(If you can't find people who are interested in your product or service, then you're in the wrong niche as it's not viable, so you should cut your losses and look for other markets)



The more your business grows the more apt you are to begin receiving referrals from your existing customers, however this still should still not stop you from prospecting for new customers.

All successful sales people know that their success is greatly dependent on their ability to effectively prospect. And as sales are based on numbers it only stands to reason that the more people you contact, the greater the odds of being able to set an appointment to meet with them to gain their business.

When developing your strategy it is important to create a prospect system. You have basically 2 choices to do this. You can do that the old-fashioned way by creating a manual card file using plain 3 x 5 index cards. Or, you can set up a contact management program on your computer.

Whichever method you choose, here's a checklist you might like to follow:

1. Information you will want on each lead:

Name of the business. Address with zip code. Telephone number. Name of owner(s) with title(s) if available.

2. How to create your 100 leads weekly:

Grab yourself a recorder so that while your out on the road you can list names of business and other pertinent information that you see while travelling. Later, while listening to the recorder, transfer the information to a card or your contact management program.

Using the yellow pages, create leads from a variety of businesses.

Visit your local library and use either Contacts Influential, Inside Contacts or any other printed directory and create leads using the geographical section (by zip code) or the SIC (Standard Industry Code) Section. SIC has all businesses grouped together by type, i.e. plumbers, insurance, etc.

3. Newspapers are a terrific source for leads.

Begin to read the newspaper differently than you have in the past. Make note of what businesses in your niche are advertising and what they are advertising.

Read the business section for announcements of new businesses that may be targeted to your niche.

4. Pick up every free print directory you can find.

Usually you will find these free papers located in stands outside of frequently visited businesses, like grocery stores and restaurants. They run the gamut by specialty industries like: real estate, senior citizens, automobiles, etc.

5. Stop throwing away your junk mail.

There's gold in there. Any business who is already actively engaged in advertising could be a prospect for your directory.

6. Here is a list of additional sources for you. You can probably come up with many more:

Magazines

Radio advertising

TV advertising

Chamber of Commerce Directories

Better Business Bureau Directories

Direct Mail Coupons

Billboards

Church Bulletins

Business cards displayed at

restaurants/laundromats/stores

Trade Shows

Visuals like drive bys and mobile units

Referrals

7. If you use a contact management system on your computer to organize and track your leads, you will still want to have a card file system to use for those leads you obtain from other advertising.

Cut out the newspaper ad or coupon and staple to an index card. Organize these leads into a card file system that parallels your contact schedule.

8. Remember to use logical calling times for the businesses you contact.

Typically, you would not want to contact a restaurant during their "prime times" like breakfast, lunch or dinner and remember our previous comments about contacting the construction industries.

These are just a few of the resources you can put to work in building your business locally.