To expedite sales cycles, leading sellers rely on sales lead databases provided by top lead vendors.

In-House Leads vs. Purchased Lead Lists

Business owners often avoid lead lists because they feel they can produce the same results using in-house resources. However, they often overlook the fact that lead list providers are specialists who are highly skilled in identifying targeted leads. Subsequently, a good lead list provider can produce a list of prospective safety engineering firms for a fraction of the investment required for in-house lead generation. Even more, world-class lead list vendors have developed mechanisms that capture new safety engineering firms as they enter the marketplace and meticulously maintain their contact databases. For most in-house sales units, it's just not possible to keep pace with the professionals.

Lead List Vendor Recommendations

Online searches are usually the first place sales managers go when they're looking for a lead list provider. The Internet has obvious value, but it doesn't tell the whole story. You'll find no shortage of vendors that are big on promises and short on execution, so it's important to verify each provider's claims and references.

We've known many lead list providers throughout the years, but we have been consistently impressed with Experian. One of the reasons we like Experian is because they have a database of more than 14 million U.S. businesses. Companies that sell to safety engineering firms appreciate Experian's ability to deliver updated leads that have been filtered to meet precise geographic and demographic criteria.

Avoid Misuse of Lead Lists

When you purchase a list of safety engineering firm leads from a third-party, you are usually entitled to limited use of the contacts it contains.

Mailing and lead lists are generally restricted to the terms of the contract, so it's important to know exactly what you're paying for before you agree to a purchase. In some cases, vendors may permit usage upgrades, but you'll need to contact your provider before you move outside the contract parameters.