By Ian Altman, an internationally respected and sought-after expert on business.

Often businesses employ a sales and marketing strategy in which they try to cast a wide net, in an effort to not miss anyone. But by casting a wide net, it is easy to forget that the real goal of sales and marketing is to attract the best potential customers, not just anyone with a pulse. In business-to-business sales and marketing, focusing on the number of leads or prospects is misleading—and likely attracts prospects that are a waste of your time.

Start attracting the best potential clients and valid sales opportunities to grow your business. Here’s how.