| Tagged in: Lead Quality , kate dunn , Integrating Marketing and Sales , Digital Innovations Group , Cross Channel Marketing | Mar 17, 2010 |
| Posted by: Kate_Dunn |
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The benefits of a properly implemented cross channel campaign are numerous. In addition to automating the execution of the campaign’s relevant components, subsequent nurture messaging, and freeing up valuable human capital for other pursuits, organizations earn quantum increases in response. Opening up a dialog with prospects via a landing page means that organizations can continue the conversation with additional relevant messaging, shorten sales cycles and improve retention rates.
Analyzing response data collected provides a methodology to validate messaging, offers, calls to action within segments and at the individual respondent level. Looking at groups or individuals who don’t respond and gleaning valuable insight about messaging and the delivery channels used can provide further benefit.
Streamlining the delivery of a qualified lead to the sales force is yet another outstanding benefit of a cross channel campaign. Either because of hubris surrounding the technical implementation of all this marketing power or just plain neglect, the execution of the sales follow-up often ends in anything but the maximum ROI. Sales reps are given the marching order to follow up quickly once they receive a lead via text or email in order to have the best chance of reaching a decision maker and qualifying the opportunity. But unfortunately, they do so with no instruction on what to say. So this well orchestrated strategy that has succeeded in uncovering a viable opportunity ends with an unprepared sales rep announcing to the “gatekeeper” something unremarkable like: “Ms. Executive just downloaded a whitepaper and I’m calling to see if she has any questions.”
Far too many programs are executed without incorporating the sales process into the overall plan. Lead qualification is typically a combination of basic demographic information, past requests or responses, email opening history, prospect behaviors while responding like downloading a whitepaper and and/or answers provided during a landing page interaction. Actions or combination of actions must be tied to probable needs and sales reps provided with follow up scripts based on those probable needs. Additional sales scripts should be provided to handle things like leaving voice mail messages for respondents. These scripts should include an escalating level of urgency if previous messages go unreturned or attempts to get past gatekeepers are thwarted.
Real time input from the sales force as they execute their follow up can help marketers uncover incorrect assumptions quickly and make changes mid campaign to generate the greatest return. A simple addition to the CRM system that the lead couldn’t be reached does not tell the full story so consider a wiki or other tool so the sales force can update marketing real-time with detail on their interactions with campaign respondents and their gatekeepers. Fully integrating the sales process with the marketing strategy will yield the greatest return on the investment made in cross channel marketing programs.
I encourage readers to share some of their war stories either as the sales rep following up or as a decision maker receiving an ill conceived follow up call.
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written by Kim Gross, March 17, 2010
I have a prime example of spending lots of time and resources on a marketing plan, only to have it fall short with the sales follow-up process. I received a package from a company (a competitor none the less) that contained some promotional items, a letter and a jar of marshmallow fluff. The whole theme was 'no fluff, just results.' It was kind of clever, grabbed my attention enough to open it. The letter informed me that a sales representative from this company would be contacting me to discuss my marketing needs. If they had looked at my website or did some research, they would realize that my company offered similar services as theirs. But the story doesn't stop there... the sale rep called me a week later, and I purposely did not take the call as I wanted to see what his follow up process looked like. He left me a message explaining what they did and asked that I return his call. I did not, and never heard back from him. Several months later, however, I received the exact same package AGAIN with the promise of a follow-up phone call, that happened once and then never called back. Let's see if I get another package in a few months!
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written by Kate Dunn, March 17, 2010
Kim - the same thing happened here. We got a campaign from a local printing franchise (names protected to avoid embarrassment). The mailing came in a box with a branded package of gum and an offer to win a giant screen TV and included a personalized URL. I responded and answered the questions that we do direct mail and use outside printing resources. Never heard a thing after that. For a franchise a dimensional mailing, with the custom promotional item and a big ticket giveaway was not cheap. Based on answering that we buy print and do direct mail both services this franchise offers and were a non customer, we certainly should have been scored an A lead. I suppose they will look back on this campaign and conclude that cross channel, purls and giveaways don't work!
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