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Health & Fitness

Find your ideal customers at the library

When I first started selling I went to the public library and I found user directories for all of the types of businesses I was calling. I was selling book printing at the time and I had discovered that there was a directory for publishers, there was a directory for manufacturers, there was a directory for software companies, and a directory for high technology companies.

I was able to have free use of all of these directories to gather information for companies to call on. Later I discovered that if you get a public library card you can go online to their system and access some of the software that provides lists for companies.

Build Your Prospecting List

Once specific list is infoUSA. You can segregate it by zip code, by street address, or head count and accumulate 25 free downloads per day. What I have done is capture that information in a confined territory. I used it when I sold office furniture just by head count and by zip code, so I had a 25 company route that I could map out. It would take me less than 3 hours to cover.

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I have a friend, Alan Williamson, who is in the insurance business and he has been using this system for years. What is does is it gives you an outline of who the president is, what the head count of the company is, what the sales are, and also what the category is for free.

Access Your Ideal Customers

The public library, in my opinion, is probably the best way to start if you are starting building a territory. You can, again, just apply for a library card and talk to the librarian on what list you want to access and they will be very helpful. You can either do it there or you can do it remotely from your desk. Again, it gives you an opportunity to plan your day every day, 25 companies at a time. Use the public library.

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In Joe’s Words

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