The first step to developing a lead generation program is to determine what constitutes a good lead and making sure sales and marketing are on the same page. In just five steps, you could have your own lead generation program up and running.
- Step 1: Define your leads. Start with the basics and determine what makes a good lead for your company. Leads can be defined in many ways, and there are even more ways to identify a qualified lead. For example, Marketo defines a qualified lead as “a prospect that is starting to exhibit buying behavior.” Then, use demographics, firmographics, and BANT (budget, authority, need, and time) to profile and segment your leads.
- Step 2: Align with sales. Just as sales and marketing must agree on the definition of a good lead, they must agree about when that lead gets directed to sales. If done correctly, this results in a seamless transition and immediate follow-up for qualified leads. To do this, sales and marketing must agree on two main categories of lead stages: marketing qualified leads (MQLs) and sales qualified leads (SQLs)
- Step 3: Build your road map. Including inbound and outbound efforts.
- Step 4: Nurture and score your leads. It’s pretty easy to generate top-of-funnel (TOFU) leads, but since those leads aren’t ready to buy, it’s important to focus on middle-of-funnel (MOFU) leads. Utilize nurturing and scoring techniques to make your lead generation efforts worth the investment.
- Step 5: Measure and optimize. When it comes to lead generation, the more you test, the more you know. Learn how to use A/B testing, calls-to-action (CTAs), imagery, copy choices, and multivariate testing to optimize your lead generation strategy for the best possible results.
I hope this topic was helpful for you, see you on the next topic.