Demand Generation - Give Them What They Want
by Lindsey Bakel
What are the stages a new lead must pass through before it is worth your time to pick up the phone? The amount of time they are in these stages can vary by your contacts but also depends greatly on how you manage them. It is vital that you’re always considering this process from your ideal target’s perspective. If you know what they want, then you can, and should, become what they want.
Obtain new leads
The tried and trusted method for obtaining truly interested leads is to offer them something of value in exchange for their contact information. Whatever you offer them should be something your target market will find significant. This can be: Hints and Tips, useful checklists, a free workshop or training, or a free trial.
When collecting information from your new leads there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Only collect necessary information from them. A long survey is much less likely to be filled out and most likely will have information in it you could have gotten yourself or isn’t useful anyways.
Always give them an ‘I want a call right now’ option. This lets you know who is the most interested and should be contacted immediately because they most likely want your product or service right away.
Guarantee their privacy. Promise them you will not sell or distribute their contact information. This will increase their likelihood of sharing it with you, as well as help you establish a trusting relationship with them.
Advanced tip: Treat leads from different sources differently. If you receive leads off of your website as well as from a survey prompted from an advertising link, consider the differences in the leads obtained from these different sources.
Turn them into prospects
Once you’ve received their contact information, be prompt; give them what they requested right away. After you’ve given them what they originally asked for, you now have a great opportunity to follow through and show them why they need your product or service.
Use all communications to your advantage. Present the value in your product or service to attract them from their perspective.
What did they click? Pay attention to the links that have been clicked in your emails. Leads that have taken enough interest to click your links are leads you want to call.
Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up. Don’t let delayed sales turn into lost sales. If a contact raises their hand, it is important to reach out to that contact as quickly as possible.
Advanced tip: Continue building that relationship. Use Swiftpage emarketing Drip Marketing to help you convert that lead into a sale. Create email stages that filter your contacts based on their interaction with the emails so you can cater specifically to them and follow-up knowledgeably.
Qualify and Close
Now that your process has driven your leads further down the sales cycle, it’s time to give them an actionable item to buy now. Offer them a limited time promotion, spell out the main benefits specific to their business, offer an extended service contract, etc..
Stay personal. When offering them your promotion, relate to their preferences you’ve noticed. Mention things you’ve discussed or discovered from their interactions with your email.
Be specific. Help them remember you by referring back to your last contact. This also shows them that you value this relationship by keeping track of them.
Advanced tip: Plan ahead. You may want to give your leads some notice of your promotion in case they need a budget approval prior to purchasing. Then remind them again on the first day of the promotion.
Now, just because you’ve closed the sale don’t disregard this relationship. Current customers can become loyal customers and your biggest supporters. So continue to build this relationship and watch their referrals and repeat sales come pouring in.
