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No Prospecting, No Sales.

A lot about prospecting has changed over the 10 years and technology is playing a key role in how we find new clients.

Here are 4 technology tools I use for prospecting:

LinkedIn. Before I meet or call on a prospect I look them up on social media to see if we have any connections. A friend of a friend is always better than a cold call.
Google. Who are your prospect’s neighbors? Look it up on Google before you go out on your appointment so you can bring the appropriate marketing materials to stop in and talk with them. If you’re working with their neighbor, it gives you more credibility than a random sales call. Sometimes If I have a good meeting, I may ask the prospect for an introduction.
Government websites (varies by State). You can find a wealth of information including property owners, work comp providers or number of trucks and drivers a business may have. The more you know about your prospect, the more it shows that you care, you are professional and thorough.
Reference USA. I often watch for nice buildings that I drive by or well-maintained equipment and trucks on the road. I leave myself a voice note and then look up the company on this website. It is a free resource through my local library and tells me info on the size of the business and who the officers are, including contact information. This too is similar to sales genie but free from the library.

I hope some of these have spurred some ideas for you. Tell us how you are using technology for prospecting and we might include it in our blog! Send it to youngagents@iiaba.net.

Doug Fairbanks, CIC, AAI, CAWC is a producer with Hartland Insurance, Hartland Michigan and a member of the Big “I” national Young Agents Committee.