Lead development is still a very big topic. With the new automation levels with tools and the web and all, it is still critical to define what a lead is. With the automation not only of e-blasting for lead development but also the ability to monitor the traffic to your web site, today you have a lot more power to identify targeted opportunities. Attached is a blog from HubSpot on the steps you need to take to define a marketing and sales funnel. Here is the link to the blog: While I support the key points for defining the marketing side of the equation, I have an issue with the sales side of their funnel design. On the marketing side, it is critical to define what a qualified lead is to your organization. This is where marketing and sales must come together. Before marketing ever attempts to put a lead development initiative together, they need to meet with the sales organization to define what you are looking for. What is a qualified lead? What questions do you want answered via the lead development initiative? If this type of lead is identified, is sales prepared to pick up the lead, further qualify it, and move it into the SALES FUNNEL? This last point is a big one for two reasons.
The first has to do with the level of preparation that sales has gone through to pick up the interest level of the lead and qualify it further. The second is that if this is a bonafide lead, then, and only then, does the lead go into the SALES FUNNEL. My major issue with the article is that it significantly simplifies the definition of the sales funnel. The sales funnel should define the buying steps that an organization goes through when they are buying your types of solutions! The article does not give any serious consideration to how the activities of the sales organization are going to drive that lead to closure.
My recommendation: If you have not defined a good lead management system and defined what a qualified lead is in your organization, I suggest that you review this blog. It provides good insight into the considerations for lead definition and development. If you have not defined a sales funnel, then I suggest that you do that in addition to developing your lead funnel. If you would like further assistance on defining your sales funnel, please contact me and I will help you with your design.