HOW TO FIND THE PROSPECTS THAT OTHERS CAN NOT

In the world of sales, if you sell a trade service, find leads is a job onto itself. Why because you need to make sure you are targeting your companies’ sweet spots.

I come from the world of commercial-industrial HVAC. One way I would find the leads no one else could is as follows.

1. ??I would study each sic code that used the equipment that we serviced. I knew basically the entire process and what system would be used.
2. Practice using google earth birds’ eye-you want to be able to discern from 100-200ft above a unit type, the brand (by color in my case) and by the unique look of the system.
3. Condition-does the units look rusty, pan around the roof, and see if the roof is old, parts and trash are left up there.
4. If a facility uses boilers-look for the stacks-now with hydrogen and condensing it is not as easy. If they use chillers or tower look around the outside of the facility-even up to half a mile away.
5. Write down the address of the facility and look for any signage.

The next step if you have an address is to run a backwards address search and see what comes up listed there.? From this point use Linked in other databases for information on the company such as:

·???? SIC or the company

·???? The correct contacts

·???? Go to the company’s website and look for a sustainability plan.

·???? Do a web search to see if anything about the facility has been written up.

·???? Look for an Osha and L&I report that will tell you if they were written up for any violations that pertain to something your business does.

·???? Look up the company name and I would put HVAC service-many companies (I think this is a mistake to do) will put their entire client list on their website. Of you find out who the competitor is do a swot analysis between you and them, so you know how to approach the prospect.

???? By the time you find out all this information you will have everything you need to begin a marketing campaign -sales campaign. The rest is up to you to get in and make the appointment and the rest of the sales cycle.

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Written by Ross Goldstein, MBA, CEM, ESG

Moderator of HVAC owners’ group

Business coach and sales trainer

Fractional sales manager

267-623-0596