One key discipline of successful direct marketing has been to test marketing communications tactics to continually improve results. There is now an alarming trend according to a recent survey that we conducted among business-to-business marketers who are readers of Sales Lead Report.
The public relations (PR) discipline covers a vast array of activities-everything from ribbon-cutting ceremonies to crisis communication. Some of these activities are geared to creating qualified sales leads, and those can play an important role in your marketing-for-leads program.
You are up to your ears in responses from your marketing communications programs. You and your staff are overloaded, budgets are due and the major trade show in your industry is right around the corner. You can't seem to find the time to manage the inquiries or sales leads as well as you know you should. Is there an alternative to handling them in-house?
1. Determine what your inquiry handling or sales lead management system must include. Construct a flow chart of the process, including the steps required and the time allotted to each.
As a sales and marketing consultant who specializes in sales leads, I've had the opportunity to personally review dozens of research studies about inquiries or sales leads. All the research points to the same conclusions:
First the bad news
As businesses "down size," "right size, " merge or are acquired, jobs are lost. So, if you're worried about your future, you're not alone. With today's business climate the way it is, I know many marketing and communications professionals who have had severe budget cuts, run understaffed departments, or fear being let go during the next wave of cutbacks.
You've spent a great deal of time, effort and money putting together your sales lead generation programs. How you handle those sales leads once you get them makes the difference between happy salespeople and new customers or unhappy salespeople and lost sales.
Q: Should I outsource telemarketing programs designed to identify qualified sales leads, or try to do it in-house?
A: It depends on a number of things...
Goals
1. Determine your corporate revenue goals. I suggest you set three goals at three levels:
Minimum
Target
Stretch
Q: What is the definition of a "qualified lead?"
A: Although the definition changes from company to company (and rightfully so), generally you need the answers to the following "BANTS" questions to determine if a lead is qualified:
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