Hi All,

I am sure during this difficult economic time every home automation company is struggling to get new leads, at least I am. So people can we share our ideas how to generate leads for our business?

What I have done?

1) Joined my local BNI group. This is a business network group which meets once a week and we pass on business to each other. Members are local business from different fields. We educate each other on our business and tell them what type of customer we are looking for. This does helps in spreading the word around locally about my company and brand name.

2) Buddy up with local estate agents. They are the best source of finding new property sales in the area.
3) Keep looking for Architects in local area.
4) Council site for planning permission. If any one has applied for planning permission contact the Architect and offer your services.
5) Contact local Scaffolding company and offer them a deal if they give you tips on where the work is going to start.
6) Electrical shops. If you can give less information / education to electrical shops about automations and still can manage to get some leads out of them, then you are a star. I have managed only 1 lead so far in 2 years.
7) I have also tried local leaflet dropout with a small package deal. Got very little response.
8) Internet marketing has been very good for us so far. But again takes time to convert business through Internet sales.
9) Best of all consider local exhibitions. You get a chance to meet people face to face.
10) Local news paper.
11) Advertisement in targeted Magazines e.g. Architects, Self builds etc...

People, any other tricks you have please share as this will help our own business.

Regards,
Neeraj Rattu

Neeraj,
These are great ways to create business. I also wanted to add that architects, surveyors and specifiers are also a creat source of leads. To help build relationships with these people Cedia have created a training course that you can deliver which is RIBA (Royal Institute of Architects) approved. Members of RIBA are supposed to do a number of CPD training units per year. This course can actaully earn the delegates RIBA CPD points. Therefore you can book a room and get local architects along and present the RIBA approved training course. The hook to get them there is that fact that they earn RIBA points. Of course you have to present this as Cedia and in an unbiased manner. However, when the training is officially finished there is no reason why you cannot then tell them about what you do as long as it is clear the Cedia training has now finished. This is a great way to create a network of architects that can then call you in if they need help on the next job.

You can see the next Cedia training day to teach you how to deliver this course at
http://www.cedia.co.uk/cda_events.php?r=1REM57AEAH&sub=1REM57AEAH

Look for "CEDIA Certified Outreach Instructor Course - Feb"

Hope that helps.