Help & How-To

Sales & Marketing
I just started a customer service consulting firm. What's the best way to get customers?
I looked into purchasing a mailing list. I need names of people who are in charge of operations.

Asked by mzbabb
Posted: Tuesday, June 17, 2008  |  Found in Sales & Marketing


More answers by Kim T. Gordon
Answer by Kim T. Gordon
To launch your business, use a combination of sales and marketing.  For business-to-business sales, contact prospects on an individual basis first by following this sequence: Call, mail (or e-mail, or visit), then call again, and so on. Yes, you'll need a list, though you may be able to develop it yourself by identifying the companies you wish to serve and then contacting them to get the names of the senior-level individuals who are most able to make a buying decision regarding your services. 

When you have your prospect list ready (at least two dozen names to start), contact your prospects by phone to gain appointments. Then follow up with literature as needed. Also, add the people whom you speak with to your in-house database and regularly market to them by mail as well as e-mail. Alternate phone and in-person sales contact with marketing until each prospect converts.
Kim Gordon is the owner of National Marketing Federation and is a multifaceted marketing expert, speaker, author and media spokesperson. Her latest book is Maximum Marketing, Minimum Dollars.


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