How to Spot High-Value Leads (Versus Dead-end Prospects)

Thanks for reading The Marketing and Sales Essentials, a new weekly series where we share the behind-the-scenes stories of impactful marketing or sales strategies that we’ve used to get more leads or improve the sales process of our clients and our business.

Want to stay in the know?

Subscribe to this series using the button above and let us know what you want to hear about next week using #MarketingandSalesEssentials in the comments below. Let’s get started…

Recently, I had a vendor approach me about buying a list of ready-made ‘leads’ that had attended an industry conference.

Lucky day! Right?

Well, the offer at face-value isn’t altogether a bad one.

It was an event full of attendees that fit our ideal prospect.

But I took exception to the term ‘lead’ in this situation.

This was a large conference. And the truth is this list of attendees, for the most part would have no idea who I was. Or my company.

They didn’t request any information from us.

So ultimately, it was a cold ‘prospects’ list.

People view marketing agencies and vendors with a critical eye. And it’s because marketers are good at knowing what their prospects want and know how to package it.

And buyers don’t want to be manipulated into a decision. They want results!

One can never be too careful about who to trust in this day and age.?

That’s why today’s #MarketingandSalesEssentials article is an open letter to the Marketing Industry. So whether you work in the marketing department of a company or you run an agency or consultancy, hear this call:

It’s time to hold our definition of a “lead” to a higher standard.?

It’s time to help our clients see the truth that will help them get the results they desire.

It’s time to deliver leads that our clients can do something with.

In short - a prospect is not a lead. And list offers like the one that was being pitched to me aren’t the only culprits in blurring the lines between prospect and lead.

What’s The Standard Of Leads We Should Demand?

Too often I have seen leads defined simply as an opt-in. Or a webinar registrant. Or a call list.

If they fit your client avatar, these are certainly prospects and not to be discarded. However, I think those of us in the industry need to take it a step further.

At Connect 365 , we believe that leads are only leads when they’re qualified. To us that means that a lead is only considered a lead when:

• They are interested in speaking to us and request an appointment.
• They fit the profile of being the most likely decision-maker in that organization.
• And when we know that their type of business is a good fit and we can deliver results for them.

If they do not fit all 3 criteria, to us, they are not a lead. Not yet.?

Sometimes it takes some nurturing to get to that point, but until they reach that point, we do not consider them a lead.

The Danger of Selling ‘Hyped Up’ Leads

The truth is I hope this definition goes industry-wide and that we as marketers aim to raise the bar for all our clients.

In my experience, it ultimately will lead to better results for your clients. In the end, they are looking to grow. And while a large list of opt-ins and prospects can certainly help them do that, if those are the primary metric we are grading the campaign on, the campaign will fall short.

Prospects, opt-ins, registrants - whatever term you want to use - is only part of the story.

Review the quality with your clients regularly and keep tabs on how many of these prospects are taking the next step (booking a call, purchasing, etc.). Without having constant communication and optimizing all your efforts to serve that goal, the relationship will only last so long.

Remember This:

It isn’t enough to “get leads.” You must find the right ones, and that means raising the bar on your leads. When you do this you help your clients take back wasted time, grow a better client base, attract more of their best clients, and have the means to grow your business and your client’s businesses.

Aim to raise the bar on what you consider a “lead”. So when you make connections, take the time to find the right people for you and turn each one into an enduring partnership. Doing this doesn’t just help our clients get leads. This is how we help them take the lead in their industry. You can do this too. Just raise the bar.

Want more? Here’s 3 quick ways to stay in the know.

1. If you’d like more quick marketing tips and insights to help you grow your business, subscribe to #MarketingandSalesEssentials above.
2. Drop us a comment below and let us know how you are building authority and top-of-mind awareness in your market. Or ask us how you can tailor the campaigns mentioned in this article for your business.
3. Want in on updates to our source of quality leads? You guessed it... LinkedIn and click here to get alerts about how YOU can use our brand-new LinkedIn automation solution to drive more connections for your business .