The Point

JANUARY 23, 2018

Response rates from tactical, sales-driven campaigns are likely to be lower (because they only attract highly qualified, late stage leads), so companies need to spend more money to generate relatively few opportunities. This requires a constant re-loading of the sales funnel with new, expensive leads. Look, I get it.

Sales Management 253

Sales Management Sales Qualified Leads Demand Generation Agencies Lead Scoring 253

The Point

AUGUST 25, 2015

It’s important to recognize that content syndication leads are not like most sales leads. When someone registers to download a white paper or podcast or case study about the business challenge that your product solves, he or she is expressing an interest in that topic, not necessarily in your product.

Autoresponders 100

Autoresponders Leads Lead Marketing Qualified Leads 100

The Point

OCTOBER 15, 2019

If your organization is generating plenty of leads but those initial inquiries aren’t converting to sales qualified leads, meetings, or pipeline, a myriad of things could be at fault: 1) sales follow-up may be sub-standard in either cadence, frequency, or message. 2) lead nurturing. 2) lead nurturing. Better Content.

Sales Qualified Leads 138

Sales Qualified Leads Work Management Marketing Management Account Based Marketing 138

The Point

APRIL 16, 2019

The key to determining at what point an expensive click becomes TOO expensive is understanding a few key data points: * Maximum Allowable Cost Per Lead (MACPL) * Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) * Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). Failure to Nurture Leads Correctly. Not Doing Everything Possible to Pre-Qualify Prospects.

Cost per Acquisition 235

Cost per Acquisition Paid Search Agency Campaigns Cost Per Click 235

The Point

OCTOBER 22, 2020

A client asks: “I know the answer is probably “it depends” but curious if you think there’s a best practice for how many follow-up nurture emails to send TOFU content syndication leads before you stop due to non-engagement?”. When Should I Stop Nurturing a Lead? The post When Should I Stop Nurturing a Lead?

Sales Qualified Leads 227

Sales Qualified Leads Lead Scoring Lead Ranking Leads 227

The Point

APRIL 19, 2017

No one question will help you create content that drives quality leads – leads that convert more readily to pipeline and revenue – more than this one. In broad terms, early stage content tends to work best for top-of-the-funnel lead generation, when not everyone is interested (yet) in ROI, case studies or vendor comparisons.

Top of Funnel 214

Top of Funnel Demand Generation Agencies Demand Generation Paper 214

The Point

SEPTEMBER 11, 2017

At our agency , we’re seeing great results across a broad swath of clients from LinkedIn Sponsored Updates in particular, at a cost per lead similar to, or sometimes better than, traditional search marketing. The result is fewer unqualified leads from people who would never buy your product.

Paid Search Agency 187

Paid Search Agency Linkedin Demand Generation Agencies Ads 187

The Point

SEPTEMBER 23, 2015

If you’re not generating leads – as in: a lot of leads – from your company’s blog, you’re missing out on what is perhaps not only your best opportunity to convert organic Web traffic into actionable, measurable sales inquiries, but also the best way to actually show real ROI from your social media investment.

Business Blogging 100

Business Blogging Lead Scoring Lead Ranking Generation 100

The Point

FEBRUARY 28, 2023

Certain lead generation programs – notably content syndication – tend to be popular uses of MDF funds because they’re perceived as easier to launch and manage and because they guarantee a tangible result to the sponsor. If you do invest in lead generation, set clear expectations for sales follow-up. Be realistic.

Demand Generation Agencies 147

Demand Generation Agencies Advertising Agencies CMS Development Work Management 147

The Point

MAY 17, 2021

Whatever demand gen channels you use to generate marketing leads, there’s value in always promoting a mix of content and other offers that span the entire buying cycle: early-stage, mid-stage, and late-stage. Use of very short-term metrics will almost certainly devalue those leads and the perceived ROI from the program.

Marketing Management 207

Marketing Management Paid Search Agency Buying Cycle Demand Generation Agencies 207

The Point

MAY 23, 2017

There is a growing trend in the content syndication space, and among Cost Per Lead (CPL) programs in general, for media vendors to offer B2B clients the option of pre-qualified leads. However, over the long term, I’d argue that it’s almost always more cost-effective to qualify your own leads. Here’s why: First, some context.

Sales Qualified Leads 110

Sales Qualified Leads Cost per Lead High Quality Lead CPL 110

The Point

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

If you could layer third-party intent data into every lead gen program you run, would you do it? In other words, would you only ever want marketing leads from prospects pre-determined to be actively researching your category, solution, use case, etc.? My argument: no, you wouldn’t. . Do You Want Intent Data with That? Click To Tweet.

Intent Data 149

Intent Data Demand Generation Agencies Intent Paid Social Agency 149

The Point

JULY 30, 2020

Blogs are historically the province of the PR team, and so they’re not often looked at as a vehicle for driving leads, sales engagement, and revenue. This is one of the most effective ways to convert organic blog traffic to sales leads that you can then nurture over time. Make sure you can measure the blog’s contribution.

Demand 221

Demand Lead Scoring Lead Ranking Marketing Budget 221

The Point

NOVEMBER 14, 2014

And here’s where I think that analysis goes astray: First, demand generation effectiveness is not best measured by which channel generates the highest number of “quality” leads. Second, let’s consider what the survey respondents most likely meant by “lead quality” in this context. Far from it.

Trade Show 100

Trade Show Demand Generation Agencies BtoB Lead Scoring 100

The Point

JULY 14, 2015

In an era when “demand generation” and “content marketing” are virtually synonymous, most B2B sales leads are the result of a prospect downloading or requesting content. That latter group becomes fodder for ongoing nurturing, in the hope that further education and brand awareness will ultimately result in conversion to qualified leads.

Sales Qualified Leads 100

Sales Qualified Leads Marketing Qualified Leads Lead Ranking Top of Funnel 100

The Point

NOVEMBER 22, 2016

For a long time, “ lead nurturing ” was thought of as something you did with the leads that sales didn’t want. The theory was: leads come in, the sales team gets the hot ones, and the rest go to lead nurturing. Today, of course, a comprehensive lead nurturing strategy is much more than that.

Lead Nurturing 100

Lead Nurturing Top of Funnel Sales Qualified Leads Lead Scoring 100

The Point

JUNE 8, 2016

Email may still be the workhorse in how B2B companies build relationships, maintain awareness, qualify leads and nudge prospects along the sales cycle, but these days, it pays to think about “lead nurturing” as more just an email campaign. The post 5 Ways to Expand Lead Nurturing Beyond the Inbox appeared first on The Point.

Lead Nurturing 100

Lead Nurturing Sales Qualified Leads Account Based Marketing Leads 100

The Point

AUGUST 20, 2015

Results are in from a recent survey on B2B Lead Generation by the B2B Technology Marketing Community on LinkedIn ( free report download here ), and the numbers tell a disheartening story. Marketing automation has helped increase lead generation effectiveness by leaps and bounds, but campaign reporting is still a weak link. Why is that?

Lead Generation 100

Lead Generation Demand Generation Agencies Lead Scoring Lead Ranking 100

The Point

JANUARY 27, 2016

Demand Gen Report just published “ Top B2B Marketers Measure Lead Nurturing Effectiveness to Boost Performance ,” a special report in which they address the whys, whats, and how tos of measuring lead nurturing’s true impact. That, ultimately, is what lead nurturing is designed to do – move leads towards opportunity and close.

Lead Nurturing 100

Lead Nurturing Lead Ranking Marketing Qualified Leads Sales Qualified Leads 100

The Point

OCTOBER 8, 2015

Bear with me as I relate a quick story about lead nurturing: A few months back I became a sales lead. A question: at this point, what kind of lead am I? By my own reckoning, I’m an MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead). Perhaps I was an SQL (Sales Qualified Lead) at one point in the conversation, but no longer.

Lead Ranking 100

Lead Ranking Marketing Qualified Leads Sales Qualified Leads Lead Scoring 100

The Point

DECEMBER 18, 2012

Ask a group of B2B marketers whether their Websites’ lead generation content (white papers, archived Webinars, case studies, videos, etc.) At one end of the spectrum, there are those that believe gating Web content is the most efficient way to convert Web visitors to actionable sales leads. The “All You Can Eat” Model.

Lead Ranking 100

Lead Ranking Lead Generation Sales Qualified Leads Marketing Websites 100

The Point

JULY 27, 2018

So, for example, on a spectrum from low to high: * a white paper is a low bar offer (very little asked of the prospect). * a Webinar is a low bar offer (though not as low as a white paper because of the additional time commitment). * a demo or free trial is a high bar offer (due to the time and resources required). *

Account Based Marketing 100

Account Based Marketing Campaigns Multi-Channel Demand Generation Agencies 100

The Point

MARCH 8, 2018

No, the information value of an analyst report is that it offers a credible, side-by-side, third party evaluation of leading products in your category. But when it comes to using that report to generate leads, put the self-congratulation aside, and market the report as a tool for buyers, not a reason to buy your product.

Marketing Report 216

Marketing Report Planning Gartner Demand Generation Agencies 216

The Point

AUGUST 27, 2019

LinkedIn is inherently a content feed, and for that reason, content offers (white papers, ebooks, reports) generate much higher engagement compared to more late stage calls to action such as trials, demos, or “talk to an expert.” Or opt for LinkedIn’s Lead Gen Forms, which generate a pre-populated contact form inside the app.

Paid Content 241

Paid Content Advertising Agencies Linkedin Advertisements 241

The Point

JULY 17, 2017

IMPACT : Ensure that your content library includes relevant late stage content that proves demonstrable ROI (ex: ROI calculators, ROI white papers, case studies). FINDING : 77% of respondents said they conduct a detailed ROI analysis before making a final decision – an 11% increase from 2016.

Paid Search Agency 241

Paid Search Agency Demand Marketing Automation Services Peer-to-peer 241

The Point

SEPTEMBER 29, 2011

When sales teams need marketing to help them make their numbers, the natural response is to go fishing for hot leads. This requires a constant re-loading of the sales funnel with new, expensive leads. In contrast, for Marketo, the proportion of sales derived from slow leads is an astounding 50 percent. The lesson in all this?

Sales Qualified Leads 100

Sales Qualified Leads Lead Scoring Lead Ranking Leads 100

The Point

MAY 4, 2015

However, a well-written abstract can make an enormous difference in helping your content asset stand out from the crowd and, ultimately, driving both increased lead volume and improved lead quality. In a crowded category, an effective abstract can increase lead pace and volume significantly. Drive action.

Paper 100

Paper Content Advertising Agencies Conference 100

The Point

JULY 23, 2012

In an ideal world, all B2B sales leads would be pre-qualified and ready to buy. Of course, in the real world – a world of sales quotas, quarterly revenue goals, and impatient investors – not all stake-holders, especially salespeople, are interested in the notion that the most effective lead generation strategy is a long-term proposition.

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Sales Qualified Leads Leads Lead 100

The Point

JULY 1, 2013

The right white paper title can serve as a very effective way to target the right audience, regardless of where it’s hosted. Again, not all media properties offer custom filters, and if they do, you’ll pay $10+ additional per lead for the privilege. Re-title existing content if needed. Download a copy here.

Demand Generation 100

Demand Generation Paper Sales Qualified Leads Content 100

The Point

AUGUST 9, 2012

A client asks: “I know I can filter our Pay-Per-Lead ( content syndication ) leads on geography and company size. Can I also limit leads to certain job titles?”. My response: To best answer the question, let’s discuss what lead filters are and how they work. What if I want to filter to specific regions or states?

Cost per Lead 100

Cost per Lead Sales Qualified Leads CPL Campaigns 100

The Point

MAY 16, 2018

How about: * a white paper on “10 Most Popular PBX Features (& Top 10 Pet Peeves)”. * a “Business Phone System User Satisfaction Survey” (with a free gift card for responding). * a product comparison matrix or third party report comparing leading phone systems (“How Does Your Current System Rank?”). Again, I do not.

Campaigns 191

Campaigns Tips Demand Generation Agencies Lead Scoring 191

The Point

NOVEMBER 16, 2011

In a recent post , the folks over at Silicon Angle applied their usual insightful analysis to the results of an industry survey by marketing automation company Pardot , a survey that reports fully 42 percent of respondents (all B2B Marketers) have failed to generate any leads from their social media campaigns. Here they are, in a nutshell: 1.

Social Media 100

Social Media Demand Generation Agencies Media Leads 100

The Point

OCTOBER 30, 2013

A client asks: “I notice that you’re recommending we gate our offer content behind landing pages as part of the lead nurturing campaign. If you send the prospect directly to the content (say, a white paper) upon him or her clicking in the email, how confident can you be that the individual is expressing an active interest in your topic?

Lead Nurturing 100

Lead Nurturing Lead Scoring Lead Ranking Landing Pages 100

The Point

JULY 20, 2018

When a reader arrives at a landing page from an email campaign, he or she has already received a critical mass of information about you and the offer – whether that offer is a white paper, Webinar, demo, or whatever. It’s a relatively safe assumption that he or she is already “sold.” For Webinars, include a photo of the speaker.)

Landing Pages 113

Landing Pages Paid Search Agency Ads Cost Per Click 113

The Point

JULY 27, 2016

For example, if you offer prospects a broad, educational white paper on trends in your product category, you’re more likely to generate a wide spectrum of leads, some more qualified than others, and many who are only mildly curious about your solution. No it doesn’t.

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Buy Product Demand Generation 100

The Point

NOVEMBER 15, 2010

Relevancy is one of the key factors in generating a consistent response from your lead nurturing emails: the more relevant your message to the reader’s job function, industry, interests, and stage in the selling cycle, the more likely he/she will be to respond. Lead source. Don’t dump all inbound leads into the same bucket.

Lead Nurturing 100

Lead Nurturing Segmentation Sales Qualified Leads Campaigns 100

The Point

JUNE 29, 2009

Here’s an interesting post by Mike Damphousse of Green Leads that I found through Funnelholic (thanks Craig) on how lead nurturing impacts the effectiveness of calling campaigns designed to secure qualified sales appointments.

Lead Gen 100

Lead Gen Sales Qualified Leads Leads Lead 100