The Dos and Donts of Lead Generation

1
The Dos and Donts of Lead Generation

• Presented by
• Jennifer Wilson
• November 5, 2002

2
Our Objective

• To learn practitioner perspectives on the primary
  do's and don'ts of lead generation in the CURRENT
  IT economy.
• Leave with confidence that your next lead
  generation expenditures will be well spent!

3
Our Agenda

• Put our subject in context
• Discuss lead generation survey process
• Review survey results
• Compare results to audience experiences
• Evaluate possible conclusions
• Share some of our experiences
• QA
• Bonus section tips for top 3 lead sources

4
Session Ground Rules

• Share!
• Interactivity is encouraged
• We only have 50 minutes we may have to be
  flexible to fit it all in

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Lead Generation vs. Branding

• Is there a difference?
• What is it?
• Why do we generate leads?
• What methods do we use to generate leads?
• How do we judge our success generating leads?
• Are there other things to consider?

6
Lead Generation Survey

• 12 question survey
• Developed by CC, LLC with input from Jo Ann
  Benzer
• Used new on-line survey tool, turbosurvey.com
• Sent e-mail to ITA Group T firms plus 25 CC, LLC
  friends
• 32 firms participated (35.5 of 90 firms)

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Survey Results

• Identifying questions
• Firm type
• 45 firms responding are IT firms NOT part of CPA
  firm
• 29 IT consulting practice within a CPA firm
• 19 IT firms associated with CPA firms
• 7 Internal IT group
• Size of firm
• 26 less than 1 million in IT consulting
  revenues
• 48 between 1-3 million
• 19 between 3-7 million
• 3 between 7-10 million
• 3 over 10 million

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Survey Results

• Marketing strategy
• Have identified ideal target for leads
• 38 strongly agree
• 53 somewhat agree
• 9 neither agree or disagree
• Are interested in generating leads for
• Accounting software 94
• Vertical solutions 72
• E-business 63
• CRM 59
• Custom development 57
• Network infrastructure/architecture 53

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Survey Results

• Lead generation techniques and effectiveness
• Top response to every category tested was either
  Somewhat effective or Neither effective or
  ineffective no real winners!
• Alliances received highest effectiveness rating
• 88 rated as somewhat to very effective
• Seminars as second most effective
• 69 rated as somewhat to very effective

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Survey Results

• Article writing was next
• 56 rated somewhat to very effective
• Trade shows, public speaking and teleprospecting
  tied as 4th most effective
• 53 rated somewhat to very effective
• Direct mail was 5th
• 44 rated somewhat to very effective
• Webinars were 6th
• 41 rated somewhat to very effective
• Paid lead service was 7th
• 28 rated somewhat to very effective
• Advertising was last
• 19 rated somewhat to very effective
• 41 rated somewhat to very ineffective

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Survey Results

• Qualitative questions
• Most effective lead source
• Answers were all over the map
• Referrals, alliances, vendors, partners, word of
  mouth and clients were most common
• Why most effective?
• Vendors control opportunities alliances/referrals
  breed trust and open doors
• Least effective
• Answers again vary greatly
• Single most consistent response yellow pages
  advertising
• Why least effective?
• Clients use on-line search engines and services

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Share Your Lead Generation Experiences With

• Alliance building
• Seminar selling
• Article writing
• Trade shows
• Public speaking
• Teleprospecting
• Direct mail
• Paid services
• Advertising

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Possible Conclusions

• No one single lead source is it
• An integrated marketing approach is needed
• To make multiple impressions and develop
  mindshare
• To hedge your bets
• Time consuming strategic alliance and referral
  network development is paying off and seminar
  selling is worth exploring
• Advertising is being seen as a lead generation
  technique but it is a brand building investment
  
• Need to set appropriate expectations about
  different marketing vehicles within the firm

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CC, LLC Experience Says

• Lead generation should
• Be an outcome of your overall marketing plan and
  should support your companys value proposition
  and unique competitive differentiation
• First focus on your existing client base client
  surveying and cross selling are the foundation
  for your growth and stability!
• Next focus on the prospect you ALREADY have
• Focus LAST on very specific initiatives with a
  specific ideal target defined by time and size
  of business
• Have a multi-faceted mix of
• Fax and E-mail to warm prospects
• Web surveying techniques
• Teleprospecting
• Attention grabbing direct mail
• Offer something!
• Seminar, web seminar, briefing, lunch and learn,
  white paper, book, consultation

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CC, LLC Experience Says

• Lead generation campaigns consistently succeed
  when
• Internal education and expectation setting is
  done before launch
• Roles and responsibilities for opportunity
  follow-up are clearly defined
• Incentives are in place to reinforce assigned
  behaviors
• Regular accountability meetings (pipeline review,
  etc.) occur
• Lead sources are monitored, tracked and resourced
  according to success

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Questions?

• Contact me at
• jen_at_convergencecoaching.com

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Bonus Section Alliance Building How Tos

• Identify key alliance prospects who else
  provides services to the type of clients you want
  to serve?
• Understand your alliance prospects business model
  and industry
• Identify the top 3-5 things that your alliance
  prospect will gain through an alliance with your
  firm be able to articulate them

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Bonus Section Alliance Building How Tos

• Develop an alliance marketing strategy
• How do you get the names of key contacts at
  firms who fit your alliance prospect profile?
• What is the best way to reach out to alliance
  prospects?
• Consider networking events, trade conferences and
  seminars and forums you host as best possible
  alliance lead generation techniques

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Bonus Section Alliance Building How Tos

• Remember genuine working alliances
• Take many meetings and much time to bring to
  fruition
• Are based upon a win-win-win value proposition
  and mutual trust and respect
• Need to be nurtured on an ongoing basis
• Require focus from principals in your business.

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Bonus Section Alliance Building How Tos

• Vendor alliance strategy
• These are most important alliance partners
• Get to know your sales representatives and their
  managers meet and socialize with them whenever
  possible
• Understand the lead distribution process ask
  how you can earn more leads then do the things
  they tell you
• Capitalize on opportunities to educate people at
  the vendor on your business, your commitment to
  their solutions and what makes you unique or
  different give them the tools to confidently
  recommend you!
• Diligently provide the vendor lead status
  information be organized and follow their
  requested procedures. If they dont have formal
  mechanisms for lead feedback, create your own
  provide feedback in writing
• The vendor has to believe that you value the lead
  as much or more than they do

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Bonus Section Seminar/ Webinar How Tos

• Same rules apply for both
• Consider a turn-key, repetitive approach to your
  invitation process
• Ensure your offering has an educational component
  -- no one wants hear all about you
• Develop a compelling invite -- change the look
  and medium if used repetitively
• Develop an offer (as mentioned in earlier slides)
  for those who attend

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Bonus Section Seminar/Webinar How Tos

• Use a mixture of presentation mediums
• Create an interactive environment in the seminar
  setting avoid lengthy lectures listen-only for
  presentation portion of webinars
• PowerPoint within reason
• Demonstrate where possible
• Consider multiple speakers and invite industry or
  technology experts (they can be virtually
  present on webinars!)
• Direct mail rules apply for seminar invitations
• Teleprospecting is the only way to fill seats

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Bonus Section Article Writing How Tos

• Large opportunity for consultants/specialists
• Seek professional help if you are uncomfortable
• Write about things you are an expert on
• Never sell
• Approach editors of publications that serve your
  ideal target market
• Propose story idea title and brief description
  or outline
• If awarded an opportunity, be sure to find out
• Deadline for submission
• Approximate word count
• Key dos and donts
• What else they want biography, digital picture,
  other graphics
• Keep your commitments to editors!