Selling to zebras is a focused and effective lead generation strategy. There is no mistaking a zebra when you see one. If you book a safari to see the great African elephant and all you see are zebras, you’re going to be disappointed. Maybe not the first couple of days because zebras are pretty cool — they’ve got those stripes. But eventually, you want to see that elephant. And when you do, there will be no mistaking the elephant for the zebra.

So it is with effective lead generation. Generating leads for new business isn’t just a combination of behaviors and skills. You must also have the right target client. This concept came from Chad Kozier, the author of the book “Selling to Zebras,” and here are a few key concepts to implement.

Three Simple Steps to Selling to Zebras

1. Segment Your Business Into Thirds: Take a look at the top third of your business. If your business is like most, that top third represents over 90% of your revenue. These are your best clients. The idea behind selling to zebras is to ensure your lead generation strategy focuses on attracting more active buyers who resemble those top-tier clients.
2. Identify Common Traits and Demographics: What do your top clients have in common? Consider factors like industry, point of contact, how you made the connection, volume of sales or size of the organization, and key trigger points that signal they’re ready to buy.
3. Focus Your Time Wisely: Commit at least two-thirds of your lead generation time to looking for or attracting only those companies or individuals who resemble your top third. Avoid wasting time on unqualified or mismatched leads.

Ask for Introductions

Chances are, the top third of your clients know at least five other companies like them. You should ask them for introductions. It’s a powerful way to leverage your existing network for growth.

Of equal importance is for every banker to know and be able to clearly articulate what isn’t a zebra for them. This helps to bring clarity to their network and prospecting efforts. Here are some reasons why knowing what isn’t a zebra is so important for lenders and relationship managers:

1. It Eliminates Ambiguity: If you aren’t specific about who you serve best, it’s hard to get introductions. If you are vague in your prospect description, it will be more difficult to ask your advocates for introductions. Introductions have been proven to be the #1 lead generation strategy for top bankers to grow their business. You must be specific and clear about what type of zebra you serve best.
2. It Reduces Your Opportunity Cost: Every lender’s opportunity cost is simply this … If you called on Company ABC, that means you aren’t working on Company XYZ. Your opportunity cost is what you aren’t working on that might be more viable for you and your bank.

If you know what you don’t want and the reasons why, it might reduce the quantity of opportunities in your pipeline, but the quality will increase dramatically. Take some time in your day to improve your lead generation efforts and success with selling to zebras.