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MARCH 2017
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INNOVATE
W
ebsites. Trade shows.
Direct mail. Marketing
campaigns. Leads. If effective, lots
of leads. You invest your marketing
dollars to expand your audience,
generatemore interested
prospects and turn them into
paying customers. Whether leads
come in bunches, through a trade
show or consistently through
online programs, don’t miss out
by following up with each one in
the same way. You personalize
follow‑up to customers depending
upon their needs. Prospects
require the same attention.
Do You Turn Leads
Over To Sales Before
They Are Ready?
Many years ago, our marketing
team executed an ad campaign
that generated dozens of leads
a week. Each opportunity was
nicely packaged and distributed
to the appropriate sales team.
Before Google Maps and search
engines, the reps followed up by
phone. If they couldn’t connect,
a rep jumped in his or her car
and visited the contact’s location.
Many times, this trip concluded
at an obscure non-business
address. Whether the location
was the home of a hobbyist or
competitor, it wasn’t a selling
opportunity. And it didn’t take
long to condition the sales team
to not waste their time.
Sending all leads to sales,
regardless of the lead’s readiness
to buy, impacted results. Many a
lead campaign was undermined
by this misstep. Even today,
leads are pushed to sales without
scrutiny. Marketing Sherpa found
that over 60 percent of leads are
sent to sales unqualified.
With contact data available at
How Do You Get
More Prospects To Buy?
Lead nurturing
helps convert
more leads
into satisfied
customers.
by
John Edmundson