How Tom of Heinmiller Consulting stays “top of mind” With His Prospects

I am often asked the question, “How do I stay top of mind with prospects”? My answer is always the same, by planting seeds, nurturing and staying visible on a consistent basis. I recommend six activities:

Blogging – I continually post about sales and marketing to build a strong association with my brand. My brand centers on one word prospecting. I don’t expect everyone to read every blog – however I do believe consistently posting, helps me remain “top-of-mind”. If any of my readers need help with prospecting, I want them to think of me! I want them to consider me as an expert in this area.

Connect on LinkedIn – After a networking event or a new company meeting, I immediately reach out and connect on LinkedIn with everyone I met. Then once a month, I try to reconnect by sending an article or something of value. LinkedIn is a valuable nurturing tool and if you’re not using it, I suggest you take a class and embrace its power. We hold regularly scheduled class for just this purpose.

Continuous Learning -I read other blogs and articles daily. Looking for information I can then share with my network. I recommend you use everything you come across that might be valuable to a person in your network.

Commenting on Social – a great way to stay connected with prospects is to regularly comment on their posts. Even a brief thank you can be meaningful to them. Show interest and be authentic, to help people remember you.

Ask for a conversation. I regular put a call to action in all of my reach outs and ask for an offline conversation. Getting actual conversation time with a prospect is tremendously valuable. It is your opportunity to bring value and find out if there are any opportunities for your services.

Block time on your calendar. Set aside specific time on your calendar – multiple days a week – for staying in touch. It helps you stay disciplined and forces you to follow-up on a regular basis.

I set aside about 10 hours per week to nurture my connections.

Business development requires consistency. It cannot be turned on and off at will and be effective. “You must constantly plant seeds and water those seeds - if you ever expect to harvest them”. (Paul)