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7 Tips for Effective Lead Management

by | Sep 20, 2012 | Events & Conferences, Internet/Web Leads, Lead Management, Motivating Staff, Networking, Organize Structure, Referral Leads, Sales Team Management, Telemarketing Leads, Website Visitor Leads

Statistically, most new leads are not sales ready.  Setting up a lead management program to nurture leads is essential to keep your business growing.  Nurturing leads is a tough art to master, and requires trial and error, good communication in your office, and the right tools to aid the lead tracking process.

Lead Management Chutes and Ladders

7 tips for effective lead management:

 

  1. When setting up an automated follow up system, be careful about the emails that are being sent out.  Believe it or not, people can tell when messages are automated!  Be sure that they are timeless or frequently updated.  There is nothing worse than sending out an email advertising your deal for last month.  Set up different emails to send to different types of leads, so they are targeted to that lead’s specific needs.  Blitz‘s Workflow enables you to set up filters, so you are always reaching the correct lead a the correct time.
  2. Don’t think that setting up an automated follow up process means the work is done.  Emailing the leads automatically takes some work off your hands, but every email should be followed up with a phone call.  Some people don’t check their email, and some people don’t check their voicemail.  Effective lead management requires different forms of communication for better chances of reaching a lead quickly.
  3. Understand that each lead is different, and treat them that way.  Listen to their needs, and personalize your follow up process for each individual.
  4. Timing is everything.  Drop everything when you get a new lead and call them immediately.  Most telemarketers give up too soon- make sure you call at least 6 times.  Experiment with frequency until you get it right.  Lastly, document your follow up schedule and make sure everyone in the office is on the same page.  Have weekly meetings if necessary to decide what is working and what is not.
  5. Always track your lead source and other marketing activity.  If the lead called in, ask where they heard about your company; if you found the lead, record where and how you did this.  Knowing good sources for leads and which marketing practices are working can help reevaluate how to better generate quality leads in the future.  Keeping up on this can save your company a lot of money on leads.  Also, determine which sales techniques work and which ones don’t once the lead is sales ready.
  6. Use a lead management software.  The lead management process is complicated, can change at any moment, and varies from lead to lead.  A lead management software can automate many of these tasks and keep your office organized so they can focus on the sales process.  If the lead moves from person to person in the sales process, you need to have a system that can keep up with that, without losing any data or leads.
  7. Always keep your lead management software updated, and track your employee’s activities to make sure they are using the tools you have purchased.  Keeping the lead’s information updated at all times ensures the leads are being followed up with when necessary to increase sales for your office.