What is the most unusual way you've discovered a lead?

I'll start, at a bar talking to a Tech support guy who had no idea I was in Tech also. (muah-ha-ha)  Hit up my network, found an inside connection... and boom. There's the deal.

🏰 War Stories
🔎 Prospecting
💆‍♂ Mindset
14
BigCheese
Notorious Answer
12
Agency Recruiter
Matched with a gal on Bumble; turns out she was looking for a new role and she happened to have the perfect experience for a high-priority role I was recruiting on. Sent her an application that evening, got her an interview the next day and she landed the job 2 days later.

We never went out lol but 6 months later and she's still my employee.
Broncosfan
Politicker
11
Account Manager
You saved $200 on a date and made commission. Sounds like a win. 
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
2
AE
Hahahaha honestly
BigCheese
Notorious Answer
1
Agency Recruiter
Big win lmao
MsTech
Executive
1
Business Development Executive
Nice. Sounds like you found what you were looking for! LOL. Congrats.
BigCheese
Notorious Answer
0
Agency Recruiter
Hey thanks, I guess so! Lol
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
8
☕️
Having a pre-flight drink on my way to a conference--CTO sits down at the bar and notices my company's sticker on my laptop and says he's been researching "them" and asked what I thought. Passed the lead to my colleague and ended up getting a nice bottle of scotch out of the deal.
MsTech
Executive
2
Business Development Executive
Airport bars are the best! Congrats. 
Cothrock
Catalyst
1
Account Executive
I am unfamiliar with this "bar" and "airport" you reference. Could you tell me more. 
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
3
☕️
It is lore that once upon a time there was a communal seating area within this large, vast building that you waited inside of until it was your turn to be hurled through the air at high rates of speed on winged sky cars.
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
2
AE
Hahaha this is the best description... wonder how much coffee went into that this AM?
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
1
☕️
A double shot and a cortado...so far.
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
2
AE
Boutta make my 2nd double shot lets get it buddy
Rallier
Politicker
7
SDR Manager and Consultant
I was on Reddit trying to learn more about my industry. Started talking to someone 1 on 1, and turns out he was exactly my ICP. Casually mentioned my product and he said he's been looking into it, but hadn't scheduled a demo yet. Asked for the demo and got it
MsTech
Executive
1
Business Development Executive
Sweet. Congrats!
marebears007
Valued Contributor
0
Sr. Account Executive
So cool! I am trying to get more into Reddit, I am more of a long lurker than someone who comments.
Ace
Arsonist
3
CEO
I closed 3 deals via Lunchclub
MsTech
Executive
0
Business Development Executive
Food and deals.. .A great combo! Congrats.
Ace
Arsonist
1
CEO
Well Lunchclub is now virtual so no food lol
MsTech
Executive
0
Business Development Executive
booo. 

BYO-- fill in with your favorite meal 
Ace
Arsonist
1
CEO
Tacos for me lol
MsTech
Executive
1
Business Development Executive
A very good choice!
Salespreuner
Big Shot
0
Regional Sales Director
Excellent
CuriousFox
WR Officer
3
🦊
Sharing moonshine at a bbq competition. 
MsTech
Executive
1
Business Development Executive
Sounds like a tasty way to smooth out a deal. Congrats!
Broncosfan
Politicker
3
Account Manager
I deal poker as a side gig. One of the players happened to be a CTO for a University. 
Chep
WR Officer
0
Bitcoin Adoption Specialist
That is an unreal way to find an ICP
MsTech
Executive
0
Business Development Executive
Sounds like we would get along great! Love some Texas Hold'em... And sounds like you made dealer bucks and sales bucks. Nice win. 
Bensonwade
Good Citizen
3
Enterprise Account Executive
Gotta say it was probably in the steam room at the gym. Overhead a conversation on cloud computing, but maybe just an SF thing.
MsTech
Executive
0
Business Development Executive
Nice! Steam rooms are great for relaxing, and if people are a little generous with their chatter, why not pursue the lead?! Congrats!
AZ_Seller
Good Citizen
1
Director
My company has a sneaky telemetry backdoor into the Freemium product that identifies historic usage and the domain the PC is joined to....fish in a barrel for leads but they are far from warm!
MsTech
Executive
0
Business Development Executive
Sneaky. Go get 'em
Kaddy
1
Success Guide
Met a guy on Tinder, he casually mentioned he was torn between choosing Google Cloud Platform or AWS. Next day he gets a call from Google aka my inside sales rep (Stalker Steve). Inside sales closed the deal, I bagged the lead conversion incentive. 
MsTech
Executive
0
Business Development Executive
That's the way to do it! Hope your sister rewarded you for that! Congrats.
JuicyKlay
Celebrated Contributor
1
AM
I was a driving a wrapped company vehicle in the middle of nowhere. At a stoplight and a lady two cars back, gets out of her car and asks for some lit and my business card. A day later she calls me and I end up with a $50k sale the next month 😂 
MsTech
Executive
1
Business Development Executive
Nice! Gives a new meaning to "stop light fire drill". Great deal!
JuicyKlay
Celebrated Contributor
0
AM
Lol the best fire drill I ever experienced - that's for sure.
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
1
AE
This is making me realize how much having my whole sales career be at home so far has hindered me
MsTech
Executive
1
Business Development Executive
No kidding! I can't wait to get back on the road again! Smelly airplanes, unruly passengers, means more execs seeking drinks at the local bar... Mua-ha-ha
Golf courses and sporting events are great places too 
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
2
AE
I need to get into golfing, has been on my list since I started in sales
MsTech
Executive
1
Business Development Executive
I hate golf. But I do it for the networking LOL. Plus, I equally hate being in front of the computer all day. This way I get to work AND be outside. 
34fifty
Valued Contributor
1
Team Lead
I sold Clinic management solutions to doctors. I saw a car parked on the street with a doctor sticker on it. As a joke, I left my card on the windshield wipers. About a week later I get a call from him. Took me another week to close the account. 
NeildeSaaSTyson
Contributor
1
Senior Account Executive (MM)
Someone emailed me because they "own stock in your company and should find out what its actually all about"
Bloodhound
Good Citizen
1
Recruiting Manager
My colleague has a great story on this. We're agency Finance and Accounting recruiters and he used to be a manufacturing Controller. He was about 1.5 -2 years into this role, updated his LinkedIn, etc. A recruiter reaches out to him and says "I've got this great role for you with a client of mine, blah blah blah." My buddy hears him out to get the client name so he can follow up with them himself and try to get the business. We laugh and think it ends there. As it turns out, the recruiter sent the client my colleague's resume without telling my colleague. He call's back with "Great news man, I've got you an interview! The hiring manager is going to call you at X:XX" 

This poor guy sent another recruiter to his client for a scheduled interview! When the client joined the call she immediately looked him up on LinkedIn and realized he was not a Manufacturing Controller candidate but another recruiter. My buddy told her something along the lines of "Can you believe the agency you chose would do something so stupid as to not even do any research on me before wasting your time like this? You know who wouldn't do that? Me!" 

She fired the other agency and started using us instead!
MsTech
Executive
1
Business Development Executive
That is badass.... poker face and all. 
Congrats!
WenWest15
Valued Contributor
1
Principal Business Development Manager
My elderly parents next-door neighbors son need to hire a sr. developer. Parents did the professional match-making. (We were not a match).
GetAHobby
Arsonist
1
RVP Sales
Prospected a company I saw on the show Myth Busters, ended up being a pretty solid account for me about 15 yrs ago
swizard
Celebrated Contributor
1
Sales Evangelist
Swimming Pool. Met a guy who was Sr VP of Product and needed team of 5 software developers - it was the best coincidence in life! :D 
MsTech
Executive
0
Business Development Executive
nice! 
Chep
WR Officer
0
Bitcoin Adoption Specialist
That's awesome what a way to use a connection
2

Cold calling will never die in a complex selling environment... and in my humble opinion is King for outbound prospecting. What does the War Room think? Have you found more productive/efficient ways to start relationships? Asking for a friend 😅

Discussion
6
What is your favorite channel for outbound prospecting?
35% Phone Warrior
26% E-mail Magic(ians)
7% LinkedIn + "Thought Influencing"
33% Jack of all trades - omni-channel
46 people voted
8

Best way to reactivate a lead who went completely dark after being pretty warm?

Question
14
13

LinkedIn outreach has changed over the years but still fruitful as a lead gen source. Whats your go to LinkedIn outbound strategy? Are you a dive into a sales pitch persons or butter the ego before? Interested to hear everyones thoughts...

Question
15