When you have a “cold” lead on your prospect contact list, says Terrie Wheeler, founder of MarketYourAdvisoryPractice.com in St. Paul, Minn., you need to focus on moving that person up a category — to become a “warm” prospect.

Cold prospects are people you had never met, Wheeler says, and with whom have no direct connection, at least that you know of.

If a cold lead comes to your attention through a marketing initiative, here are four tips to make your prospect list a little warmer:

1. Do your research
Before you pick up the phone, find out what you can about that prospect.

A lot of information can be found online, says Wheeler, whether it’s through a Google search or through a social media site such as LinkedIn.

If you are not getting enough information through those sources, there are tools that can help you dig a little deeper.

Wheeler recommends the Warm Call Center (www.warmcallcenter.com). That organization’s newsletter and website offer tips and tools to help you find information on people and companies on the web that is not always available through a basic search.

2. Find a personal connection
Make your contact with a cold prospect a little warmer by looking for a personal introduction.

The chances of arranging a meeting with a cold prospect are significantly higher, Wheeler says, if you can find a mutual acquaintance who can offer a more personal introduction then a phone call.

3. Look for common ground
To turn a cold lead into a warm prospect you need to find some common ground.

When researching a lead, look for connections or interests you share with that person, Wheeler says, such as membership in similar business associations or clubs.

Finding things you have in common will help you to establish rapport with a prospect, she says, and open the door to possibly doing business with them.

4. Don’t wait
When you think you have a lead, make sure you reach out to them as soon as possible.

For example, if someone expressed interest in meeting you on an evaluation form at a recent seminar you held, Wheeler says, contact them within a week of that event. You don’t want them to forget about you.


This is the first instalment in a two-part series on working with leads. Next: warming up a prospect over the phone.