Improving Sales Processes using Pre-Lead, Lead and Prospect feedback
As a career business development guy, I've always been intrigued by the potential of feedback enhanced selling. And, in particular since I began representing QuestBack, a feedback management tool. Yet even for me, until recently it seemed like collecting feedback from leads and prospects was just as easily done via direct e-mails or phone calls. After all, what else are sales people supposed to do except directly communicate with leads, prospects and customers?
When I look at sales jobs today, often the expectation is for sales people to contact 100 people per day by phone. Now, no one expects anyone to have conversations with 100 people daily. But these firms want their sales folks to dial 100 times a day in order to have maybe five meaningful conversations. Every time I see this it bothers me. It would appear that companies are willing to pay people to engage in behavior that results in essentially a 95% failure rate. And, with buyers not answering their phones at all, will the number of calls be 200 a day next year or 500 five years from now? I don't know. But ten years ago expectations were for sales people to contact 50 leads per day. So, the number is rising and unless a new process is found, its likely to continue to do so.
So the question is: Is there a way to get from 5 conversations in a day to 6, 7 or 8? I think possibly there is. Using web or e-mail based surveys may offer a solution. Some reasons leads don't engage with sales people are: Timing is wrong (no plans to buy for awhile), Solution "fit" is bad, or more preferable alternatives are available and "on the table". Hence, no desire to talk to your sales people and no contact is made. If done well lead feedback will help sales reps with timing their calls to contacts, with understanding the contacts needs and with avoiding contacting leads where no fit exists. Result, less stressed sales reps, more targeted calling, more prospects in the funnel, happier and more qualified leads and prospects. All good stuff.
Some thoughts on when to gather feedback from leads or prospects:
http://www.questback.com/areas-of-use/private-sector/lead-generation/
As a career business development guy, I've always been intrigued by the potential of feedback enhanced selling. And, in particular since I began representing QuestBack, a feedback management tool. Yet even for me, until recently it seemed like collecting feedback from leads and prospects was just as easily done via direct e-mails or phone calls. After all, what else are sales people supposed to do except directly communicate with leads, prospects and customers?
When I look at sales jobs today, often the expectation is for sales people to contact 100 people per day by phone. Now, no one expects anyone to have conversations with 100 people daily. But these firms want their sales folks to dial 100 times a day in order to have maybe five meaningful conversations. Every time I see this it bothers me. It would appear that companies are willing to pay people to engage in behavior that results in essentially a 95% failure rate. And, with buyers not answering their phones at all, will the number of calls be 200 a day next year or 500 five years from now? I don't know. But ten years ago expectations were for sales people to contact 50 leads per day. So, the number is rising and unless a new process is found, its likely to continue to do so.
So the question is: Is there a way to get from 5 conversations in a day to 6, 7 or 8? I think possibly there is. Using web or e-mail based surveys may offer a solution. Some reasons leads don't engage with sales people are: Timing is wrong (no plans to buy for awhile), Solution "fit" is bad, or more preferable alternatives are available and "on the table". Hence, no desire to talk to your sales people and no contact is made. If done well lead feedback will help sales reps with timing their calls to contacts, with understanding the contacts needs and with avoiding contacting leads where no fit exists. Result, less stressed sales reps, more targeted calling, more prospects in the funnel, happier and more qualified leads and prospects. All good stuff.
Some thoughts on when to gather feedback from leads or prospects:
- During website visits. Surveys should be offered to visitors regarding the information being presented. Idea is to identify if the information provided is sufficient and helpful or if they want more or even a contact from you.
- After a lead enters ther sales funnel. Survey should be done to ascertain sales cycle stage, needs analysis and timeline perception. Idea is to gauge interest level, understand budgets, determine competition and understand perception of your company's offering.
- After a sales person has made direct contact with a lead. Idea is to determine if the lead learned what they needed from you to move forward. And, did his perception of you improve or deteriorate?
- After an inside sales representative designates a lead as a prospect. Idea is to validate the action and learn what the new prospect perceives about your offering that causes him to be interested in additional dialogue.
- After a "key account manager" has been in contact with a prospect. Idea is to validate that the prospect sees the product fit and sales cycle in the same way your KAM has reported it. Collecting feedback 30, 60 or 90 days after a relationship has been started should help with understanding the possibiltiies for a sale occurring.
http://www.questback.com/areas-of-use/private-sector/lead-generation/
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