In my opinion, list building is one of the most important part of the sales process. I typically like to spend around 8+ hours to generate a list of about 300 new potential accounts. This may be a bit excessive, but I believe precision and accuracy in the list is absolutely critical. There are a few different ways to generate lists, and I have tried them all: Hoovers, Manta, Jigsaw, Google, Tradeshows etc.

At this point, I have looked up thousands of companies from small local to publicly traded. Typically, I start with Google to find accounts, then turn to Jigsaw to verify contact information.

It is interesting to me how the term “lead” and “list” are loosely tossed around in this industry. From my experience, it is the personal relationship you have with the prospect that ultimately results in an opportunity for business. Having a good list or a great lead means nothing unless you nurture it over time.