Devoted to lead generation, lead generators, and successful lead gen campaigns

The best way to open your big, fat mouth?  In front of a lot of people.

I came across this Business Journal article by Jeffrey Gitomer, one of my favorite sales authors (who I interviewed recently) who was talking about...well, talking.  In front of people, giving a presentation.  It's a great way to get hot sales leads.

Here are his tips for great presentations that can lead to sales leads:

1. Develop a belief system in your company, your product or service, and yourself that's so strong, you assume every sale before you walk in the door. This mindset is the single most powerful element you can possess. If belief is weak, the passion will be weak, and the prospect won't catch your fire.

2. Do your homework the night before. Prepare ideas to help the customer produce more and profit more. Being ready with ideas that will help the prospect will breed your own self-confidence. You'll feel ready to win.

3. Set your mind on helping prospective customers achieve their objectives, not on selling your stuff. That will set a game plan and the agenda for the meeting.

4. Tell prospective customers you have come with a few ideas that will help them. This immediately separates you from the others. The prospect will be engaged and listening from the beginning.

5. Make friends with the person you are presenting to before you begin your formalized talk. Become likeable. If a prospect doesn't like you, you have greatly reduced the probability of that individual buying from you. Make small talk that allows you to find something in common. It helps everyone relax, and if you're lucky enough or smart enough to find something of mutual passion, you have set the tone for a positive outcome and the beginning of a relationship -- not a sales presentation.

6. Ask one killer question at the beginning. One that makes the prospect stop and think, consider new information and respond in terms of you. Get them to respond with their past experience or their opinion. Get them thinking.

6.5. While you are qualifying them, they are qualifying you. This is a secret most salespeople never realize and are never taught. From the way you enter the room, the way you look, the way you treat the administrative person at the front desk, the first words you speak, the prospect is judging you and deciding who you are as a person. And prospects are deciding if they want to do business with you. Not with your company and not regarding your product or service -- they are deciding on you.

So, go open your big fat mouth and go do a great presentation!  It will lead to the highest quality sales leads you've ever seen!