Lead Prospecting for Pros

Does the word “prospecting” make you feel like an old-timey miner, panning for gold in a stream somewhere along the new frontier?  It’s kind of like that...except you won’t need any moonshine or a coonskin cap. 

Lead prospecting is the process of filling your sales funnel by seeking out new customers for your business, and determining if both parties could mutually benefit from a relationship.

Here are 4 lead prospecting steps across your sales enablement efforts that will work hand-in-hand with your inbound marketing strategy:

1. Pass Out Treats

Picture this. You’re at the grocery store. You see a lady at a booth handing out meatballs for passersby to sample. You LOVE meatballs, so you walk up and get one. While you’re there, the sample passer has a moment to engage with you. She inquires about your meatball preferences, and you inform her that you are looking for a gluten-free meatball option. This company makes gluten-free meatballs! She hands you a bag and you’re on your way—a converted customer. 

This is a very basic example of inbound lead prospecting. You were drawn in by something you like, making you a lead. You gave some information about your preferences, which made you a prospect. She was then able to reach out with a solution to your challenge.

We do the same thing online (sans meatballs) when we offer enticing content, such as informative blogs, ebooks, or whitepapers. The key element to prospecting is getting a little more information from the lead. This can be done by gating your content (requesting details like name, email address, and any other valuable information) in order to access the freebie. 

2. Get Persona(l)

After your lead has given you some information, you can check to see if they fit into your buyer persona. A buyer persona gives you a “portrait” of a potential customer, using metrics like demographics, behavior, and desires. HubSpot has a neat tool you can use to develop a buyer persona if you don’t already have one (or more).

3. Is it Worth It? Then Research It

If the lead fits with your persona, it’s time to do a little mining. 

Learn as much as you can about your prospect’s business and role. Check their social media profiles, particularly LinkedIn, and peruse any new posts. Does your prospect blog? JACKPOT! Find their company website and familiarize yourself with their brand, story, and mission. 

The results of your research can give you some excellent reasons to connect. Is there an upcoming industry event that your company can assist with? Do you have mutual connections? Have you uncovered a need or challenge that is related to your services? These will all help you in the next stage of lead prospecting.

4. Outreach for The Stars

Once you’re fully loaded with customer information, it’s time to attempt a connection. Typically, this will be in the form of an email or phone call. Here are some inbound-approved sales outreach strategies to help you overcome sales challenges:

• Personalize your message: Use the prospect’s name, and reference a specific challenge or opportunity you uncovered in your research.
  
  
• Be warm: Your prospect shouldn’t feel like they are getting a canned message. Be authentic, be friendly, and be relatable.
  
  
• Keep it prospect-centric: Always focus on what needs you can meet for your prospect. For example, instead of saying “Let’s schedule a call and I’ll show you our success rate with companies in your industry,” try something like “I’d love to take a look at your current strategy and see where we can help.”
  
  
• Remember your goal: Resist the urge to sell. Prospecting determines whether you and your lead are a mutually beneficial fit for each other. Stay in that mindset.

You’re sure to make fruitful connections using these inbound-friendly lead prospecting tips. Have you struck gold with an awesome prospecting strategy lately? Tell us about it in the comments! And if you could use some guidance on lead prospecting like a pro, reach out to the experts at Tobe. We’re always ready to lend a hand.