See the big picture of lead generation
It is so easy to get locked into the one or two things you do the most or do the best.
For us, it’s direct mail and email. We spend a lot of time creating direct mail campaigns for lead generation and email campaigns for lead nurturing. And that’s okay.
But what we also try to make clear is that direct mail and email are just two tools in a much bigger picture known as lead generation – or demand generation.
Think systems, not campaigns
We try to get clients to see marketing not as individual campaigns but as part of system or process. The chart below illustrates how this process can work.
A quick overview …
Step 1 – On the left column is a list of many different activities that you can use to generate new sales leads. We call this lead acquisition. All of these activities have merit, but you may decide that only some of them are right for you.
Step 2 – Here we want to capture and qualify the leads. For online responses, we would use a web landing page to capture the contact information and, in some cases, ask some qualifying questions.
Of course, not all responses will necessarily come through the web so we would always recommend a lead capturing process the included reply mail, telephone, fax and sometimes, walkin.
Step 3 – With every lead that comes in, we want to collect at least an email address so that we can begin the nurturing process using email. Some of these emails will be automated, some will be broadcast to everyone on our list and some will be targeted to specific groups.
But we don’t rely on email alone. The lead nurturing process must also include periodic phone calls and mail.
By staying in touch, you expect that prospects will begin to buy from you – when they are ready.
Step 4. Then by staying in touch again with your new customers, you can also expect to see repeat orders.
Now there’s execution
Everything we described above is just a map – a step-by-step process for using marketing to support the sales process.
But executing all of this is another matter.
You still need to develop powerful offers, relevant messages, persuasive and response-boosting creative and consistent methods for measuring and analyzing your response.
If this makes sense for your sales and marketing program, call me and let’s talk. Or send me an email.
Bob McCarthy
508-473-8643
bob@mccarthyandking.com
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