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In today’s competitive marketplace, sales lead generation is especially important. As a result, salespeople find themselves under enormous pressure to sell better and faster. According to Mahan Khalsa and Randy Illig, co-authors of Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play, the key to generating leads is to focus 100% on helping customers succeed. “The word ‘selling’ is tainted with the association of a person doing something to somebody, rather than for or with them,” they explain. “We think of sales as the process of helping clients succeed in a way they feel good about.” Here are some lead generation tips to consider:

• Stop cold calling. These calls are time-consuming, annoying, and ineffective. Instead, build a strong referral network in the marketplace, and people will reach out to you.

• Stop guessing. Don’t guess what problems your customers are trying to solve and what results they want to achieve. Consider mutual exploration — sharing tips that allow salespeople and customers to mutually search for a solution that meets customers’ needs.

• Develop a meeting plan. The purpose of a sales presentation is to enable a decision, not inform, educate, or entertain. A meeting plan, on the other hand, helps salespeople shorten the sales cycle, effectively advocate a solution, and obtain a decision more quickly.