Driving leads and closing deals is the ultimate goal for sales and marketing teams, but in many organizations there remains a disconnect between the two departments.
Many sales teams are just following up on leads that their marketing team provides, with no insight into how those leads were acquired. This type of divide can create unnecessary problems within the sales cycles.
However, when shared, this information can help increase conversion rates and ensure a positive customer experience.
For a sales person, being able to leverage intelligence like how a prospect became a lead, what specific products that prospect is interested in or even what pages they visited on your website can be helpful in moving that lead to an effective close.
Here are a few tips sales and marketing teams can follow to help bridge that information sharing gap:
Collaborate on the Lead-Scoring Criteria
Lead scores shouldn’t be developed solely by the marketing team.
When both departments have input in creating the lead scores the result is a more objective definition of what constitutes a quality lead.
Centralize the Sales and Marketing Platform
If possible, it's best to fully integrate the sales and marketing platforms. This will ensure that the teams are speaking the same language when sharing information.
Automate the Sharing of Real-time Information
Leverage technology to drive real-time lead nurturing and trigger alerts to both sales and marketing based on recent actions that a prospect has taken.
Real-time Lead Follow-up
The faster the sales teams can contact a lead the better. Reaching the consumer when your product or service is fresh in their minds well certainly help the conversion numbers.
Teams should be armed with platforms that allow for fast real-time access lead information.
Know All You Can About Prospects
The more both teams know about a prospect, the easier it is to understand the best approach toward reaching that prospect.
Leverage real-time data append (optimization) technology to gain a more complete picture of who your prospect is. Don’t view them as just another lead potentially interested in your product or service.
Knowledge is power. The more information marketing can share with sales about a prospect the better the sales experience and the chances are of closing more deals.
For more information on bridging the gap between your marketing and sales departments, contact one of DataWerx's lead generation experts today.
Ignoring mobile marketing is not something smart marketers should be doing. Tech research firm Gartner reports that sales of smartphones and tablets will surpass 1 billion units in 2013.
As a marketer, are you prepared for the next cultural shift in online marketing? Some marketers are just getting comfortable with the social media shift, but it’s now time to turn your attention to mobile marketing.
The mobile marketing culture is steadily building. Here are a few tips to consider as you look to integrate this into your organizations marketing strategy:
1. Mobile Web vs. Mobile App
Browser-based access to the internet on mobile devices or a software application that can be used on mobile devices? The latter, mobile apps, can take a considerable amount of time, money and tons of development.
Mobile web development also has some time and costs involved. However it’s often quicker, considering most of your content can be pulled from your already existing website. You should make sure the experience for consumers visiting your website is as pleasant on a mobile device as it is on a desktop.
Optimizing your webpages for mobile devices is a the best place to building a mobile marketing culture within your company.
2. Format Email Communications for Mobile
Many of your customers may be using their mobile devices to read and respond to emails. Make sure that your marketing messages and newsletters are formatted for mobile.
3. Mobile Click–to-Call Campaigns
People are spending more time on their mobile phones, which leads to more mobile phone internet searches.
If your prospects can easily click a “Call” button and speak to one of your representatives it substantially increases the success of your mobile search ad campaigns as inbound phone calls are 12 to 15 times more likely to convert
No one can deny that that mobile is one of the largest and fastest-growing segments of online growth. There’s no shortage of market forecasts and trends that show that integrating a mobile marketing culture within your organization a necessity.
Contact one of Datawerx's lead-generation specialists to discuss a mobile strategy for your marketing department.
In previous articles, we’ve discussed the value of leveraging older leads in your sales strategy. Whether you are purchasing lists of these older leads or if they are generated internally, there are a few steps that you can take to improve the effectiveness of working prospecting lists.
1. Cleanse your prospecting list before the campaign starts
Older leads mean older and possibly outdated information. Outdated information can lead to plenty of lost opportunities and misplaced energy on the part of your sales team.
Cleansing your data before uploading lists into your dialer can result in a savings of up to 25% in the cost of sales follow-up. Your reps will also be more motivated to actively work the prospecting list knowing that the information they are using is accurate.
2. Use a multi-channel marketing approach
There may be segments of your prospecting lists that respond best to phone calls and for others it may be direct mail or email. You’ll have to take a multi-channel approach toward working these lists in order to get the most out them.
Put a strategy in place that can be adjusted and measured overtime. If you’re finding that most contacts on your lists are converting by the fourth call, then there’s no reason to make eight calls, instead follow-up with a direct mail or email piece to get the contacts attention.
3. Segment and measure list performance
Evaluate your lists by reviewing it in segments. This is more effective than looking at overall results for a list.
Evaluating a list in segments can tell you which demographics are most responsive and what if any changes may be required in your marketing approach. You may find a particular segment responds better to certain marketing messages than others.
By measuring your success you’ll be able to identify some unique opportunities within the lists you purchase.
Learn more about DataWerx's proven lead generation methodology by downloading our free lead generation whitepaper.
Leveraging consumer data is a skill that has become increasingly popular among marketers that really want to gain insight into what is relevant for their customer. Data-driven decisions are leading toward a better customer experience and more loyalty, translating to bigger sales.
For optimal success this approach requires the integration and analyzation of data from internal and external sources.
Leveraging External Sources
If your internal data is lacking in information, incorporating external sources like market research, credit information, off-site customer behavior and social interactions becomes increasingly important.
Doing so will create much richer data sets, greatly enhancing your insight when it comes to making marketing decisions.
However, when integrating more data, remember to keep in mind what is relevant.
The Importance of Data Segmentation
While Big Data is great for large organizations, if you’re a company with limited analytic resources, you can easily get lost and overwhelmed with too much data.
Organizations don’t succeed just on collecting and integrating lots of data, they have to know how to use that data to be successful.
If your main business issue is acquiring new customers, then your focus when evaluating what information to extract from your data should be on how you can solve challenges related to that particular issue first.
Start by putting your data into clusters. This may include segmentation by:
- types of products consumers purchased or average purchase amounts.
- behaviors, such as consumers who engage with you via mobile devices or those who are active in social media
- simple demographic and lifestyle characteristics.
Analyze and Adjust
Through this process you may even be able to determine what mediums of communication are most convenient for your customer, the more convenient the communication the higher the response.
Organizations that are really taking on the challenge of data driven-marketing strategies are positioning themselves to both acquire new customers more effectively and win more business from existing customers.
Learn more about Datawerx's approach to marketing by downloading our free whitepaper.
Lead verification has always been an important part of delivering the highest quality leads to sales teams.
However, simply verifying a consumers’ information is no longer enough. Marketers need to shift their focus to verifying and scoring leads by choosing specific attributes that model those of their best customers. At DataWerx, we call this lead optimization.
Lead optimization means verifying lead information and determining how closely that lead resembles your best customers.
Determining whether a lead shares specific attributes with your ideal customers requires that you first have a firm understanding of who those customers are. Only then can you work that profile into your scoring model for new leads.
The lead scoring process is all about assigning a particular value to a lead based on defined metrics, so make sure you’re using metrics that are scalable. Develop a small baseline of demographic elements that relate to the ideal customer profile you’ve developed, keep it simple.
You’ll also want to make sure you’re not completely disregarding leads that score below your baseline metrics. Some cold leads can develop into hot leads down the line. With the right lead nurturing process in place you can put those leads into an automated funnel to keep them engaged with your brand without wasting your sales team’s time.
When done properly a lead optimization program will translate into higher close ratios and better clients. Your sales team can focus on closing high quality leads, rather than wasting time with prospects that aren’t really ready to conduct business or don’t meet the preliminary guidelines of a customer you want to be speaking to.
Learn more about the DataWerx lead optimization process by downloading our free whitepaper.
According to Morgan Stanley analysts, by 2016 10.6 billion dollars will be spent on mobile marketing in the U.S alone. Other analysts say the number will be even higher.
There are many ways to capitalize on the growth in mobile marketing and generate more qualified leads for your sales teams. Click-to-call mobile marketing is a major part of the mobile explosion.
Inbound phone calls are 12 to 15 times more likely to convert than leads called from web forms, so the more programs like live transfers and click-to-call you can leverage, the more business you will generate.
On that note, let’s look at the keys to running an effective mobile click-to-call program:
1. Prep your foundation before you launch
Don’t start out with a huge campaign. Instead, run small tests to make sure that you are prepared before you start driving a bunch of leads through mobile click-to-call marketing.
Do you have the staff or technology in place to handle the additional calls?
2. Formulate a bid strategy
Start by separating your mobile campaigns within Adwords or similar platform. Separating campaigns can increase click-through rate (CTR) by up to 11.5%.
Also, take advantage of geo-targeting. Mobile users typically base their searches around their location.
3. Do not use your business number
Use a local or toll free number from a call tracking provider when you’re running mobile click-to-call campaigns. This allows you to gather detailed analytics from your campaigns.
4. Use Mobile style ad copy
CTR increases when you include call-specific call-to-action language like ‘Call us Now’ or ‘Call Today for a Free Quote.'
Mobile marketing statistics speak for themselves: a whopping 52% of mobile ads lead to a phone call. Follow the best practices provided above to implement a marketing strategy that complements your tradional channels.
Need help planning such a strategy? Contact one of our marketing experts today.
In a previous post, we discussed how effective an integrated online and offline marketing approach can be for optimal response in your marketing programs.
While some marketers are of the mentality that direct mail and online marketing don’t mix, direct mail has been proven to be very effective driving traffic to the web when the campaign is executed properly.
So then, what makes a proper direct mail campaign? Here are some pointers to follow when using your direct mail programs to drive online traffic:
Create a unique landing page
As a rule of thumb it’s never best practice to drive traffic to your home page. The consumer can get distracted by all the choices a home page presents, which can cause inaction and low conversion rates.
By creating a unique landing page and driving your direct mail traffic there, you control the message and you can track responses.
Use deadlines
When creating calls-to-action and writing landing page copy, make it clear that your offer is of the limited-time variety.People are more likely to respond immediately if they feel they will miss out on the offer if they wait to claim it.
Direct mail as a lead generation tool is time sensitive by nature anyway, so don't be afraid to set a deadline for your campaign.
Make an offer prospects can’t refuse
Make sure you're giving prospects a compelling enough reason to visit your landing page. It’s not enough to just ask them to visit your site.
Depending on your company and your campaign's goal, offering free trails, coupons or samples can encourage prospects to take action.
Test various formats, but use personalized copy sparingly
A personalized letter will capture your prospects attention, but don’t overdo it and risk coming off creepy. One personalized reference should be enough of an attention-grabber to do the trick.
That said, don't be affraid to mix up the direct mail format you send your message. Postcards are the most popular form of direct mail to drive web traffic, but snap pacs, envelopes and flyers may work better depending on your offer and the amount of pre-sell required.
As a rule of thumb the simpler your offer, the less pre-sell you need.
When executed effectively, direct mail remains the best medium for direct, reliable access to your target demographic. Combine direct mail with your email, social and other online media strategies for better lead generation campaigns.
Need more personal guidance for you company's direct mail campaign? Contact one of our lead generation experts today.
Not every sale will made on first contact with a consumer. In fact, figures from the National Sales Executive Association indicate only 2% of sales are made in the first contact, and only 10% of sales are made by the third contact.
The sale is often a process and this process requires relationship building. This is what lead nurturing (especially insurance lead nurturing) is all about, establishing a relationship with your prospects and guiding them through the sales funnel until they are ready to buy.
When a consumer completes an insurance quote form by offering their contact information and details about their driving or medical history, they’ve taken initiative and expressed their interest. The sales agent’s role is to convert that interest into action.
In most cases in order for a prospect to transition into a customer, there are three basic stages they must go through: Know, Like and Trust.
- Know: the prospect should be allowed to ask questions in-order to learn about your product and company.
- Like: people do busines with people they like. The prospect must be able to identify or relate to the sales agent they are working with.
- Trust: the prospect must come to trust that the agent and company will deliver for them as promised.
Relationship building can take time and effort, which is why it’s best to automate as much of the lead nurturing process as possible. Create a lead nurturing campaign that is informative and encourages the consumer to take action.
Every informational email should move the consumer one step closer to becoming a customer. It’s also important to gather feedback from your prospect during the nurturing process. Knowing which messages consumers are opening and how they respond to these messages can go a long way in helping you strengthen your automated messaging to future prospects.
Don’t abandon your lead nurturing campaigns once you’ve gotten the consumer to make a purchase. Stay in front of that customer to continue strengthening the new relationship. People are prone to share information on things that bring them value.
An ongoing lead nurturing campaign not only keeps your customers engaged with your brand, but also provides the means for them to refer business and tell others about your offerings.
Learn Datawerx's approach to high-quality insurance lead generation by downloading our free whitepaper.
When it comes to insurance lead generation, some companies excel in specific areas of the process. From generating large volume of leads to qualifying the leads that come into the pipeline to closing leads, it seems many businesses focus on only one part of this highly integrated cycle.
However, top performing companies are exceptional at all areas of the lead generation process. Let’s explore a few strategies that you can incorporate in your process to improve your team's lead generation prowess throughout the entire cycle.
1. Implement strict standards for lead follow-up times.
While there is some value in aged leads, it's always best to follow-up while your prospects still have top-of-mind awareness.
Most leads have a short shelf live, and if you are not getting back to a prospect immediately, you better believe that your competitors are.
2. Invest in a single CRM or lead management database.
It can be a nightmare trying to conduct drip marketing campaigns or conduct database analysis when your data is in multiple locations. One central marketing database will increase efficiency.
Salesforce is the most popular cloud-based CRM solution, but there are plenty of alternatives out there. Pick the CRM solution that best suits your lead management needs and fits into your budget.
3. Maintain consistent lead scoring criteria.
Once you’ve defined what an A tier or B tier lead is, keep the metrics for determining these tiers consistent across all your lead sources. A consistent lead scoring criteria will help ensure all your leads are qualified.
4. Do not neglect follow-up and lead nurturing.
Not every lead will close on the first upon first contact. You can improve your conversion rates substantially by implementing a standard lead nurturing strategy across your sales team.
Your company's strategy should be based on internal lead research: how long do prospects typically sit in the sales pipeline before converting?
Looking for an external, all-in-one lead generation and verification solution? Download our free whitepaper or contact us today to learn more about the DataWerx approach.
Many companies view online marketing and direct mail as two competitive strategies. To them, it’s either/or.
They may believe that all that is needed for success is a strong online presence: a search-friendly website and an effective pay-per-click or email marketing strategy.
While this is important, any company that discards direct mail in their marketing plan is missing the bigger picture and leaving money on the table.
In a recently published article, Deliver Magazine stated that customers who receive a printed catalog spent more meaningful time on the company’s website and purchased 28% more on average than customers who did not receive a catalog.
In order to position your marketing program for optimal success, it’s crucial to integrate direct mail with your online marketing efforts. An effective direct mail campaign will help drive traffic to your website and landing pages that you would not normally get from PPC campaigns.
There are other key benefits you get from integrating direct mail into your overall marketing strategy:
- Your ability to present your ad to only your ideal audience is what direct mail is all about. After analyzing your existing customers and extracting common characteristics, you can use that information to pull mailing lists that drill down to the precise group that you’re looking to reach---essentially advertising to prequalified prospects.
- Many consumers are becoming desensitized to email marketing and online advertisements. Even if it is eventually discarded a direct mail post card stands a better chance of being read by your target audience.
The key is integration. Direct mail will never be able to compete with the speed and cost-effectiveness of the internet, but the internet cannot compete with direct mail when it comes to targeting a specific audience.
The point is that they don’t have to compete. When used collectively, online and offline strategies can boost your marketing efficiency.
Contact one of DataWerx's marketing experts to discuss which marketing mix is right for your business.