The Lead Generation Handbook: How to Generate All the Sales You'll Ever Need -- Quickly, Easily, and Inexpensively

621 Pages·1998·6.49 MB·English

by  Robert W. Bly

The Lead Generation Handbook : How to
title: Generate All the Sales Leads You'll Ever
Need-- Quickly, Easily, and Inexpensively!
author: Bly, Robert W.
publisher: AMACOM Books
isbn10 | asin: 0814403638
print isbn13: 9780814403631
ebook isbn13: 9780585033778
language: English
subject Sales promotion--Handbooks, manuals, etc.
publication date: 1998
lcc: HF5438.5.B58 1998eb
ddc: 658.8/2
subject: Sales promotion--Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Page iii
The
Lead
Generation
Handbook
How to Generate All the Sales
Leads You'll Ever Need
Quickly, Easily, and Inexpensively
Robert W. Bly
AMACOM
American Management Association
New York Atlanta Boston Chicago Kansas City San Francisco Washington, D.
C.
Brussels Mexico City Tokyo Toronto
Page iv
This book is available at a special
discount when ordered in bulk quantities.
For information, contact Special Sales Department,
AMACOM, an imprint of AMA Publicaitons, a division of
American Management Association,
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
This publicatiion is designed to provide accurate and authoritative
information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold
with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering
legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or
other
expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional
person should be sought.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bly, Robert W.
The lead generation handbook: how to generate all the sales leads
you'll ever needquickly, easily, and inexpensively!/Robert W.
Bly.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8144-0363-8
1. Sales promotionHandbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title.
HF5438.5.B58 1998
658.8´2dc21 98-6003
CIP
© 1998 Robert W. Bly.
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
This publication may not be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in whole or in part,
in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of AMACOM,
an imprint of AMA Publications, a division of
American Management Association,
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
Printing number
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Page v
To
Paul and Carolyn Mazza
Page vii
Contents
Introduction xi
Acknowledgments xiii
1. Lead Generation: An Overview 1
What Is a Sales Lead? 1
The Purpose of Leads 2
Who Values Sales Leads? 3
The Lead Generation Mind-Set 4
The Lead Generation Components 5
Integration of Lead Generation Into Your Sales and 8
Marketing Program
2. Planning a Lead Generation Campaign 10
Marketing 10
Lead Generation Specifics 18
Important Questions to Ask When Planning a Lead- 21
Generating Program
3. Offers That Increase Response Rates 25
The Offer 25
Enhancing the Soft Offer 31
Using the Hard Offers 44
4. Direct Format Mail 51
Format 51
Mailing Lists 52
Copy Length, Content, and Style 56
Design and Layout 57
Motivating Sequence 58
Reply Card 60
Outer Envelope 62
Teaser 64
Brochure 65
Postage 67
A Test Mailing 68
Results 68
A Solo Mailing or Mailing Series? 69
5. Telemarketing 71
Response Rates 72
Page viii
Winning Telemarketing Scripts 72
Delivery of Script 77
Telemarketing Plus Other Methods 78
Telephone Skills 79
6. Print Advertising 83
Newspapers 83
Magazines: The Medium for On-Target Advertising 87
The Yellow Pages and Other Directories 95
Other Types of Advertising 97
31 Simple Ways to Generate More Ad Inquiries 99
7. Free Publicity and Public Relations 102
Press Releases 103
Five Basic Types of Press Releases 107
Publication of Press Releases 121
Distribution of Press Releases 123
Publicity Lists 125
PR Photos 126
Follow-Up 127
Press Kits 131
News Deserving Press Releases 132
Reasons for Press Releases 133
8. Seminars, Speeches, and Special Events 134
Seminars 134
Speeches 148
Special Events 164
9. Trade Shows 166
Selection of a Trade Show 167
Reasons for Trade Show Displays 167
Successful Trade Show Selling 168
Some Definitions 171
Selection of Trade Show Displays 171
Checklist for Exhibit Managers 172
Direct-Mail Promotion of the Trade Show 174
10. Other Lead-Generating Tools: Postcard Decks, Radio, 178
TV
Postcard Deck Advertising 178
Radio Advertising 183
TV Advertising 190
Producing the TV Commercial 193
11. Lead Generation on the Internet 199
Tips for Building an Effective Website 201
Lead Generation and Tracking on the Web 209
Internet Direct Mail 211
12. Monitoring and Measuring Lead Results 232
What Kind of Results to Expect 233
How to Monitor Promotions 234