Greating new customers 8 ways to identify new suspects

vERy sALES process begins with identifying a group of suspects. Suspects are people and companies you suspect may one day do business with you. They aren't yet prospects, because you don't know if they have a legitimate need for what you sell or if they can make the decision to buy it. That determination comes later. But in order to get a group of prospects, you must start with a list of suspects.

Here are eight ways to acquire such a list:

1. Buy a list.

This is the information age, and lists are available for almost every conceivable set of characteristics. For example, I could, this afternoon, contact a list broker, ask for a list of names, addresses, phone numbers, size of business in numbers of employees, and email addresses for manufacturers (or any one of a couple of hundred classifications) within a set of telephone area codes. I could have that downloaded to my computer by the end of the day.

Information selling is now a major industry in this country, and there are lots of providers. Just do a Google search on "list brokers" and find a couple with which to work.

2. eetreferrals from your customers.

Probably the best way to meet a prospect for the first time is to be introduced by someone you both know and respect. Before that can happen, you need to get the name and details for the person you want to meet. That means you must ask your current customers for referrals.

The best way to do this is to visit your customers face to face, have a conversation about your products/services and their satisfaction with them, and then ask them specific questions to generate lists of names.

For example, instead of asking, "Who do you know...," say, "Which is one of your vendors that could use our service?" Or "Which one or two people in your committee would be possible candidates?" By asking specific questions instead of general ones, you'll direct their thinking in more productive routes and acquire more referrals.

3. R.tb shoulders with groups of them.

If you have precisely defined your target markets, then spend time thinking and researching this question, "Where do groups of them go?" The answers can vary from trade fairs and association meetings to other suppliers.

The most unusual answer to this was from a client who sold reference books to lawyers. He discovered that many of them would frequent a local pub on Fridays. He then made it a practice to show up and rub shoulders them, meeting them in a social situation.

If you can identify where prospects go, then you can get a list of them from someone who organizes or administers that event or meeting place. Or, you can just show up and collect business cards.

4. Advertise in publications and websites they view.

There is a reason why advertising has been around for so long. One way to collect lists of suspects is to advertise in the publications or websites they view, offer something free or inexpensive, and collect the names and details.

Those who respond to ads move themselves a step closer to being prospects in that they, by responding, show they're interested in what you offer and are willing to take action.

5. Partner with someone else who sells something compatible to them.

The key here is "compatible." Again, if you have done a thorough job of describing what the ideal suspect looks like, you can then ask, "What else do they buy?" Or "Who else do they do business with?" That should lead you to others who may have a vested interest in sharing their lists with you, in exchange for something of value from you.

6. Take a suryey or send a newsletter to a larger list.

If you want to find "sales managers of medium-sized LBM dealers," for example, you could take a survey of all LBM dealers or send them a newsletter, with an opportunity for the sales managers to respond to something that is suitable for them.

7. ffota seminars for larger groups of them.

By holding a free or inexpensive seminar, you engage with people interested in your subject who are willing to invest time and money. This has the added benefit that you position yourself as a valuable source of information.

8. Ur" social media to unearth them.

Linkedln, Facebook, and a slew of similar sites offer opportunities to join segmented groups and to identify members who meet your criteria.

Remember that a suspect list is never finished. You are constantly assembling that list. But do a good job at identifying suspects and everything else becomes that much easier.

- Dave Kahle is a sales trainer, presenter, and author of 10 books and a weekly efine. Reach him at dave@davekahle.com.

Frank W. Denny, 79, former president of Builders Square, San Antonio, Tx., died July 2 in Escondido, Ca.

After graduating from Rutgers University, he moved to Southern California in 1958 and helped launched Angels Home Improvement Centers, as executive v.p. and general manager. He stayed on when the three Angels stores were bought in 1968 by Daylin and renamed atler sister store Handy Dan when they went public in 1972. Denny was president of Handy Dan when it was purchased by W.R. Grace & Co. in 1979. As president, Denny oversaw expansion of Grace Home Centers to 300 locations.

He left Grace in 1983 to launch Home Centers of America, San Antonio, which he grew to nine locations within a year and sold to Kmart, which renamed the chain Builders Square. He expanded it to 162 locations by the time it was sold to a leveraged buyout company in 1991

Denny then founded the Cibolo Group, a San Antoniobased consulting and store development firm.

He also served as an officer of the Home Center Institute, a charter member of the National Home Center Congress & Exposition, and a founder of the Do It Yourself Research Institute, Indianapolis, In.

Stanley Davidson, 88, founder of Davidson Lumber, Miami, Fl., died July 15 in Miami.

During World War II, he served as a navigator with the Polish division of the British Royal Air Force. After the war, he lived in Venezuela for three years and then moved to Miami and launched his lumber chain. which would grow to 18 stores across South Florida, employing 10,000.

Walter "Sandy" Robbins, 69, retired vice president of Georgia-Pacific's engineered lumber division in Atlanta, Ga., died July 6 in Tarpon Springs, Fl.

After graduation from Purdue University, he worked at Georgia-Pacific for 39 years, until retiring in 2006.

Jack Lee Fenton, 79, owner of McGann Building Supply, Hancock, Mn., died July 8.

After serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, he went to work for his father-in-law, Marv McGann, in 1958, later taking over the business. His sons, Peter and Jim, are currently in charge.

Steven Edward Pepin, 59, owner of Pepin Supply & Manufacturing, Red Wing, Mn., died June 2.

Prior to opening Pepin Supply, he worked for Double J Lumber, later taking it over as Pepin-Bauer Lumber & Building Supply.

William F. Richards, 89, retired manager of lumber sales for Smith & Richards Lumber Co., Bridgeton, N.J., died May 13 in Bridgeton.

He spent 40 years with the firm, after serving with the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II.

Mike Nash, 62, owner of Double T Products, Westerville, Oh., died July 5 in Westerville.

He earned a bachelor's degree in forestry from Ohio State University. In addition to operating Double T since 1999,he also owned Sunrise Wood Products, Pickering, Oh., and had worked with Fireside Forest Industries, Powell, Oh.

Fillmore Thomas, 96, founder of Fillmore Thomas & Co., Lapeer, Mi., died June 5 in Lapeer.

He started his own wholesale lumber company in 1941, transforming it into a full-line window manufacturer in the 1960s. He continued there full-time until 2008.

Donald Leigh Atkins, 88, retired owner of Atkins Lumber Co., Louisa, Va., died July l9 in Louisa.

Victor H. Birdsong, 92, former owner of Golden Valley Building Supply, Clinton, Mo., died July 10.

He spent 60 years in the retail lumber business, serving as assistant general manager for the R.J. Hurley Lumber Co. chain, before purchasing Golden Valley in 1967

Louis A. Bode, 70, president and owner of Waterloo Lumber, Waterloo, I1., died July 20 in Waterloo.

Gladys E. Lauerman, 97 , retired co-owner of three Illinois lumberyards, died June 22 in Mascoutah, Il.

With her late husband Louis, she operated Mascoutah Lumber & Supply, Mascoutah; New Athens Lumber Co., New Athens, and Freeburg Lumber, Freeburg, until they retired in 1980 and sold the businesses.

Thomas Edwin Ethridge, 75, retired manager of Loblolly Building Supply, Moultrie, Ga., died July 20.

James Frederick ";im" Ruschill, 78, longtime Iowa lumberyard manager, died June 17.

He spent 20 years running yards for Spahn & Rose Lumber, starting in Lowell, Ia. He then managed Freitag Lumber Yard, West Point, Ia., until 1978, when he started his own construction business. He retired in 2000.

Robert '6Bob" Haggard, 52, v.p. of Hassell & Hughes Lumber Co., Collinwood, Tn., died June 25 of a brain tumor in Waynesboro, Tn.

He also served as a director for both the National Wood Flooring Association and National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association, which he helped merge.