If you are leading any organization (Nonprofit or not) we are going to be tasked with finding people. Those people might be volunteers, donors, customers, users, vendors, service providers, or any other number of roles. After you’ve spun through your friend lists, followers, and linked in connections where do you look next?
While this session was focused on finding paying customers for a tech startup, the same strategies can be applied to whoever it is you need to find. The conversation was a good one, and it has helped us here at Fresh Vine continue to grow since this session in 2014.
You can read the full list of ideas generated in this session below the video. But before you jump down there, the conversation around the ideas is worth a listen to.
Ideas for Lead Generation
Finding New Customers:
The first half of our time will be talking about lead generation. Where do we look when our friend and acquaintances are sick of us. Without leaving it up to the mystery of the internet. Come prepared to share your strategies to strike gold.
- Strategic Partnerships
- Speaking at relevant conferences and sessions
- Cold Calling – Dialing for dollars
- Big Book online
- Hennepin County Library List (Reference USA is the one we’ve used)
- Referrals from current/new customers
- “Who do you like to work with (in your own business)”
- Basic Public Relations
- Press Releases
- Contacting local media
- Engaging with your local industries/markets
- Be a member of an associations (get active)
- Conventions and Conferences
- Vendors or Attendees
- Answering their Questions
- Discussion boards
- Online Groups – Be active and engaged
- Google Alerts
- Content Marketing
- E-Books
- Online Videos
- Blogs
- Sharing some of your IP (code, design, concepts) with a license that is usable
Ideas for Closing Deals
Closing Each Deal:
With each lead being so precious, how can we give ourselves the best chance of closing the deal. In the second half of the time we’ll collaborate around how to do this well. This is an often over looked aspect of getting your customers signed up.
- Sharing stories through Video
- Managing your conversions with tools like Analytics
- Drip Email Campaigns
- Free Trials or Short Term Pilots
- Engaging during the trial period and afterwards
- Remind them of the value you’re providing
- Money back Guarantee (30/days etc)
- Actually ask the question – When to start?
- Connect with them socially (LinkedIn)
- Setup a discussion board for your service
- Host a workshop/seminar online and invite prospects
- Online Demos or Tours
- Discover what they want and how they’d validate it. Then show them how to validate it
- Show them how to impress their boss
This list originally appeared on Pauls personal site.
This talk was given during Minnebar by Fresh Vine founder – Paul Prins on 12 April 2014 at the Best Buy Corporate headquarters.
