Give Leads a Reason to Become Customers

Who is a Lead?

A lead is a person who has expressed interest in your brand, business, services or products. Online leads typically indicate their interest by submitting a form. They provide their contact information in exchange for complimentary information such as exclusive white papers, product demos, webinars, eBooks and case studies.

So, what exactly is the lead generation process?

Consider this situation, a person visits your website and clicks on a call-to-action. This takes them to a landing page which describes your offer and requests them to fill in a form. Once they submit the form with their contact details, they receive the offer and the sales team obtains a new lead to contact. 

The Goal of the Click

In the B2B context, the goal of the click is to capture lead information. Unlike the goal of a click of B2C which is to make a sale. Therefore B2B brands need to focus not only number of clicks, on increasing conversion rates as well.

Landing Pages that Lead to Conversion

In order to improve conversion rates through landing pages, it is important to have consistent messaging, relevant links, takeaways as promised, streamlined forms, pre-conversion segmentation and appreciation for information provided.

In order to generate leads that have highest possibility of converting to customers, you first need to map your content value and requirements, understand your customers’ buying process, know your customer profile, devise an integrated marketing communication plan, and utilize a centralized marketing database.

Target relevant prospects

Give leads a reason to convert 

Find Your Perfect Target Market with Our Database

Is There a CDO at the Right Hand of the CEO?

There is a new development that’s making CIOs and many CMOs uncomfortable in their seats. In many organizations, a new C-suite title is in demand. Introducing the Chief Digital Officer or CDO.

By 2015, more than 25 percent of organizations will have a CDO playing a strategic role, according to Gartner.

This shuffle in the technology power structure may not go down well for many; however it is the change that inevitably has to be adopted. The main role of the CDOs is off course, to be in charge of digital business strategies, in building digital property and developing business models on which the future of organizations will depend, in this digital frenzy landscape.

In the digital sphere today, keeping up with new technology and customer preferences and behavior has to be seamlessly integrated with digital strategies. CDOs are the new bridge between enterprises and customers, they are the new ‘technology and marketing change agents’.

With the introduction of an external executive, reporting directly to the CEO, with the authority to re-shuffle organization structures and spend big dollars on bigger plans; CIOs and CMOs already feel they are being moved to smaller cabins and darker corners. 

As with all things digital, CDOs will come and go. Once their role has translated to transforming organizations, where will they go? Will they be the next digital CEO?

Either which way, the role of the C-Suite is ever expansive and their focus is getting more structured. The mantra today when connecting with the C-suite is ‘To Be Relevant or Be Ignored!’

Tap into the Potential of Email Personalization

It is a great idea to create emails with a personal touch. Studies have established that clients respond better and faster to emails that are customized according to their preferences, language and taste of content. Personalization of emails is a must and a great customer retention strategy for digital marketers. 

How to cut through the noise and sell to C-Level executives?

The budgetary cuts, spending limits in 2011 are still finding its place in 2012. Companies are still treading cautiously on any new purchase decisions on new projects. In times of frugal budget, it’s challenging for business-to-business marketers like us to convince the top brass or even get them to listen to us.

In such a market scenario what best can you do to strike effective sales engagements with senior executives?

In case you’re still wondering why senior executives are ignoring your marketing call, then these points will help you take a case for fresh approach to C-Level prospecting.

• Don't make them think hard - Direct approach pays with time starved executives
• Avoid one-size-fits-all messaging to senior level 
• Present solutions relevant to their business 
• Don't let the leads go cold
• Have patience while reaching senior staff. It takes roughly 6+ attempts to reach them
• Most sales reps stop following leads after 3 or less attempts
• Striking early doubles your chance of influencing the senior exes
• Find the decision patterns before pitching the offer 
• Keep it relevant to their need, not your company
• Present a clear conclusion with each connection  
• Build on trust, rapport with each successive step and keep the momentum
• Provide relevant information to help drive decisions
• Leverage multiple channels to connect and influence prospects

Finally a quote from a famous military leader:

"A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed next week"

- General George Patton, 1944