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Then speak with the leads generator! For me this is what the IPA job is all about – generating new investment leads. During my time at Invest in Sweden my colleagues and I used the full range of lead generating tools. First, I focused on the move from reactive to proactive strategy – but what do we actually mean in practice?

Most of us know what these are: mailing lists, business intelligence, events and more. To use a cooking analogy you could say that the most important thing is the “secret sauce” cooked up by the expert chef and others in the kitchen, perhaps using some special ingredients

When advising agency clients on this in GDP public and in-house programmes we take a lot of time to discuss the tools and how they should be used. Reading the textbooks on business development, direct marketing and branding will help to get an understanding of the principles. But try this five point test on your plan for lead generation.

1. Have you tested your messages on three potential or actual investors? Act on their feedback and advice before you start.
2. Close to home. Aftercare is the best source of leads. So if you have not yet contacted existing investors about the possibilities to expand, colocate, bring in a business partner etc. then do that.
3. Are you ready to deal with enquiries? Are you trained? Are you committed to give a service of providing information, quickly, and making businesslike commitments to the investor?
4. Does your campaign involve you and at least three marketing tools: good research, events, mailing materials, PR, networking etc.
5. Have you tested your campaign? And do you have the analysed results of previous campaigns?

So before you start spending your budget on off-the-shelf marketing options go through these things until you can answer yes to them all. And if you want a second opinion then talk to me – I’ll be glad to help