The Selling Process: From Generating Sales Prospects to Finding Decision Makers

Lead generation is a practical means of enhancing sales opportunities and to let the orders keep coming. But prior to sourcing out leads, it’s helpful to decide first where you will base your search—and especially in which particular industries. If one’s solutions or products can be extensively utilised, then begin locally and target specific geographical localities, such as in the UK. For instance, if you have niche services, zero in on the specified firms.
So How  to Source New Business Leads?
a. Promotions. Making use of giving gifts to motivate and attract prospective sales leads in order to go to a sales meeting or share their contact details.
b. Initiated leads. These are from sales prospects which either respond to mailshots (“bulk mail advertising sent through the mail to potential customers in the United Kingdom to advertise goods or services.”-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mailshot), or visit your booth during trade expos.
c. Data mining. Searching for probable sales leads information online (for instance, a business database) which your firm has collected earlier.
d. Market monitoring. Monitoring media channels, like in Web forums and company PR.
e. Profile fitting. Utilising tools in market research in order to recognize prospective customers that would most probably be a suitable match for your firm’s market offerings.
Lead Qualification
The process of deciding if sales leads have the potential is called lead qualification. Lead qualifying is an important process since there are certain factors as to why most leads will not be successful and they include:
Lack of financial resources. Some might need your solutions but might not be able to afford them. 
Prospects don’t have the buying authority. Even if they want your products or services, if they are not the right people to eventually make the purchase, then it’s not a qualified lead.
Their needs are already met. Your prospects might previously have bought a similar product already, or they’re happy with their current supplier’s services.

Speaking to the Right People
Normally, the key people you sell to is based on the size of its business. Buying decisions in smaller firms are usually carried out by the managers or owners themselves, whereas in bigger corporations, you might need to focus on some key persons. Though  you may be redirected to some gatekeepers to speak with at first, in general, the best advice is to go for the decision makers as soon you can.
Here are some methods on targeting them in your business.
Be present at trade exhibits and talk to the staff on the booths of your target clients or business partners.
Call the company who are responsible for buying your solutions. Get ready with your sales pitch, just in case you’ll be asked your reason for calling.
Make use of the Web. Your target firm’s website might have the contact information of the main members of the personnel.
It always pays to undertake some research to make sure that you know who or how to approach before you even formulate your sales pitch. Now that you have grasped the whole process of selling, go on and look for your own sales or business leads.