Making any kind of decision requires information. When you are at a restaurant you have never been to before, you need information to place your order. Unless someone you know has highly recommended a particular dish, it is unlikely you would order without looking at the menu or listening to the waitress recite the day’s specials. Some of the same decision-making criteria go into that meal choice as would go into a business decision, things such as budget and timing for example.
However, when making a serious business decision, it has been found that there are some other specific things a decision-maker needs to hear in order to shed the doubt and take the plunge. Each of these issues may hold a different place of priority with different prospects, and there may be other criteria involved in a business decision, but basically these seven things are what it takes to get past the tipping point. This information needs to be in the messaging you are delivering to your prospects.
7 Things Your B2B Lead Generation Prospects Need To Hear
1. The Answer – We have a solution to your problem.
2. Timing – We can provide it in the timeframe you are looking for.
3. Investment – Our solution falls within your budget range.
4. Experience – We have provided this solution for a host of satisfied clients.
5. Guarantee – We stand behind our services and products.
6. Service – We’ve made a commitment to superior customer service, before, during and after the sale.
7. ROI – We can demonstrate a solid return on your investment in our solution.
Lead Nurturing
It usually takes more than one contact with the prospect to address these issues. In fact, we have found that it takes an average of twelve touches to convert a cold prospect into a qualified sales-ready lead. Sometimes this is because the priority placed on these issues varies depending on the state of affairs within an organization.
Often it is because the timing is just not quite right yet. In this case, your lead generation methodology should include a solid well-planned lead nurturing system that continues contact until a lead is qualified (or disqualified). These can include a strategic combination of direct mail followed up with a telephone call to confirm its receipt and to determine interest level.
That can lead to permission to regularly email information specific to their interest in the seven things above. By asking prospects when they would like follow-up, subsequent telephone calls then become warm reminders and an opportunity to continue gauging interest levels for when that prospect is a qualified sales-ready lead.
Remember: Response time by a salesperson is mission critical.
You can figure a lead’s value falls about 10% per day, which translated means, in ten days,
IT’S WORTHLESS!
Connect the Disconnect
One of the most common reasons lead generation campaigns fail is because of a breakdown in communication between the sales department and the marketing department. Make sure the definition of a qualified sales-ready lead is the same for both. It’s a good idea to do this on a regular basis to pick up on any changes in the marketplace.
Go Ahead, Belch!
There’s nothing like a great meal, served by excellent staff in a timely manner. It almost doesn’t matter how much the bill is if it’s the most enjoyable meal you have ever had. Is that how your clients view doing business with you? If not, perhaps it’s time to re-examine the way you approach the process. It all starts with acquiring the right qualified leads. Make sure your prospects are hearing the right things.
