Lead generation tips from the experts

Need some help getting leads? Author Doug McPherson asked some the industry's best and brightest for their suggestions on how to get new prospects. Here are two of their most insightful answers.

"Follow-up on all leads and sales will surge. Simple but true. Salespeople fail to follow up on between 75 percent and 90 percent of all leads. The only way to get the total yield from inquiries is to follow up on 100 percent of them." – James Obermayer, executive director of the Sales Lead Management Association, Villa Park, Calif.

"Realize every lead is a unique opportunity that always requires different approaches. Appreciate any referral as an opportunity, an introduction with vast unknown potential demanding acute relationship nurturing skills. And accept that a phone inquiry is also an opportunity that may yield permission to further educate and assist and needs instant action and persistent follow-up."– Jim Cecil, chairman of the Nurture Institute, Woodbridge, N.J.