom, they offer a “1:1 trade” model where you can add part or all of your rolodex in return for net new contacts for yourself. Or you could purchase one-offs for as little as $5 each.Hoover’s and LinkedIn offer varying types of affordable subscriptions starting @ just $50 month, but also have their free versions. On LinkedIn, at the $50 subscription level, you can conduct unlimited searches and save multiple lists in your Profile Organizer. And, while building your network and communicating through it is best, LinkedIn also enables you to use what it calls InMail, which is basically a way for you to communicate appropriately with those you aren’t connected to by respecting their InMail preferences. Manta and Merchant Circle are somewhat similar in that they enable you to set up information about yourself and your firm, which they then in turn register on major search engines to drive traffic to their sites and to you.
- Again, I believe we agree that most consultants simply don’t have the luxury of advertising by print media, direct mail, radio and TV. And I stated that this is the good news.Why? First, these older, disruptive means of reaching a audience are much more appropriate for consumer offers. Second, when promoting professional services they just really aren’t the way to project a credible, expert image. In 2012, extending your expertise via social media, be it on your profile on LinkedIn, relevant posts on blogs in your area of expertise, and so on, are much more effective. And lastly? Because communication via email is TARGETED … it’s push rather than pull, and when combined with voice, and the right methodology for communicating meaningfully and in the right rhythm, there’s no substitute for consultants reaching beyond their local geography.
- **NOTE*** Need to define “Autotask” – confusing in this context without an intro that that is the sample company you are using.