Cold outreach is probably the oldest of all the tricks in Marketing. Where, many successful business managers and CEOs, still justify it, as a necessary evil, let’s just agree, nobody likes to be hanged up in the face, given a cold shoulder, ignored like a nonexistent being, getting blanked and being sent to Coventry. So, does that mean, one must accept being embarrassed and getting deprived of self-respect as part of his job? Or there exist ways other than cold calling, that is successful and respectful at the same time? You’ll know the answer by the time, you are finished reading through this article. Here is my list of six practical ways to get leads in marketing without cold calling.
Outline
Inbound Marketing
Content marketing & SEO
That’s my personal favorite – it’s not so easy to build (and replicate too), but a truly long-term asset:
$1 200 000 worth traffic a month. Not bad, huh? I bet they make a few sales from it.
Good, Old, Pay to Play
Paying for customers’ attention is as old as the universe itself. Here is a list of paid advertising channels for businesses to explore it further.
Speak in Public Engagements
Look for industry shows, marketing events, and engagements, where you can find potential clientele. Speaking at events is a good way to get prospects to approach you. Turn your speech into another sales deck and you will lose them in a jiffy.
Not scalable?
May be media coverage and fully managed lead gen is for you?
Outbound Marketing
I assume since you are looking to avoid cold calls Outbound Marketing you don’t want to go through this dread feeling of speaking with strangers.
Still, there are some marketing (e.g. Social Media) that still fall under outbound marketing bucket, yet requires much less friction.
Use Social Media
I am not going to kick this corpse again 🙂
Outsource cold calling
Cold calling is far from dead, so if you don’t want to do it yourself it might be a good idea to find a telemarketing company that will send you nice warm leads.
Few Other Tips
Offer Help Not Services – Principle of Reciprocity
Offer free help, advice and minor services to the prospects and it will come back to you in ways much bigger and diverse than you expected. The principle of reciprocity in social psychology states that, when you do a favor, regardless of its size, people feel obligated to payback. And, more often than not, the return outweighs the input. The working relation garnered on the principle of reciprocity is more likely to prevail and get healthy referrals.
Get Introduced
Introductions are important. And people are more likely to listen to you if you are introduced to them by somebody they already know. It is a step ahead of a simple referral. For example, you may ask a satisfied client to introduce you to a prospect, in person, with whom he is at good terms.
This way you get a validation right from the start. Moreover, marketing is a job of patience and perseverance. You may take weeks even months to develop contacts in a company and then through an insider get the recommendation for the concerned person. This approach may appear slow, but it is solid and long-lasting.
Do Your Home Work
Know your prospects.
- What do they do?
- Where are they from?
- What are their interests?
Maybe, they belong to the city, you grew up in, or went to the same school. They play golf like you or are mad fans of the same soccer team that you support. Commonalities pave your way and get attention and time. Also, a listening ear and a favorable mind. People prefer to spend time and talk to the people with whom they have some personal common interests/grounds. Find them and exploit them.
To sum it up on how to generate leads without cold calling
The above are a few practical ways to get your business leads without cold calling. These may or may not be enough for you, as they are just guidelines and tips without the personality factor weighed in.
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