I forget who said it, “nothing happens until somebody sells something.”  I have to disagree, nothing happens until you generate a lead.  That’s the true test.  The lead is the seed that drives sales and marketing; careers are won and lost on your ability to generate a lead.  But not for the most obvious reason.

I started my career in sales door-to-door, cold calling, real belly to belly old school style sales. 

I was selling lawn care, so basically you could say I was a shit-salesman.  I absolutely sucked at it.  I hated knocking doors, making telemarketing calls to strangers, there was a point where I seriously questioned my sanity.  One day the regular inquiry rep got sick and there was nobody to cover his territory for the day, my boss handed me about 10 leads and appointments.  There was something about holding those leads in my hand that totally changed the way I thought about my prospects.

I closed 7 out of 10 of those leads that day, and within the week I closed another account from those 10 leads.  I felt comfortable talking to those folks, I felt like I belonged, I felt like I was doing them a service rather than pitching them on something they wouldn’t want, or need.  Remember I was selling fertilizer and weed-spray.  I just kept wondering how I could get that rep. who was sick to stay away.  Or get my boss to give me a couple leads everyday.  There was no way I could go back to punding cold doors, or picking up that 100 pound telephone. 

I soon realized that thether you have leads or not, the game doesn’t change, you’re still in sales; but sales with a lead in your hand versus cold-calling, knocking doors, etc. changes your perception of who and what you are.  Rather than being a nusance, you’re an invited guest.  At least that’s how I’ve done it.  Even though I’m no longer a fertilizer “salesman” we’re all in sales.

Being an invited guest changes your mindset, and allows you to help your prospect find and qualify their needs prior to you ever saying one word to them.  It’s kind of like a greased slide that keeps going down, and you keep going faster and faster until there’s hardly any friction between the lead generation system and the sales process.  They work synergistically together, qualifying, pre-selling, and positioning you as an expert consultant rather than the starving salesman.

Being the consultant brings clients and sales to you, being the salesman puts you in the position to chase.  I know which position I’d rather be in. 

Running a business online isn’t that much different than selling lawn care door-to-door.  For me, it’s easier in fact, I don’t talk to people until they’ve qualified for my time and energy.  If someone wants to talk to me they’ll figure out a way to get ahold of me.  This is a far cry for selling shit, and I love it.  

Be well,

Jesse Boland