Prospecting for Ideas and Leads

The paradox of giving is that the more you give, the more you receive, especially
when you’re not trying to receive. It just snowballs. One opportunity
leads to another. I post an article on one of my blogs, and a reporter calls to
interview me. That interview gets posted, a publisher notices it and calls me
to write a book. The book is published, and I get more reporters calling.

Sometimes, I attend a conference for the sole purpose of attending a few
workshops and honing my sales skills. The workshops can all be terrible, but
I always manage to bump into someone, start conversing, and we come up
with an idea for a new business venture or product.

These opportunities arise through no real conscious effort to pursue a particular
opportunity. However, they wouldn’t happen if I wasn’t proactive in marketing
myself and maintaining productive relationships. To open yourself to
more leads and opportunities, I recommend you do the following:

Hand out your business card to everyone you know and meet.
Post an article at least once a week on your Web site or blog.
Contribute to online discussions on message boards and blogs that pertain
to your products and services — get involved in these online communities.
Remain positive and upbeat. Nobody likes a wet blanket. You should
also consider steering clear of discussions about politics, religion, sex,
and schools.
Become a member, preferably a leader, in your trade association.
Attend conferences regularly, and offer to speak or deliver workshops
on your areas of expertise.
Keep in touch with everyone in your address book, preferably by way of
personal phone calls.
Talk to reporters — they can get the word out for you.
Volunteer for an organization you trust, but avoid committees. Most
salespeople are very civic minded, but a committee can really sap your
enthusiasm.