The 2 Step Lead Generation Machine

Cold calling doesn't work, it's no fun and often you end up with leads, or worse yet, clients, that don't really value what you do.

Having said that, leads are the lifeblood of growth, without a lead, there is no client.

Set-up a 2 step lead machine and you can say goodbye to cold calling while generating all of the qualified, permission based leads you can handle.

The basic idea behind the 2 step approach is to create one or more valuable reports, workshops, evaluations, trial products, checklists, newsletters, courses or tip sheets. You know, something like, "How To Tell If Your Roofing Contractor Is Lying To You" or "What Every Senior Must Know About Bush's Social Security Changes" or "101 More Things You Can Do With Your iPod."

Now that you have your value packed written report or audio CD, every bit of your advertising ? that's Yellow Pages, direct mail, back of your business card, letterhead, email signature, web site ? should focus on getting people to pick up, request or download that report. Don't try to do anything else with your advertising, let the report sell you. See, that's step 1.

There are several reasons that this approach is so much more effective for the small business owner than the traditional "image" type advertising.

First off, if you only buy a 2 x 3 ad or send a 4 x 6 postcard, can you really tell your story very well?

Secondly, this approach allows you to demonstrate your expertise in a non-threatening, on the prospect's own terms, way. Nobody likes to be sold to, but if they take the time to read your report, understand what you do that has value, have an 8-10 page conversation with you, the relationship and trust has begun.

A person who has requested your free information in officially a hot lead. When a prospect visits your web site they are effectively raising their hand and identifying themselves as someone who is very interested in what you do. Half of your sales job is done!

If your advertising is focused on gathering the lead into the free report funnel, then your sales efforts are focused on taking that group and only that group that raised their hands and taking them to the next step in the process. That may be an appointment or just a series of more advanced mailings. By the way that's step 2.

So let's recap.

Create a free information product that your target market would see as a valuable read or listen.

Advertise the free report in everything you do

Capture the names and emails of those who request the report

Follow-up on those leads

If you take this advice to heart, everything about how you market your business will change. Finding new business will become a much more rewarding and valuable experience.

A couple bonus ideas:

Once you create your free report you will find other uses for it.

Referrals ? Give the report or the web page where the report is found to your referral sources and tell them to introduce you by way of your free report or newsletter. This makes it easy for them to refer you and assures that your story is told.

Cold-calling ? I know, I know, you shouldn't ever need to cold call but, if you do, do it this way. Call up those prospects on your list and instead of trying to convince them to give you 5 minutes of their time a week from Tuesday, offer them the address of your power packed free info and then shut-up. Your prospecting time will be much more productive if you can use it to turn cold calling into 2-step prospecting.

Copyright 2005 John Jantsch

John Jantsch is a marketing consultant based in Kansas City, Mo. He writes frequently on real world small business marketing tactics and is the creator of "Duct Tape Marketing" a turn-key small business marketing system. Check out his blogs at http://www.DuctTapeMarketing.com/weblog.php and http://www.bloggingbusiness.com

---

Have You Got Your Ear To The Ground Or Your Head In The Sand?

What happened on your website yesterday? What about last week... Read More

10 Things the Work at Home Online Business Owner can Do to Improve their Search Engine Rankings

Search engine theory is great but most Web Masters Say... Read More

Internet Marketing Solution - Content, Content, Content

If you're looking for the number one, hot Internet marketing... Read More

How to Leverage the Internet in MLM

Most people who try to leverage the Internet to build... Read More

Subconsciously Command Your Readers To Buy

Tell your readers what they are probably thinking, feeling or... Read More

Five Proven Methods for Internet Marketing Success

There are hundreds of ways that you can promote your... Read More

A New Way to Profit From Your Content-Based Website

"It's a labor of love." That's how I've always described... Read More

Internet Marketing And Public Speaking: Ten Tips For When The Twain Shall Meet

Internet marketing and public speaking? Not quite ham and eggs,... Read More

Holiday / Vacation Time But What About Your Online Business?

For many of us, it is time to start thinking... Read More

Internet And Network Marketing

How do you start a business on the net? Well,... Read More

Why Offline Advertising is So Important for Websites

It is important that anybody with a significant online presence... Read More

How Your Hobbies Can Help You With Your Business

Everyone has a hobby or interest that they have a... Read More

Online Sales: 10 Magical Online Sales Tactics To Sell Your Products Faster

There are certain magical tactics that work so well that... Read More

Autoresponders Are the Key to Freedom from the Burden of Emails

In today's business world emails are essential to the success... Read More

What to Sell on the Internet?

The phenomenal growth of ecommerce lures more and more people... Read More

Website Sales: 10 Super-Charged Tactics To Spark Up Your Sales

If your website sales are down and you desire to... Read More

Marketing Your Business - How Do I Adapt To The Internet?

The way we do business is changing rapidly. From VOIP,... Read More

How Do You Increase Your Conversion By Over 70% Instantly?

At times, marketing your business online can seem incredibly complicated.... Read More

Seven Easy Steps to Boost Your Professional Image With Adobe

Often-overlooked commands can boost sales and project a more professional... Read More

Internet Marketing Tips from a 10-Year Old?

Can a 10-year-old teach you anything about Internet marketing? Until... Read More

Dont Forget B.O.B.!

So you've got everything in place, busily working away for... Read More

Mortgage Marketing: What To Expect From Your New Website

The day has come for your new website to go... Read More

Internet Marketers and Two-Year-Olds: Just Toddling Around Asking Lots of Questions

I recently noticed that my friend's two-year-old, Conor, is getting... Read More

10 Marketing Tips for Entrepreneurs

Nothing happens in business until a sale is made. Marketing... Read More

Classified Ads - What Works & What Doesn?t

Do classified ads really work? Should you include an email... Read More

There is Hidden a Successful Formula in Everything

Although many say that things change on the net, still... Read More

Internet Marketing and Public Speaking: The Murder Board Practice

I recently posted an article titled "Internet Marketing and Public... Read More

Internet Marketing On A Budget

Establishing a web presence on the internet is based on... Read More

Five Ways to Quadruple a Websites Revenue

Many website owners all too often give up on their... Read More

The Internet and Network Marketing

After years of gut wrenching work and stress the home... Read More

Starting an Ad Campaign

Developing an ad Campaign for the Startup E-businessOnline advertising has... Read More

How to Tap the Profits Hidden in Your Internet Business!

I'd like to show you five secret strategies to extract... Read More

Find Your Niche - The Internet Marketers Goldmine

If you haven't heard the word 'niche' being batted around... Read More