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

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Google News Updated : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:50:04 GMT Fed's new tool: Business loan bailout - CNNMoney.com Christian Science Monitor Fed's new tool: Business loan bailout CNNMoney.com - 1 hour ago By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Federal Reserve announced a new program to help the battered market for short-term business loans - taking its closest step yet to lending directly to businesses. Fed's Credit Tactic Has Small Effect Forbes Fed, in emergency move, will lend to companies The Associated Press Bloomberg - MarketWatch - BusinessWeek - The Miami Herald all 1,833 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:33:46 GMT Obama And McCain On Small Business - CBS News CBS News Obama And McCain On Small Business CBS News - 3 hours ago The fifth installment of the series examines where each candidate stands on helping small businesses. Supported the government bailout aimed at easing the credit crunch. Obama-McCain debate Question 5: What sacrifices Kansas City Star Ad Wars: McCain Dishonorable and Obama Untrustworthy Huffington Post Atlantic Online - UM Maneater - Politico - The Plank on TNR.com all 441 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:28:47 GMT Obama, McCain stretch facts in debate - The Associated Press Voice of America Obama, McCain stretch facts in debate The Associated Press - 48 minutes ago WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain stretched facts, sometimes past the breaking point, as they addressed the financial crisis and more during their second presidential debate. McCain, Obama Laud Buffett When Asked About Treasury Candidates Bloomberg Obama-McCain debate Question 2: How will Kansas City Star MSNBC - USA Today - Detroit Free Press - New York Times Blogs all 344 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:01:16 GMT Bloomberg’s Gift to the People: Moi - New York Times Telegraph.co.uk Bloomberg’s Gift to the People: Moi New York Times - 1 hour ago By CLYDE HABERMAN An e-mail pen pal of mine in Alaska (no, not her, someone else) wrote the other day mentioning Marshal Philippe Pétain. UPDATE 1-NYC lawmakers to weigh bill raising term limits Reuters Bill to end term limits introduced in City Council New York Daily News The Associated Press - People's Daily Online - NY1 - WNYC all 434 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:08:24 GMT Ayers and Obama later worked on Chicago charitable boards together - CNN BBC News Ayers and Obama later worked on Chicago charitable boards together CNN - 1 hour ago By Drew Griffin and Kathleen Johnston CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- More than 30 years ago, William Ayers was a fugitive leader of the Weather Underground, an antiwar terrorist group known for its bombings of police stations, the Pentagon and the US ... Connelly: My tea with a 'terrorist' Seattle Post Intelligencer What’s The Obama-Ayers Connection? KPHO Phoenix Town Hall - Chicago Reader - New York Times - Los Angeles Times all 134 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:55:44 GMT Judge Orders 17 Guantánamo Detainees Freed - New York Times ABC News Judge Orders 17 Guantánamo Detainees Freed New York Times - 1 hour ago By WILLIAM GLABERSON WASHINGTON - A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Bush administration to release 17 detainees at Guantánamo by the end of the week, the first such ruling in nearly seven years of legal disputes over the administration’s detention ... White House "Deeply Concerned" With Guantanamo Ruling Voice of America US judge orders Guantanamo Uighurs freed AFP Bloomberg - Financial Times - ABC News - Aljazeera.net all 692 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:49:29 GMT World markets mixed amid ongoing bank jitters - Forbes AFP World markets mixed amid ongoing bank jitters Forbes - 4 hours ago By PAN PYLAS 10.07.08, 5:55 PM ET World stock markets were mixed on Tuesday as banking stocks on both sides of the Atlantic took another pounding despite the US Federal Reserve's announcement that it will buy huge amounts of short-term debt in an ... TOPWRAP 15-Fed steps in but US stocks dive; UK to rescue banks guardian.co.uk Patrice Hill THE WASHINGTON TIMES Washington Times New York Times - AFP - Wall Street Journal - MarketWatch all 624 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:03:58 GMT Clickbank Affiliate Earn Money With Surveys

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