Buying Sales Leads

The original poster was cold called by a company to sell him leads. Maybe I'm mixed up on the terminology of your industry but I'd ask the lead company why you cannot get you own leads for free by cold calling?

I depends on what you sell I expect. In industrial sales I already have lists of many prospects in my territory that I can call on. Paper mills, powerplants, and hospitals don't move too often.

If I was selling to general consumers then I'd try to focus on the folks in my town. The vacuum salesmen just go from door to door and call on everybody. So they don't need a list, if someone shows interest they followup with a presentation.

I guess I just don't understand why any salesman would need to by a list. Can someone help me get this?

I have answered this in a recent post called the life expectancy of a lead. I would say don't buy leads, find your own, you be the judge and jury as to how much time and effort that lead is worth.

Working from a list of highly targeted prospects based on economic, geographic, or other key factors identified in your ideal prospect profile is smart prospecting.

Originally Posted by Door knocker I guess I just don't understand why any salesman would need to by a list. Can someone help me get this?

Here is one perspective Door knocker; in any particular area only a small percentage of people are buyers for your product or service. A salesperson's time is better spent prospecting and selling this smaller group. If a list could be compiled that contained the information of the people in the particular area likely to be in this smaller group why wouldn't you use the list?

Originally Posted by Calvin Working from a list of highly targeted prospects based on economic, geographic, or other key factors identified in your ideal prospect profile is smart prospecting.

I'll take targeted prospecting over aimless prospecting any day.

I realize this post is over two years old from it's original post but we're always looking for quality leads right?

I've worked with various lead brokers in the past and have experienced results ranging from a 15% non-deliverable rate with a pitiful (and costly) 0.2% return on a targeted direct mailing from a "bargain broker"... to my present day approx. 7.5% non-deliverable with a practically unheard of 2.1% return!

I'm currently working with InfoUSA and I've been very pleased with their quality and accuracy.

To date, they are 2nd to none in the industry for my company's lead generation.

I'm in contract with them for the year and spend $150 per month to cherry pick their entire data base.

A bargain... I tell ya!

Juss passin' it along

Thanks for the feedback on InfoUSA Bluenote.