The first step in Lead Generation The first step in your Lead Generation program is to identify a Target Market. That is to determine what group or groups of people and companies can benefit from your product or service. This step can be the easiest or the hardest part of your Lead Generation process. If your product is a general consumer product, your Target Market may be almost any consumer out there. However, if your product focuses on a very specific function you may be marketing to a much smaller group of people and companies. To find your Target Market first determine what solution or benefit your product or service provides, then determine which people and companies can use it. Companies with a mature Lead Generation program often have multiple Target Markets for their products and services. Defining your Lead Generation Once you have a Target Market you now need to determine how to get the Leads out of it. The contacts in that Target Market are your Suspects. You suspect they need your product or service, but need to qualify them to move them forward in the Lead Generation process. There are two branches at this point in your Lead Generation program: Proactive Generation and Reactive Generation. Proactive Lead Generation includes techniques such as Cold Calling. You have a list of contacts or companies, and you simply begin dialing into them to find interest in your product. Reactive Lead Generation begins when you respond to an incoming inquiry, typically from some type of add source such as websites. Reactive Lead Generation typically has a higher rate of conversion to sales since the Prospect is contact you directly with existing interest or need. Proactive Lead Generation usually has a lower conversion rate, but typically yields more Prospects and proportionately more sales.