But by reducing the need for internal lead generation, your business can gain momentum in the area of actual selling. Deployed correctly, lead lists are powerful resources for B2B food service equipment and supplies business selling.

Lead Lists as a Competitive Advantage

Too many companies restrict their view of lead lists to convenience. Although lead lists simplify lead generation, that isn't the only advantage they offer. They also create competitive advantages for companies that sell to food service equipment and supplies businesses. As your competitors struggle to compile and maintain their contact databases, a good lead list enables your sales unit to focus on conversion and the factors that directly figure into bottom line revenue.

Interviewing Lead List Providers

B2B sellers that rely on lead lists are advised to interview several prospects before settling on a provider. At some point in the process, you'll need to decide whether or not the provider is capable of delivering lists of contacts that have been filtered and updated within the past thirty days. This is especially important for food service equipment and supplies businesses given the industry's high turnover rates. If you aren't sure where to begin your search, we recommend starting with Experian. Experian is a top-tier provider with a proven track record in producing high converting leads for the B2B sector.

Tips for Prospecting with Lead Lists

Updated and accurate lead lists increase the odds of positive food service equipment and supplies business responses. But before you can close deals, you'll need to use your lists to engage in prospecting.

Unfortunately, you can't avoid the hard work of picking up the phone and using the lead list to qualify prospects. Although not every food service equipment and supplies business on the list will greet your efforts with enthusiasm, the payoff for an investment in a targeted lead list will be noticeably higher response percentages.

Typical Lead List Database Fields

In dealing with the biggest lead list companies, you will typically get Company Name, Contact Name, Address and Phone Number. The actual data varies depending on which lead vendor you do business with. For some vendors, for example, you can get fields like Executive Titles, Email Addresses and Number of Employees.