Ping Your Prospects


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Home Why Choose Us? Email Marketing Services Free Marketing E-Newsletter Contact Mark Vogel Site Map Privacy Policy		"Ping" Your Prospects! Top-of-mind awareness is critical in a highly-competitive business environment. When a suspect becomes a prospect by showing interest—whether by responding to a direct mail piece, a salesperson’s call, or speaking to you at a trade show—you need to build a well-defined process to nurture that relationship through to closure. Here are some tips to “ping” your prospects to help ensure they don’t forget you: Google Alerts: Go to http://www.google.com/alerts, and fill in your client’s company name under “Search Terms”. You can also use keywords that are highly relevant to your client’s industry. You’ll receive regular emails from Google with links to content that is directly related to your search terms. Although most of the Alerts will yield junk, you’ll come across items that will be of interest to your client: industry studies, competitors’ actions, white papers, blogs, columns, and so on. Forward a copy of the information to them. Even if they’ve already seen it, this action demonstrates you’re on top of their industry, and are still thinking about them. Which keeps them thinking about you! E-Newsletters: create a newsletter that contains useful information for your clients. Of course, the caveat is that you must provide USEFUL information—not an ad about yourself—and you must commit the resources necessary to keep up with it. If you promised a monthly newsletter, you must deliver it monthly for the foreseeable future. Be certain you use a proven HTML email program (I personally use Listrak) to ensure you can manage your lists, segment and personalize your messages, measure the results, and stay compliant with anti-spam regulations. Holiday cards: in this Web 2.0 world, companies often forget down-to-earth, old fashioned, non-glitzy niceties. A simple personalized card at the Holidays costs almost nothing, but keeps you in front of your prospects. Trade shows: industry events can be expensive for your prospects to attend—not only in travel and lodging, but shows sometimes charge hundreds of dollars just to attend. If you’re exhibiting at an important show, ask the show management for free show passes. This is increasingly common, since they want to keep their exhibitors happy (a large source of revenue for them). Call prospects who might have an interest in that show and offer the tickets to the event. Costs you nothing, but could be worth hundreds. If your products’ selling price warrants it, invest in a hospitality suite and invite everyone. Case studies: if you have a satisfied customer, capture their positive comments and send them along to your prospects. Whether it’s a single sentence of praise, or a full-blown case study/white paper demonstrating how a customer benefited from your product or service, prepare a mailing to your database of prospects. These comments are far more believable coming from a colleague as opposed to you making the same statement.
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"Ping" Your Prospects!

Top-of-mind awareness is critical in a highly-competitive business environment. When a suspect becomes a prospect by showing interest—whether by responding to a direct mail piece, a salesperson’s call, or speaking to you at a trade show—you need to build a well-defined process to nurture that relationship through to closure. Here are some tips to “ping” your prospects to help ensure they don’t forget you:

Google Alerts: Go to http://www.google.com/alerts, and fill in your client’s company name under “Search Terms”. You can also use keywords that are highly relevant to your client’s industry. You’ll receive regular emails from Google with links to content that is directly related to your search terms. Although most of the Alerts will yield junk, you’ll come across items that will be of interest to your client: industry studies, competitors’ actions, white papers, blogs, columns, and so on. Forward a copy of the information to them. Even if they’ve already seen it, this action demonstrates you’re on top of their industry, and are still thinking about them. Which keeps them thinking about you!
E-Newsletters: create a newsletter that contains useful information for your clients. Of course, the caveat is that you must provide USEFUL information—not an ad about yourself—and you must commit the resources necessary to keep up with it. If you promised a monthly newsletter, you must deliver it monthly for the foreseeable future. Be certain you use a proven HTML email program (I personally use Listrak) to ensure you can manage your lists, segment and personalize your messages, measure the results, and stay compliant with anti-spam regulations.
Holiday cards: in this Web 2.0 world, companies often forget down-to-earth, old fashioned, non-glitzy niceties. A simple personalized card at the Holidays costs almost nothing, but keeps you in front of your prospects.
Trade shows: industry events can be expensive for your prospects to attend—not only in travel and lodging, but shows sometimes charge hundreds of dollars just to attend. If you’re exhibiting at an important show, ask the show management for free show passes. This is increasingly common, since they want to keep their exhibitors happy (a large source of revenue for them). Call prospects who might have an interest in that show and offer the tickets to the event. Costs you nothing, but could be worth hundreds. If your products’ selling price warrants it, invest in a hospitality suite and invite everyone.
Case studies: if you have a satisfied customer, capture their positive comments and send them along to your prospects. Whether it’s a single sentence of praise, or a full-blown case study/white paper demonstrating how a customer benefited from your product or service, prepare a mailing to your database of prospects. These comments are far more believable coming from a colleague as opposed to you making the same statement.