If you moved to a new city, you might not know anyone. How will you feel welcomed? How would you find a community of new friends?
Somehow, you’ll need to make friends. If you are into yoga or bowling, you might find a place where others are hanging out who like to practice yoga or knock down a few pins.
Perhaps at a yoga studio, you’ll strike up a conversation with one person and make a friend. You’ll mention to them that you can help them with that pose they had trouble with over the weekend if they’d like to hang out with you. Congratulations, you have made a friend.
Generating leads for a business isn’t that different. You (your new business/brand/product/service) come to a new city (market/state/country/audience). You enjoy certain activities, so you try and find like-minded individuals who also have those interests.
At some point, you figure out how you can be helpful to them. Care you give them something of value to begin the path toward connection and friendship. Over time, you become seen as an ally and someone trying to support their interests and the story they want to tell too. Congratulations, you have generated a lead.
Don’t Think About Scaling – Human Lead Generation
The mistake that most companies make with lead generation can be trying to scale too soon. How can I reach a thousand people is probably the wrong question to ask?
How can I meet and help ten people is a better question? When you worry about being fast, you don’t stop to help; you speed along as if everyone will want to be part of your network.
Generate leads slowly, one at a time. Observe and find common patterns among those you are helping. Figure out how you can be helpful to them and others like them. Create magnets that attract people who can benefit from what you do, what you know and how you are in the world.
Being helpful is the best way to market a business, product or service. Slowly building connection means you have a solid foundation for a long-term relationship. That’s how you serve people and grow your business.
Stop thinking of potential customers as leads. Think of them as humans you are helping and serving. It will alter how you market your offerings.
Need help generating leads. Let’s talk. You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Try my new chat feature on my site if you have a quick question.
Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash
