Without leads, there can be no prospects.

Well, I don’t believe in leads because they never work. That argument is so old, it’s unbelievable.

If you or any of your colleagues find yourselves using this excuse, you absolutely must read the following six items.

**This blog is part of the 15 Reasons Holding Salespeople Back series**

1. How do you know until you talk with them?

Until you have a conversation with them, you don’t know if it’s a good lead or a bad lead.

It’s just a list of names. You don’t know enough about them…until you talk to them.

Read Help! I Hate Cold Outreach here if the next step makes you moan and groan.

2. Your attitude going in to the call predetermines the results you get coming out of the call.

It is amazing how I can have two salespeople prospecting, one likes to prospect and one doesn’t. I can give them virtually the same list. And you know what? The person who has the right attitude—the attitude of, I can help people, I know they need me to have a conversation with them—their results are gonna be dramatically different than the person who goes into it with a bad attitude.

You’ve got to check your attitude before you pick up the phone. It has a big impact on the results you get coming out.

3. Not believing is an excuse.

Not believing your leads are good is just an excuse. What you’re really telling yourself is, I don’t want to prospect.

Well, if I had good leads, I would prospect. Whoah there—you’re just trying to come up with a cheap excuse for why you shouldn’t have to prospect. Wrong.

via Kinda Funny on GIPHY

4. Every lead has a 50% chance of becoming a customer.

They either become a customer or they don’t become a customer.

Now I’m an optimist, but that’s the way I look at leads. They’re either going to buy or they’re not going to buy. It’s 50/50.

via GIPHY

5. If you don’t believe in the leads you’re getting, go get your own.

If you go get your own, then how are you going to argue that your leads are bad? You can’t, because you got the leads.

6. Make sure they fit your ICP.

I agree, it’s hard to believe in leads when they don’t match up anywhere close to what I’m selling. But the closer they are to your ICP, ideal customer profile, the more I believe in them.

When your leads line up your ICP, there is no reason at all to not believe in them.