Let’s get engaged!
After a week off (Bordeaux – lovely – thanks for asking), this week we are continuing our journey down the sales funnel and entering the world of engagement. The team in Awareness have been working tirelessly to hook leads left, right and centre. You have a bunch of Marketing Qualified Leads (MQL) with a registered interest in your product/service and now it’s time to nurture and caress these folk further into your product or service web. Below are some tactics that work for us. Happy spinning!
#1. Consistent and structured lead engagement process
Where do your web enquiries go? On a CTA, who is responsible for the initial response? How many times have you run a campaign in the past where the contact point was the really busy partner with a history of responding when “the client work” is done?
To effectively engage leads, it’s crucial to define a consistent and structured process, regardless of the channel the lead originates from. This ensures that every lead is treated with the same level of importance and that no potential opportunity slips through the cracks. Our tips:
- Standardise communication: Develop a set of templates for initial contact, follow-ups, and nurturing emails that can be customised as needed. This will help maintain a consistent tone and message and increase the speed of response.
- Assign responsibility: if automation is not currently an option within your firm (see below), identify a point person with the capacity, templates (see above) and knowledge to deal with the initial response. Have a backup in case this individual is Out Of Office BUT DO NOT create a distribution list for potential respondees as the only thing that happens is that everyone else thinks it’s being picked up by you and vice versa!
- Use a CRM System: Implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to track all interactions with leads. This will ensure that all team members are informed about the status and history of each lead. LINAR uses HubSpot (very good) and team members have previously used PipeDrive (also very good). For larger organisations, it’s worth looking and DealCloud and Salesforce. REMEMBER the golden rule of CRM – sh^t in = sh^t out!
#2. Timing is EVERYTHING
Be honest with yourself. How long, on average, does it take for your firm to respond once a lead has been generated? Within the hour? Punchy. Within 24hrs? I suspect most professional services firms would be happy with this? Don’t know because you don’t track response times? Get a grip! We’re in 2024.
As you can see from the graphics above and below, responding to leads promptly can significantly increase your chances of conversion. Here are some quick tips to help you start increasing your response time.
- Measure them! You cannot improve if you don’t have a baseline to compare to. Use your CRM to monitor response times and identify any delays. Set performance goals for your team to ensure timely engagement with all leads.
- Automate initial responses: Human teams who have other work tasks, need sleep and regular toilet stops cannot hit the response times we’re talking about above, especially if your coverage transcends time zones. Use automated tools to send an immediate acknowledgment email or message to leads, letting them know that you will be in touch shortly.
- Make it easy: In today’s fast-paced world, convenience is king. To keep your leads engaged, make interacting with you as effortless as possible. Make sure your follow up comms is clear and concise, use online scheduling tools like MS Bookings or Calendly and ensure everything is mobile-friendly.
#3. Keeping the Flame Alive
So, you’ve hooked your lead with a lightning-fast response. Congratulations! But now, how do you keep the romance alive? You don’t want your lead to feel like you’re the dating equivalent of a one-hit wonder. Here’s how to keep them engaged and interested:
- Don’t Be a One-Message Wonder: Just like in dating, nobody likes a ghost. Keep the conversation going with regular follow-ups. But beware, there’s a fine line between attentive and stalker. Aim for thoughtful, valuable content that keeps them coming back for more.
- Offer Value, Not Spam: Send them useful information, tips, and resources related to their interests and needs. No one wants to be spammed with sales pitches. Think of it as sending flowers, not junk mail.
- Show Them a Good Time: Invite them to webinars, live demos, or exclusive events. Give them a taste of the VIP treatment. They’ll appreciate the personal touch and remember why they swiped right on you in the first place.
