Good verses Great Leads

As marketers we are constantly trying to get more and higher quality leads. In a recent study we found out that the best leads that convert to opportunities and then eventually into sales come from the company's own web site! This shouldn't be too shocking, since most people that fill out a form on your web site and convert into a lead most likely has a pain that your product or service can help alleviate. And some how they've found their way to your web site.

This got me thinking that in all the marketing activities we do, it all comes down to two types of marketing tactics - those activities where we go after prospects, and those where the prospects come to us. And in all the analysis I've done, and I'm sure you would agree, those prospects that come to you are much better leads, with a higher conversion rate, than those where we chase them - such as email blasts, shot gun approach banner ads, trade shows, and so on.

The question is, how do we get more prospects to find us and come to us, at the time of their pain (meaning they are ready to make a purchase potentially). Well, there are only four places that I've counted that you need to be, to get in front of these prospects:

1) The web - of course! People use the web as the first place to start their search for a product or service when they are in need. You want to make sure you have a solid AdWords strategy, and that your web site is very well optimized for search engine. More on that in a future blog post.

2) Analyst Community: Many organizations who make large purchases go to the analyst community for advice. And you better be one of the company names that those analysts throw out as potential products/services. You want to have good relationship with the key analyst firms, and makes sure that they are very well educated on your products and services.

3) Media & Press: This is where people go to read and learn about the latest trends and products. You want to make sure you are well covered in your space.

4) Social Media - This would technically fall in the same category as #1 above (the web), but social media requires its own strategy. Some people who may need a product or service will go to a forum and post their question to the community for product/service recommendations, and/or how to solve a particular problem. You want to have a daily summary of all these posts, and the ability to respond/reply to those folks very quickly. If you don't already know, you can do all this via technology today. More on that later as well.

So, there you have it - four (technically 3) specific places that your prospect go at times of need, and you want to get in front of them at the time they are looking. Investing well in these four categories will surely help improve your overall business.

- yh