Prospecting has to be one of the hardest and most thankless tasks facing the home business marketer. Endless lists of so called "qualified" leads, all of whom have heard your sales pitch, or one like it, a million times before! What if you could turn that around and have hungry, ready to start leads calling you? Would that make things easier?

If you are working with anyone who has been successful in this industry more than, say, ten years ago - then this is what they know! Face to face presentations, hotel meetings, flyers, cold calling - all of these methods were extremely effective in the 1980's and even into the 1990's. The problem comes from the sheer volume of sales information that is thrown at us every single day. From the moment your radio commercials start in the morning, right through the day, it seems that everywhere we turn - someone is trying to convince us to buy something we don't want. So in today's world - the average person is extremely sensitive to anything that sounds like sales and they will shut down as soon as they hear something coming at them.

This makes any kind of "direct approach" marketing extremely challenging. Most people in the market place are trying to become more outrageous, louder and generally more noticeable than the person next to them, who has a very similar product and an identical plan! As a result - all that is happening is that the volume in the marketplace is getting louder and louder and louder... Trying to compete in that game is a complete waste of time.

However - there is another way - a smarter way. It's a method that does not appeal to those who want to turn a fast buck online, but it is a method that can yield far greater results in the long term - and results that can keep on paying long after the latest outrageous advertising fad has fizzled away. Coincidentally, it's also very similar to the basic premise behind Google - and you probably know what kind of a success story they have had!

In fact, it's not really a method at all - it's a philosophy, and it goes something like this: "Help enough other people get what they want, and you will get everything that you want" - and that's from over 25 years ago, from Zig Ziglar - and it is even more true today. So instead of trying to sell everyone you contact on whatever your product is - start by asking how you can help them. Then bring value to the conversation - and if you cannot help, simply tell them that, let them know what your area of expertise is and wish them luck! Honesty and integrity go a long way, even if you don't answer their question, they'll remember you when they do need your help.

In marketing terms - focus on a market that you can help. If you are a weight loss expert, then get involved in weight loss forums. Write weight loss articles - give weight loss advice and solutions everywhere you see an opportunity to be helpful and add something to someone's life. These are people who are probably already disillusioned with dieting and exercise, but if you can put it in a new light, or have a different method - that could help them.

Now include in your signature a link to your website. Not a pushy, salesy signature, but a very plain "this is what I do - click here to learn more" signature - almost casual - I don't care if you follow this or not - and most people who have found your advice useful will absolutely take it!

But hold on! That link does NOT go to your main sales page!! That would just kill everyone with a sales pitch again! That link goes to a free online course, an ebook giveaway or a newsletter with a reasonably priced (sub $50) information package behind it. Whatever happens, now you have people who already want to learn more from you joining your email list and many of them will spend a few dollars to get that next level of information too.

Let's go back to that cold call list - if you had a list of people who know who you are, what you do and already value your information - do you think that it would be easier to introduce them to your main product line or opportunity? In fact - you can expect them to be emailing and calling you to get more information! That's the way to develop a serious number of quality leads with very little stress AND build an awesome, long term business online.