Who’s On Your List Says Much About What Will Be In Your Wallet

I will be the first to tell you that B2B cold calling is productive but not easy. When cold calling with a well targeted list as part of an overall marketing strategy, it will produce viable leads.

So how do you go about getting a B2B list? There are basically two ways. One is to acquire a list, either through acquisition or rental. Another way is to grow your own through networking and other lead generation activities; and research online through industry directories and social media sites.

If you are renting or purchasing a list, be aware that not all telemarketing lists are equal. Is the list targeted to industries that have an interest in your product? Does the list include the names and contact information for key decision makers? Will the provider update and improve their list? Will the provider remove disconnected numbers and add new ones? No one wants to waste time on cold calls that do not generate viable leads.

Once you have a good list, it is important to work the list frequently to ensure its accuracy, to continue to qualify the prospect and move the prospect into the sales cycle. It is vital to keep the database clear so that sales efforts are focused on the the likely buyers in the group. In addition to names, titles and contact information, a good list will also include customer preferences, past orders and caller comments in special sections to make future interactions as relational as possible.