Ask the Experts

Since our business is lead generation, my clients want to make sure they are investing their money wisely to generate quality leads that will ultimately result in new business. Almost any business is willing to make an investment they can be sure they will get a return on.

I know for sure that direct calling is the most effective way to build a database of qualified prospects and to learn if they have a need for your service now. I know for sure that if the business imports the data into a CRM and markets to them overtime, they will have a qualified pipeline of opportunities that will produce results over time.

Managing the CRM is the single most basic effective marketing tactic a business can employ. You might be surprised at how many businesses:

1. 
   
   Do not have a CRM at all


2. 
   
   Have a CRM where the data is inaccurate


3. 
   
   Do not consistently update the CRM


4. 
   
   Do not insist that their sales people use the CRM in the sales process


5. 
   
   Do not use the data that is in their CRM for strategic marketing

Establishing and maintaining a CRM is the most basic, necessary lead management step.

After that, there are a host of tools a business can employ: direct sales, telemarketing, social marketing, pr, events and I'm sure more than I am listing here.

Which one the best? In my opinion it's the one the business commits to and manages wisely, continually evaluating the channel for effectiveness. Any tactic can work if you work it.

Since I am not the expert on every channel, I've invited a group of experts to discuss marketing tactics they think are effective and discuss why to give us all ideas on how to increase the effectiveness of our marketing channels and enable us to use our marketing budget wisely.

Please check back for posts from Guest Bloggers.

If you would to submit a topic for consideration, please email me.

Great Start, Poor Follow Through

I'm working on renting a beautiful apartment on the NW side of Chicago. I have the ad posted in a local newspaper.

A woman from a rental agency contacted me. I admired her creativity. Great place to look for prospects to sign contracts to rent apartments and a great place to scout out properties for your renters. Clever.

She said she had a renter for my property. I felt that was a lie but moved forward anyway because if she's clever getting contracts perhaps she'll be clever in finding renters.

I submitted a contract and haven't heard from her again. Too bad.

I have this experience when I'm coaching and training sales people. They have GREAT intentions when they get going but fizzle out pretty quickly.

There's a statistic that most sales are made after the fifth call. Most sales people call once and quit, 25% call two times and quit and only 10% keep trying.

If the metric is sales are made after the fifth call, if you haven't called at least five times, you are not even in the game. If only 10% of all sales people play there, you don't have much competition.

If you look at your CRM system and note that you have not made five points of contact, get to work!

Increase the Success of Cold Calls

I received a call from a woman that said 'we'd like to have a lunch and learn for all of your employees'. My response was 'no thanks' and I hung up.

What did she do wrong in her Cold Calling process? Lots of things.

She literally picked up the phone and made a request. Cold calling that way will be filled with rejection.

A different approach would be to target companies that are interested in your service. I don't even know what her service was. I'll make the assumption it was health insurance.

Here's a better way to call.

1. Do your homework before you call - does this company fit the profile of a company that would provide health insurance for it's employees?
2. Check the website - do they have employees? Read their press releases, understand what is important to the company. Check for executive names so you can ask for a specific person when you call.

Now try this: "Good Morning, I took a look at your website and noticed you have a large call center. Do you provide health insurance for those employees?"

Do you see the difference? By doing some research on the company you are starting to build a connection. You're starting to earn the right to ask questions and build a relationship with this company. It will likely take more calls to actually engage them into allowing you to present information on health insurance benefits. With the information you gain from this call, you're beginning to build a database of information so you can continue to target this company. Make sure your track the information in your CRM so next time you call you are not starting all over.

Don't make cold calls. Do your research first the market will appreciate it and you'll increase your success ratio.