Generating more leads
Generating qualified leads on a regular basis is something that most business people want. And I’ve received several questions recently about this.
Let me start by saying that there’s more than one way to generate leads.
And networking is only one of those ways.
To generate good quality leads through networking, you must do three things:
- *Ask* for referrals
- Ask the *right people* for your referrals
- Ask clearly and in a way that people understand *exactly* what you’re looking for.
By the way, how to ask for something in a way that gets you the results you want, is something I cover in great detail in my “3 Secrets for Effortless Networking” program.
Another way to generate leads is through prospecting.
You’ve probably heard me make this distinction many times already — but oh, what the heck, I’ll repeat myself! 
Networking is not the same as prospecting.
One is not necessarily better than the other. They’re just two different things and appropriate for different contexts.
So if you want to generate leads through prospecting, here is an excellent book for you: “The Accidental Salesperson” by Chris Lytle.
I rate it “excellent” because it is packed with information yet easy to read. And it’s funny!
I stumbled upon this book accidentally (yes, really!) when I first started my business.
I used to dislike “selling” because it made me uncomfortable, but I recognized that as a business owner I had to do it. And as with networking, I wanted to find a way to sell that was natural and comfortable for both me and my prospects.
So I was delighted with my accidental find!
This book provides a step-by-step guide on generating leads and converting them into customers. The author uses anecdotes and refers to movies that really bring to life the concepts he presents (I found this very helpful). He also provides tools and templates to give the reader a jumpstart on applying the concepts in the book.
For me, just reading the book increased my comfort level with the concept of “selling”.
And although I didn’t use everything the book suggests (usually because it didn’t fit the nature of my business), what I did use has been very helpful.
So I hope this book proves useful to you too.
All the best,
– Sri
