In order to make sales, a business has to have qualified leads, and the best way to do this is thorough lead generation, or the process of establishing interest in products or services among a specific target market.
Generating leads involves a process. There are ways to gauge several levels of interest an individual might have in your product or service, which can vary from non-existent to on the verge of buying.
“Either way, the majority of lead generation techniques involve some level of nurturing. Because of this, outsourcing lead generation is particularly effective, says Louise Robinson, Sales Director of CG Consulting. “Using a company that focuses on lead generation as its core business will ensure a solid pipeline of leads, and will deliver good results.”
She says one thing is certain, and that is that you don’t want your sales force cold calling people from a random list that has not been qualified. “The quickest and surest way to close on a sale is to present the sales team with a list of individuals that have already expressed interest in what your business has to offer.”
There is no doubt that companies who focus on qualified leads do better than their counterparts that don’t, says Robinson. “The sales people that work at these businesses are also able to spend the majority of their time selling, instead of engaging in grunt work that sales people not working off targeted lists are required to do.”
According to Robinson, lead generation techniques have evolved greatly over the past decade. “The advent of social media has dramatically altered the landscape. The plethora of information available online has made research far easier than it used to be, but on the flip side, marketing professionals now have to find ways to distinguish their brands from the slew of others all vying for the same piece of the action.”
“The common maxim is that buyers are almost at the end of the buying process before they are interested in speaking to a sales rep. They are tech savvy, and have done their research, and more than likely looked for peer recommendations on social media and other sites. If your lead generation strategy is good, you’ll be able to guide that prospect through a sale a good time before the usual point at which most buyers are contacting the sales team.”
At the end of the day, Robinson says solid lead generation is about building solid leads that you can trust will be turned from prospect to sale. “This is not necessarily attending every trade show and networking event. Partnering with a professional lead generation agency who can harness all possible resources to generate good leads is a far better option.”
In today’s highly technological world, all the data needed to generate leads and capture market research that helps identify new opportunities that generate profits is freely available. “Through the web and telesales, a lead generation company can develop leads, conduct market research and customer development too,” she concludes.
