Just ten years ago, sellers were only beginning to understand the revolution that the Internet would become to prospecting. Today, it’s as vital in prospecting as cold calling.
Internet research, connections, and referrals are just three ways it’s impacted our daily sales activities. And while you may use Facebook and have your LinkedIn profile set up, are you really maximizing the Internet for your lead generation?
I know I shouldn’t be, but I continue to be amazed when I meet sales people who don’t have a LinkedIn profile. Or who pooh-pooh the value of the data they find in a simple Internet search. Certainly those sales people aren’t blogging or commenting.
Why do you care? Maybe you’re one of those sales people who doesn’t care. Or maybe you’re one of those sales people who only casually maintains a LinkedIn profile to say you are using the Internet for lead generation.
If so, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to:
- Lighten your prospecting load.
- Build your credibility.
- Build stronger, more valuable relationships.
- Get in the door!
While traditional, personal prospecting strategies are still important, it’s critical that you combine them with digital attraction strategies such as social networking, social media, blogging and more to be noticed.
Prospecting is just too hard not to use every approach possible.
Your prospects are bored by cold calls. They receive literally hundreds of emails a day and don’t read half of them. If you want to reach them, you have to do more.
Here are a few digital attraction strategies you can try right now.
Engage Differently in Social Networking
Go beyond your social profiles and get involved. Participate in conversations. Start discussions. Watch for new people you should be engaged with, as well as those you already know you want to work with.
Expand your thinking about how you use the sites. Not only can you use them to gain new prospects, you can keep current prospects engaged as well.
A strong social media approach involves posting in a consistent, yet not overindulgent manner. Keeping prospects hooked is all about offering up just enough information to make them want to remain responsive. Striking such a balance isn’t always easy, but can be very effective in the end.
Blog
If you want to build awareness with your prospects, be seen where they’re visiting. Blog or write articles for sites they visit. These are perfect mediums for showcasing your expertise. They can also help to keep your prospects paying attention to you.
Getting the most out of writing articles and blog posts is all about tailoring each piece to your audience. Picking the right topic, for example, can mean the difference between a post that is read and one that succumbs to the glimpse factor. Once you have the right topic, don’t be afraid to give away a few key pieces of information. This can help to gain a prospect’s trust.
Don’t be afraid to blog. The most important thing you can do when crafting a blog post is to infuse your voice. A unique voice will help your pieces stand out, increasing the chances that they’ll be read. It also makes it easier to write.
If you don’t have a blog to post articles, share them with other bloggers, or post them on some of the many free article websites that people subscribe to. Check out The Sales Magnet Tool Kit for a list of free article websites you can use.
Leverage E-Newsletters
E-newsletters certainly aren’t “cutting edge” when compared to other digital prospecting mediums, but they are a perfect way to stay connected with prospects who aren’t ready to engage just yet and don’t really follow social media.
One of the best things about e-newsletters is that they allow you to stay in contact with prospects without requiring you to be too pushy. As a sales rep, you can leverage your company newsletter with your prospects, or create a simple one on your own using blogging strategies.
Supplement your personal attraction strategies with digital attraction strategies to get noticed by prospects and break past their boredom. That way, when you call, they’ll be more interested in letting you through!
If you’re looking for more ways to use digital attraction strategies, expand your lead generation and fill your pipeline with hot leads, get my new book The Sales Magnet: How to Get More Customers Without Cold Calling available at Amazon.com now. Read the first chapter for free here: Free Sample Chapter.