Every business owner will tell you the same thing, “Our sales would be better if we just had more qualified leads”. Quantity isn’t necessarily better than quality. An online or offline lead generation strategy should have the following: common definition of a qualified lead, leveraging multiple lead generation channels, a lead generation activity schedule, and fast and effective follow-up by sales representatives. In order to optimize resources, the marketing department should be responsible for putting a plan in place and evaluating results with the help of the sales team. Getting More Out of Your Social Media Lead Generation Strategy
Marketing and Sales have to be on board with who should be considered a qualified lead for any strategy to succeed. In many cases, marketing passes leads to the sales team without qualifying them first; increasing frustration with the process. Most of the time, a qualified lead has the budget and spending authority, authority to make the decision, a need for your product and/or service, a time frame for making a decision, and is a good strategic fit for your company and your products. Getting More Out of Your Social Media Lead Generation Strategy
Technology (Internet, mobile phones, video games etc…) has had an impact on which lead generation tools businesses are adopting. A comprehensive strategy has to leverage the effectiveness of both online and offline channels. Branding, events, public relations, direct marketing (emails, newsletters, phone calls, corporate website, online and offline content (articles, blogs, social media, and video), client and business partner referrals, are widely used channels for lead generation. In 2011, social media will be playing a larger role in driving qualified leads to corporate websites. Does your website deliver on the brand promise made to your Twitter followers? Getting More Out of Your Social Media Lead Generation Strategy
Many companies jump into action without properly evaluating their resources. Has the marketing support team received adequate training, enabling them to respond to inquiries? When was the last time your marketing collateral was updated? Does it speak to the different buying modalities (Competitive, Humanistic, Spontaneous and Methodical)? Is your CRM software tool updated frequently? Failing to plan usually means that you’re planning to fail. Make sure that internal communications meet the grade before launching a lead generation campaign.Getting More Out of Your Social Media Lead Generation Strategy Click Here
The final element that you’ll need to get more out of your lead generation strategy is a properly coordinated hand off to the sales team. According to the Yankee Group between 40% and 80% of new business leads are lost, not followed up on, or otherwise mishandled due to poor company processes. That means that your investment won’t be generating sufficient results unless a follow-up schedule is established. Who will follow-up with the prospect? How many times should he call? When should he call? Your team has to work, well as a team. Integrating your expectations into everyone’s annual objectives will get everyone on the same page.Your Social Media Lead Generation Strategy Click Here
Silver Maple Communications provides marketing for your brand, combining creativity and strategy with brilliant execution. We’ll help you optimize your marketing budget by finding your best target markets, creating a customized marketing strategy and implementing your marketing program. We offer a broad array of marketing solutions that include branding, internet marketing and international market development. Find out more about getting marketing results at
Your Social Media Lead Generation Strategy Click Here
