21 Lead Generation Strategies from School Fundraising Events

sales lead generation ideasI received the email below from Ashley Huber, a volunteer at School Fundraising Events, a website that provides a wealth of information on school fundraising and resources.

I’ve decided to publish the email, along with a helpful link on 21 Lead Generation Strategies. I believe the link is a great resource for anyone seeking ideas on how to increase new business.

Please read

Good afternoon,

My name is Ashley Huber and I volunteer with a summer business and entrepreneurship program for gifted children. The students are interested in launching, owning and managing their own companies and brands.  They have been very excited about coming up with creative ways to market themselves and their ideas. Even though the kids I work with are still young, they have been doing a lot of research at home and as a group.

Today, the students came across your website http://dononselling.com/10-things-start-up-owners-need-to-know-about-selling/ while looking for inspiration on how to advertise businesses and brand themselves through networking and social media leads. We want to say thank you! The students are hoping to use community outreach to expand their own companies in the future.

One of the kids, Nick, did some research on his own to figure out how to attract new consumers and organizations interested in supporting, investing, and buying from a new business. He shared this resource article with the class: https://www.hipb2b.com/library/21-lead-generation-strategies.html

I suggested that he and his peers share this with you because it is such a great resource for anyone looking to generate leads locally, nationally and even online to expand their business and make their brand well-known. I also want to impress upon them that even though they are young, reaching out and simply asking others can help accomplish things that the kids might not otherwise think can.

Would you please add a link on your webpage to the resource article Nick found? He would be so proud to see that you did, even if it’s only for a little while, and we also think that your other visitors will find it useful. I also don’t think it hurt that I promised the whole group a networking and pizza day if you added Nick’s article! Please let me know if you’d be willing!

I hope to hear from you soon!

Ashley

Ashley Huber
ashley@schoolfundraisingevents.com

Motivational Business Quote of the Month: “Communication is the key to success in business!”

Announcement: “Don on Selling” named one of the Best Sales Blogs in 2016

best sales blog in 2016I’m unsure if I deserve this or not, but Market Inspector name my blog one of “The 44 Best Sales Blogs in 2016.” Alongside Close.io, HubSpot, Dave Stein, Lori Richardson, and many others, I made the list. Frankly, this is news to me.  However, I appreciate any free publicity that I can get. I’m not out to gain any fame or fortune. Writing this blog is a labor of love. By regularly writing, it forces me to think more clearly about my profession. Writing also forces me to be a better observer of trends and developments.

According to the company’s LinkedIn business profile page, Market Inspector “is a B2B digital marketplace for businesses and institutions in Europe.” The company, founded in 2014, is a free service that helps companies compare quotes and offers from suppliers.

Five bad habits to break at Trade Shows

I just got back from a large trade show and I notice five bad habits that I think all vendors should break.

don't be late for a trade show1). Tardiness – if the trade show starts at 9:00 a.m., then make sure you get your ass there on time. The last thing you want to do is come to a booth late, and find a note from a potentially good prospect who writes that he may stop by later. We all know from experience that most prospects are not going to “stop by later” because they get busy visiting other booths, attending workshops…or meeting with your competitors!

2). Arrive early to set up your booth or tabletop display. I know. As much as we try to plan ahead, things happen. Your flight is delayed. Your hotel claims they don’t have your reservation. The taxi cab driver doesn’t know where the convention center is located. I get that. But try to get to the exhibit hall area ASAP. You never know what problems you are going to face, e.g., there are no chairs because your department didn’t know they had to rent them before the trade show, or there is no electricity because you didn’t know you had to purchase it for the booth, or the scanner you are renting isn’t working properly, etc. You get the drift.

I actually once worked for a company that required all salespeople to arrive one day in advance to set up the booth. However, I realize that some companies have tight budgets and depending on the location and flight availability, you may have to fly in the same day the trade show begins and quickly set things up a couple of hours before the doors open. I understand. Just do the best you can.

3). Don’t leave your leads out all night – I will sometimes arrive early to an exhibit hall to check out other exhibits and get ideas. This is especially true if I’m the only one managing the booth and I don’t have time during the day to walk around. I’m constantly surprised by the number of vendors who leave their leads out on the table all night long. Sure, we’re professionals. We don’t steal. But how can you be sure that some unscrupulous competitor isn’t going to come along and pinch your leads? This is especially true at large trade shows where there isn’t enough security. Either hide your leads in your booth (some trade shows rent locked cabinets) or take them to your hotel room.

BTW, the same goes for candy. I once left a candy bowl out on the display table and when I returned in the morning, most of my sweets were gone. So hide your candy too!

4). Don’t stand or sit like a statue – engage. It amazes me that companies will spend thousands of dollars sending salespeople to attend trade shows and they don’t engage with attendees. Instead, they sit on their butts working on their laptops (which only signals to prospects that are you too busy to be bothered) or read their own marketing literature that they should be handing out.

You need to engage.

That means if someone gives you eye contact or looks at your booth, you may ask them “does anything catch your eye?” or “have you heard of our company or product?” Hopefully, by asking those or other questions, attendees may approach your booth and you can engage them in a conversation to determine if they are good prospects or not.

engage with attendees at trade showsAlso, don’t trust that your booth display or tabletop will be enough to draw prospects to you. While your marketing department may do a good job developing interesting visuals, at the end of the day it’s up to you to bring home good leads. That means if someone walks by and starts avoiding eye contact with you, call them out by asking them a direct question. By doing so, they may come over and speak with you. This tactic is especially helpful at large trade shows of 100 plus vendors where attendees are overwhelmed, busy and tired. You have to think of attendees as cattle – you have to drive them home through the open range.

Attendees, like cattle, need direction.

5). Turn your frown upside down. I understand. Trade shows can be long and sometimes boring when walk-thru traffic is slow. You get tired. Your feet ache.

But put yourself in the place of the attendees – they are sometimes spending hours walking from booth to booth, listening to sales pitches, and having sales literature thrust among them.

The last thing an attendee wants to see is a sad or disappointed salesperson at a booth. So smile. Be enthusiastic. Show real interest. Be curious. Who knows, you may land a sale or two that could put you over the top when meeting quota.

There, you have it. Break those five bad habits and you should do well.

Now go sell!