Content marketing has companies rethinking the concept of the sales funnel. Today, buyers consult their peers, recommendation engines, and even total strangers for decision-making advice. Prospects may enter the funnel knowing far more about you and your products than they did just a few years ago.
This may compress the buying cycle and lower sales costs, but it also presents new challenges.
For starters, marketers must create compelling content that attracts prospects at every stage of the buying cycle in order to succeed. Also, easy access to social sharing channels means increasing pressure to provide more (and more distinctive) content in a growing ocean of competing messages.
This in-depth workshop explores the many new options available to attract inbound prospects, and how to create a framework for matching content to buyer needs. Learn how to assess you current content assets, identify gaps, and find the most appropriate tools to help fill you content portfolio. Uncover the best ways to address content to prospects at different stages and with different levels of awareness.
Develop Compelling Content for Each Stage of the Buying Cycle - A MarketingProfs B2B Forum Workshop
1. Develop Compelling
Content for Each Stage of
the Buying Cycle
A B2B Marketing Forum Workshop
Author:
Paul Gillin The New Influencers
@pgillin Secrets of Social Media Marketing
Social Marketing to the Business Customer
Attack of the Customers (late 2012)
2. How We Share Influence
PRE MEDIA AGE MASS MEDIA AGE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE
Talk face to face Personal blog Comments on blogs
Phone call Social network page Comments on websites
Talk face to face
Talk to shop worker Widgets Viral emails
Phone call
Consult a professional Video sharing site Auction websites
Talk face to face Talk to shop worker
Readers Letters Photo sharing site Wish lists
Talk to shop worker Consult a professional
Phone in; TV / Radio Chat rooms Ratings on retail sites
Readers letters
SMS Message boards Reviews on retail sites
Phone in; TV / Radio
Email Social Bookmarking Price comparison sites
Instant Messenger Chat room Social shopping sites
Customer influence channels
@pgillin
#mpb2b Source: Universal McCann Erickson
3. The Sales Funnel…
Suspects
Qualified Prospects
Hot Prospects
New Clients
@pgillin Image Credit: Retail Sales Systems, LLC
#mpb2b
4. …Has Been Flipped…
Respond & Iterate
Invite Engagement
Listen
Go Where the People Are
@pgillin Image Credit: Retail Sales Systems, LLC
#mpb2b
6. New World Prospecting
INBOUND OUTBOUND
SEO Bottom-up lead gen
Blogs Enhanced lead
Twitter
qualification
Content Premiums Multiple points of
engagement
Word of Mouth
@pgillin
#mpb2b
7. Integration Now Means “Everything”
Value of Specific Marketing Communications Programs
100
75
10 of 14 achieved
50
50% top 2 box score
25
0
Public Internet Word of In-store/ Direct Social Mobile
Relations Mouth/Viral Point of Sale response Networking Marketing
advertising
General Search Engine Sales Event Sponsorship Branded Videogame
Advertising Marketing Promotion Marketing Entertainment Advertising
@pgillin Source: Association of National Advertisers, 2010
#mpb2b
12. Possible Questions to Ask
•Do they read blogs?
•Are they active on Twitter, Facebook, or other social networks?
•What kind of search terms do they use? Do they subscribe to any
email newsletters?
•What kind of information do they tend to consume online?
•Educational pieces? Trend articles? Interactive tools like calculators or
worksheets?
•Do they watch videos or listen to podcasts?
•How do they research products?
@pgillin
#mpb2b
15. Social Private Review Virtual
Choosing Tools Blog Podcast Video
Network community engine world
Build community
Counter negativity
Crisis management
Customer conversation
Expose employee talent
Generate web traffic
Humanize the company
Market research
Media relations
Generate new product ideas
Product promotion
Customer service
Customer feedback
Find advocates
Sales leads
16. Tools for the Funnel
Suspect White paper | eBook
Analyst report | Publication
Blog | Article | Tweet | Podcast
Qualified prospect
Quality
Contact Case study | Video testimonial
Guided tour | Product demo
Hot Webinar | Press coverage
prospect Glossary | ROI calculator
New Free trial/Consultation
customer Help desk | Chat | Forum
Training | Usage tips
Contact information
@pgillin Source: NowSpeed Marketing, Inc.
#mpb2b
18. Testimonials
Community
Newsletter
Explainer
Webinar
Match Tools to
Ebook/
Demos
Offer
Tech
Blog
Customer
Type
Awareness
Research
Comparison
Purchase
Loyal Customer
At-risk
Customer
19. Segment Customer Behavior
Who are your High
Enthusiasts
high-value
Leading-Edge Technology
customers?
Online Aficianados
How do they Practicals
typically enter
your sales
funnel? How Best Buy
Ambivalent Aspirers
segments its
customers
Low Deal Drivers
High Low
Price Sensitivity
@pgillin
#mpb2b
20. Develop Content for Each Stage
Topic: Choosing a
Commercial Printer
Awareness The Magic of the Printed Experience
Research A Printer is a Partner: Make Smart Choices
Consideration Commercial Printing Selection Checklist
Purchase How Print Delivered for This Retailer
Loyal Customer Integrating Print and Online Marketing
At-Risk Customer About Our Customer Rewards Program
@pgillin
#mpb2b
21. Develop Media Plan for Each Message
Message: A Printer is a Partner: Make Smart Choices
Offer Introductory or follow-on discount
Newsletter ‗The Magic of Print‘ monthly
Blog Employee Spotlight
Explainer ‗Behind the Press‘ educational videos
Demo Request a sample kit
Testimonial Spotlight long-time customers
@pgillin
#mpb2b
25. Who‟s Your Reader?
•Professional?
•Enthusiast?
•Peer?
•Novice?
•Investor?
•Competitor?
•Media?
It may help to post a
You can’t communicate effectively with picture of that
an audience you don’t know. When you person on your
write, visualize your reader. office wall!
@pgillin
#mpb2b
26. It‟s More Than Demographics
Know your reader on a psychographic level:
Motivations
Fears
Passions
Goals
Self-Image
Needs
Desires
@pgillin
#mpb2b
28. Package Knowledge You Already Have
Today, you can take
your message directly
to your constituents
without relying upon
media intermediaries
And why would you
not want to do that?
@pgillin
#mpb2b
29. Help Others
Clickable’s Gurus
Goal Generate Leads!
Tactic Build awareness by sharing
domain knowledge
Metrics Unique visits; Online
mentions; Referrals;
Conversions
Results 2,000% increase in site
visitors
300% jump in buzz index
50% increase in customers
400% increase in ad billings
30. Lead Gen Excellence
73 blogs
17 bloggers
600% jump in
leads
Top quality
―Get engineers talking to engineers and get everyone else out of the
middle.‖
Rick Short, Marcom Director
@pgillin
#mpb2b
31. A Reader is a Lead
Each blog has the
option to ask a
question of the
engineer
@pgillin
#mpb2b
40. Lower Cost Per Lead
$400 $373
$346
$350 $332
$300
$250
$200
$150 $134 $143 $135
$100
$50
$0
2010 2011 2012
Inbound-dominated Outbound-dominated
@pgillin
#mpb2b HubSpot 2012 State of Inbound Marketing Study
41. Why Search Matters
• Your press releases reach people directly
• So does all the content on your website:
– Podcasts
– Videos
– Newsletters
– Blogs
You are now
the media
Source: Mike Moran
@pgillin
#mpb2b
42. Did You Know?
• The top 25 Google results for ―personal
computer‖ only include one PC maker?
• Links from .org, .edu, .mil and .gov sites
significantly improve your search
performance?
• The #1 search result for ―click here‖ is
Adobe Reader?
• The more often you update your website,
the more often Google visits it?
• Wikipedia is one of the most valuable link
sources on the Internet?
@pgillin
#mpb2b
43. B2B SEO
Cloud computing
Platform as a service
search volume
Cloud platform retail
time
@pgillin
Focus on Long Tail Keywords. Source: Eric Schwartzman
#mpb2b
44. Choose “Just Right” Keywords
• Don‘t target keywords that are ―too hot‖
(they multiple meanings or are poor
matches for your site).
• Avoid keywords that are ―too cold‖—too
few searchers look for them.
• Use the language the searcher uses: An
Italian tour operator targets ―milano tours‖
but Americans say ―milan tours‖.
• Walmart calls them ―associates,‖ but
everyone else calls them ―employees.‖
• A computer maker thinks ―notebook‖
sounds classier than ―laptop,‖ but
customers don‘t.
• Someone looking for ―lodging‖ seeks
something different than someone
searching for ―hotel.‖
Source: Mike Moran
@pgillin
#mpb2b 44
46. Keywords Everywhere
Inflow has keywords
in both the domain
and the page title
The word “inventory” appears four times on the home
page and in every page title on the site.
The site description and meta tags reinforced that this
site is about inventory management
@pgillin
#mpb2b
47. But There‟s More
Magazine
Image “alt” tags feature is a
repeat keyword valuable
inbound link
Social sharing
enhances legitimacy
@pgillin
#mpb2b
48. LINK LOVE
Inbound links are the secret sauce of
modern search engines, and the
rules change all the time.
49. Why Do Search Engines Care About Links?
They are votes for
quality
They mimic citations in
scientific research
papers
The best papers have
the most citations
Source: Mike Moran
@pgillin
#mpb2b
50. How Do Search Engines Value Links?
The most links
From the best sites
With the right anchor text PageRank is Google‘s
name for its page factor
ranking
Source: Mike Moran
@pgillin
#mpb2b
51. Sweat the Details - Anchor Text Matters
Click here
Or
Small business inventory management
Both can link to the same page, but the second
link is more descriptive. If it links to you, it
improves your ranking for that search term.
@pgillin
#mpb2b
57. Create a Master Calendar
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Event CES Multi-city User European Annual Partner Christmas
road show confer- vacations meeting confer-
ence, ence
Memorial
Day
Promotion New 2-for-1 Fun ‘n’ Sun 2-for-1 Budget Toys for
customer upgrade Promotion upgrade planning Tots
offer Campaign
Product Line Mobile Servers Storage Printers Laptops Service Service Network Hardware Servers Storage Gadgets
Plan Plan Upgrades
Focus
Content NL NL NL NL NL Blog 1X NL Blog 1X NL NL NL Holiday
Blog 2X Blog 2X Blog 2X Blog 2X Blog 2X E-Book Blog 2X Blog 2X Blog 2X cards
Webcast White E-book Webcast Webcast Webcast White
Paper Paper
@pgillin
#mpb2b
59. Who Are You?
•Helpful?
•Funny?
•Professorial?
•Empathetic?
•Snarky?
•Unpredictable?
Your style should be
comfortable, consistent
and distinctive.
@pgillin
#mpb2b
60. Model Others
Moore
Professorial
Godin Instructive
Provocateur Insightful
Rabble-rouser
Everyman
Ivins
Folk poet
Garfield Populist
Hell-raiser The aunt you
Cynical wish you had
Wickedly funny
@pgillin
#mpb2b
61. What‟s Your Point?
•What unique skill or
perspective you can bring to Branding
the subject?
Technology
•What‘s one clear message you
want to convey? Health Care
•Explain something Customer Care
•Whose story hasn‘t been told?
Strategy
•Defy conventional wisdom
Analytics
Search
@pgillin
#mpb2b
62. Recruit and Manage Writers
•Experts, enthusiasts, influencers
•Recruitment plan for quality
writers and influencers
•Engagement model: ability to
pay for performance
•Writer tools and dashboard for
managing assignments: for
content at scale
•Writer payments and support
•Pay will depend on expertise,
effort required per assignment
•There are a lot of journalists
looking for work these days
@pgillin
#mpb2b 62
64. Ideas: Trending Topics
Tag clouds and discovery sites
show what‘s new and topical.
Bookmarking sites have
element of surprise.
Many publications publish
constantly updated ―most read‖
lists.
Trade associations, industry
publications and prominent
bloggers are useful in B2B
scenarios.
@pgillin
#mpb2b
65. Ideas: RSS Feeds
•Subscribe to sites you like •Aggregate or add your own
•Subscribe to topical feeds in commentary
business or trade publications •Share & comment
•Create topical feeds
@pgillin
#mpb2b
67. Other Idea Sources
• Interview someone real • Create a top 10 list
• Interview someone • Aggregate other
fictional opinions
• Interview yourself • Conduct a poll
• Visit a quote site • Make a list
• Talk to children • Predict something, then
• Write a case study defend
@pgillin
#mpb2b
68. Keep the Idea Pipeline Full
Bookmark, tag and categorize
Tweet inspirations so you won‘t lose them
Create templates of reliable story-telling
techniques (swipe file)
Learn the de Bono technique (white hat,
black hat, green hat, etc.)
Practice writing in the style of the people you
most like to read
@pgillin
#mpb2b
71. Focus, Focus, Focus
• Ask yourself, ―What‘s this Select Identify
point of
List key
idea points
about?‖ view
• Start with the headline.
• Make your point at the
Write
outset, then support it. Revise
• Limit the number of Publish
points you in each entry.
• Modularize
• Invite feedback. Rule of Thumb: If you have
more than two key points, create
a new entry
@pgillin
#mpb2b
73. 15 Ways to Approach a Topic
1. Quiz: Test Your Privacy IQ
2. Skeptic: You Don‘t Control Your Privacy Anymore
3. Explainer: The Online Privacy Debate in Plain English
4. Case Study: How One Person Got Control over Privacy
5. Contrarian: Why Online Privacy Concerns Are Overblown
6. How To: Five Steps to Improving Online Privacy
7. How NOT To: Five Ways to Compromise Your Online Privacy
8. First Person: My Personal Privacy Horror Story
9. Comparison: How Privacy Protection Services Measure Up
10. Q&A: Five Common Questions About Online Privacy
11. Data: Survey Data Indicates Privacy Problems Worsening
12. „Man on the Street‟: Experts Offer Opinions on the State of Online
Privacy
13. Outrageous: Why Online Privacy Is an Oxymoron
14. Poetic: Online Privacy Haiku
15. Humorous: Abbott and Costello Talk Online Privacy
74. It‟s All In Your Angle
Insight: The Real Hunger Games: Our Insatiable Apocalyptic Appetite
Paradox: GOP: Killing Vulnerable Americans With Kindness – Literally
Humor: Tim Tebow's Guide to Becoming a New Yorker
Bad News: Pain at the Pump: Time to Embrace the New Normal
Contrarian: 6 Ways to Screw Up Your Social Media Strategy
@pgillin
#mpb2b
76. FAQ Yourself
Q&A interviews are
one of the most
effective ways to
organize and
compartmentalize
information.
@pgillin
#mpb2b
77. Repackage and Combine
• Combine text from an old whitepaper
with new videos to create a
multimedia ebook.
• Turn videos into blog posts and
ebooks.
• Use webinar questions and
comments to create a new ebook.
• Share all company presentations in
multiple formats.
@pgillin
#mpb2b
79. Secrets of Successful Columnists
• Find a topic that excites you
• Frame it in a context with which
readers can identify
• Make it personal (but don‘t just
keep saying ―I‖)
• Provoke but don‘t insult
• Make your point, then explain it
• You must have supporting facts
• Cultivate dissent
@pgillin
#mpb2b
80. I Just Can‟t Get Started
When your mind is stuck in neutral…
• Start in the middle
• Write a letter
• Just write; you can edit later
• List thoughts in bullet points
• Model someone else‘s approach
• Take a walk, clear your head
• Tell story to a friend or colleague
• Tell the story to a celebrity
• Tell it to a child or your mother
@pgillin
#mpb2b
83. Use Social Media To…
• Identify Topics • Test Messages
• Generate Content • Capture Leads
• Gather Feedback • Strengthen Relationships
Social Media Influence on E-Mail Marketing
Extend E-mail reach 81 3 16
Increase Brand Awareness 78 3 19
Improve ROI of E-mail 53 7 40
Grow E-mail Lists 47 10 43
Generate Leads 31 13 57
Agree Disagree Not Sure
Source: EMarketer
@pgillin
#mpb2b
84. E-mails Should Live on Your Website
Always Use Your Own
Domain!
@pgillin
#mpb2b
85. Map E-mail to the Funnel
Stage Of The E-mail Vehicle
Funnel
Awareness Industry Insight; News roundup
Research Buying tips; Expert insights
Buying tips; Product-specific guides;
Comparison
Case studies
Purchase Offers; Case studies; Customer benefits
Product updates; Company updates;
Loyal Customer
Product tips
At-risk Customer Offers; Survey; Feedback requests
86. On the Back End…
• Use unique URLs in each venue.
• Customize landing pages to audience.
• Gather social contact information.
• Tag social content for e-mail customization.
@pgillin
#mpb2b
88. Webinar Success Tips
Vary format – avoid one speaker, one deck
Use multiple speakers, short format, screen cams, polls, interactive
Q&A
Align topics with the buying stage
Link assets where possible
A webcast nicely complements a white paper
Choose experienced speakers
Write short descriptions and bios
Consider lead gen tradeoffs – avoid complex registrations
Post archives in all relevant channels
YouTube, SlideShare, Vimeo, blog
@pgillin
#mpb2b
90. Video Success Tips
Have a clear objective
Keep it brief – five minutes max – and break up long
subjects if necessary
Use the medium – video is experiential
Avoid talking heads
Show movement, action, on-location shots
Pan and zoom
Seek sound bytes
Use voice-overs with stock footage
Identify speakers
Write detailed, search-optimized descriptions
Use tags and categories
91. The “B” in B2B Doesn‟t Mean “Boring”
Laugh at yourself. Pick the most serious part of your business and make fun of it.
Shift context. Envision a customer support call done in rap or haiku.
Disrupt expectations. Use the ―sharp left turn‖ approach. Set expectations and then
veer off in an entirely different direction.
Exaggerate. What aspect of your business would be funny if you made it bigger,
louder or purple?
Poke fun at pain. What drives your audience nuts? Clueless customers? Endless
meetings? Absurd deadlines?
Be silly. Use analogies to situations that have nothing to do with business to
humanize dry topics.
@pgillin
#mpb2b
94. Podcast Success Tips
• Make it a series
• Q&As are good, but you can also deliver audio
white papers
• The longer the program, the more varied the
content should be
• Use consistent moderators
• Write detailed show notes with links
• Fill out the ID3 tags
• Make available via RSS
@pgillin
#mpb2b
96. Stagger Activities
White Paper Promotion Timeline
Task Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Home page link
E-mail newsletter
E-mail blast
Blog promotion
Twitter messaging
@pgillin
#mpb2b
100. The Power of 245
The average Facebook member has 245 friends, who each
receive notifications of their network‟s Facebook activities
@pgillin
#mpb2b
102. Respect the Medium
People go to…
To Play
To Work
To Share
To Learn or Be Entertained
Customize the message to the audience (and leave
room for retweets!)
@pgillin
#mpb2b
103. Speak the Audience‟s Language
Who‘s primarily responsible for
finding and implementing CRM in
your organization?
This article says IT is often the group
charged with buying and implementing
CRM. Is that the right way to go about it?
Take our poll: Who should ―own‖
CRM?
Sales, Marketing, IT, Customer
Care…
How to #fail at #CRM – The most
common mistakes to avoid.
http://bit.ly/McJoBs
@pgillin
#mpb2b 103
104. LinkedIn Is Where Professionals Gather
A great place
to promote
professional
content
@pgillin
#mpb2b
105. Tools of Influence and Discovery
Join groups to discover trends
and selling opportunities
Learn by asking a question
Showcase your knowledge by
answering questions
See who‘s attending events
and share your own
Poll your connections
for quick feedback
@pgillin
#mpb2b
106. Map Social Networks to the Funnel
Goal:
Suspects Optimize
sharing
Goal:
Demonstrate
Qualified Prospects expertise, exp
erience
Goal: Address lingering
Hot Prospects doubts; reinforce
expertise
Goal: Validate
New Clients decision
@pgillin Image Credit: Retail Sales Systems, LLC
#mpb2b
110. Eloqua Gives
―We feel that people will be so wowed by our ingredients that they'll assume we're a company of chefs,‖ explains Joe Chernov, Eloqua's director of
content.
―We feel that people will be
so wowed by our ingredients
that they'll assume we're a
company of chefs.‖
-Joe Chernov, VP, Content Marketing.
113. Think POE: Paid, Owned, Earned
PAID
Display Ads
SEM
Sponsorships
OWNED
content Web Site
Mobile Site
Blog
Twitter Account
EARNED
WOM
Buzz
Viral
@pgillin
#mpb2b Source: Forrester Research
113
114. How Dell Creates a Social Organization
Three Foundation Courses
Marketing 2002: Marketing 2003: Marketing 2005:
Social Media Principles Tactics and Tools Supporting the Brand
Plus One Platform of Choice
Marketing 2006: Marketing 2007: Marketing 2008: Marketing 2016:
Building Relationships Twitter Best Practices Dell Communities LinkedIn
on Facebook
= Dell Social Media and
Communities (SMaC)
Certification
@pgillin
#mpb2b
115. Sprint‟s Ninjas
• Voluntary program
• Help monitor social channels
• Engage with customers at the
point of the problem
• Share best practices through
workshops
• Communicate upwards and
sideways about hot issues
@pgillin
#mpb2b
117. What is Lead Scoring?
―A shared sales and marketing methodology for ranking leads in order
to determine their sales-readiness. You score leads based on the
interest they show in your business, their current place in the buying
cycle and their fit in regards to your business.‖
--Marketo
Did You Know…
• Only 25% of leads are ―sales ready?‖
• A 10% increase in lead quality can translate into a 40% increase in
sales productivity?
• Lead scoring promotes sales/marketing harmony?
@pgillin
#mpb2b
118. Lead Scoring Basics
BANT - Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline
Tip: Gather data from third-party sources whenever
possible. Minimize barriers to prospect engagement
Create a Scoring Scale
Activity Score Importance Total
Clicks link in email about industry 3 1 4
Clicks link in email about company 3 5 8
Clicks link in email about specific product 3 10 13
Source: Marketo Definitive Guide to Lead Scoring
@pgillin
#mpb2b
119. Active vs. Passive Leads
Active Leads Passive Leads
Frequent, recent activity Infrequent, occasional activity
Access demos, price sheets, samples Click links, visit Web pages, download
backgrounders
Register for and attend events Register but don‘t attend
Respond in minutes or hours Respond in days or not at all
@pgillin
#mpb2b
120. Key Steps
• Convene sales/marketing strategy session
• Review past deals and future opportunities
• Identify buyer behaviors
• Profile ideal customers
• Agree upon customer categories
• Assign scores based upon desired attributes and
behaviors
@pgillin
#mpb2b
121. Examples of Explicit Criteria
Individual Business
Title Rankings/Stock Indexes (ex: Fortune
Role 500)
Purchasing authority Number of employees
Number of direct reports Company revenue
Years of experience Revenue velocity
Specialties Financial viability
Type of email used Number of products sold
(Gmail, corporate, Yahoo) Location
Years at current position Website traffic
Designations/Certifications Year founded
Honors and awards received Organizational structure
Social network participation Partners
Social network connections
Social network influence
Source: Marketo Definitive Guide to Lead Scoring
@pgillin
#mpb2b
122. Examples of Behavioral Criteria
Blog posts Product data sheets Workbooks
Viewed Viewed Viewed
Viewed multiple times Viewed multiple times Viewed multiple times
Commented Downloaded Downloaded
Clicked link inside Clicked link inside Clicked link inside
Rated Brochures Emails
Shared via social sharing Viewed Opened
button Viewed multiple times Opened multiple times
Press releases Downloaded Clicked in
Viewed Clicked link Inside Clicked in multiple times
Viewed multiple times Manuals Case studies
Clicked link inside Viewed Viewed
Download asset promoted Viewed multiple times Viewed multiple times
inside Downloaded Downloaded
Books/eBooks Clicked link inside Clicked link inside
Viewed Reference guides Contacted
Viewed multiple times Viewed
Downloaded Viewed multiple times
Clicked link inside Downloaded
Clicked link inside
Tip: Negative scoring criteria also matter:
Unsubscribes
Non-product web pages viewed
Decline in activity
Added to ―Do Not Call‖ list Source: Marketo Definitive Guide to Lead Scoring
123. Assign Point Values
Attribute Value Score
Critical (10-15 points)
Title Director or VP +12
Industry Healthcare, Financial or Tech +10
Purchase authority Decision-Maker +15
Company Revenue >$500M +10
Product Using competitive solution +15
Important (5-9 points)
Location US +8
Company Revenue $100M-$499M +8
Title Manager +7
Negative
Title Student -15
Title Consultant -5
Industry Services -6
124. Sample Lead-Scoring Worksheet
Lead scoring criteria Points
Company has >100 employees +3
Indicates acceptable budget for $5000 purchase +5
Indicates timeframe is < 3 mos. +4
Title includes ―Manager‖ or ―Director‖ +3
Indicates willingness to be contacted by sales +21
TOTAL +36
If target threshold is <36, then route lead to sales
Source: Marketing Sherpa
@pgillin
#mpb2b
125. Oh, the Things That You Know!
March 30 April 4
April 9
Prospect reaches website Prospect responds to e-mail
Prospect attends webcast,
through search query "small invitation for "Choosing Small
stays 45 minutes and submits a
business accounting," views Business Accounting Software"
question related to legal
four pages and subscribes to webcast 30 minutes after e-mail
practices.
newsletter. is sent.
April 10
April 12 Prospect clicks link in webcast
Prospect downloads trial summary e-mail to visit product
version of your small business description page. He
accounting software for legal downloads PDF of product
practices. brochure about software for
legal practices.
@pgillin
#mpb2b
126. What We Usually Measure
Hits Traffic Unique Visitors
Visits Likes Followers
Bookmarks Page Views Clicks
These Indicate
Activity but NOT
Engagement
@pgillin
#mpb2b
127. What We Should Measure
Downloads Subscriptions
Repeat Visits
Comments
Shares Retweets
Bookmarks Employment applications
Pages/visit Lead forms Forwards
Phone calls Ratings Reviews
@pgillin
#mpb2b
128. You Can Measure the Immeasurable
Lift Studies Headline Counts
Store visits Speaking Invitations
Net Promoter Score Coupons redeemed
Employment applications
If You Can Measure It,
You Can Calculate Its ROI
@pgillin
#mpb2b
Pre-deployment optimization You need to test your scoring system on existing pipeline leads and opportunities before you launch it. Here’s how to set up your own test bed:• Take a random sample of records in the company’s CRM system (open opportunities, closed lost, etc.). • Examine each contact’s demographic characteristics and activity records. • Assign each record a score based on the new lead scoring criteria. • Examine the percentage of your sample that would qualify as a sales lead. If your ideal prospect is a marketing director at a Fortune 500 company who attended a product-specific webinar, then a combination of those attributes should equal, or exceed, the threshold-point barrier to qualify them as sales-ready.Post-deployment optimization As soon as you start seeing results you should be revising your scoring and associated processes. You must optimize your lead scoring for the changing market dynamics, new products, etc. Holding regular meetings with marketing and sales to review and update the most accurate scores is a prerequisite. • Review scores of won and lost opportunities. Did your top prospects have the top scores? • Look closely at high scoring leads that don’t turn into opportunities. What can you do to improve scoring to prevent the wrong leads coming through with a top priority score from marketing? • Look at demographic segment scores for region, title, and company to see if scores are improperly adjusted. • Look at online behaviors to ensure actions taken by your best leads are properly scored. Regular conversation allows marketing and sales to analyze and adapt the lead scoring system based on what they’ve learned and helps develop a shared idea of what needs to be done for improvement. Allowing sales to control the score When a sales rep disagrees with a lead score, and believes it is not sales-ready, it may cause the lead to be ignored, or placed into a static stage. To prevent this you should give your sales reps the opportunity to alter the score, allowing them to put the lead in the proper stage. If too many leads are coming back to marketing, you know it’s time to update the scores. When you give your sales reps the opportunity to recycle leads and alter scores, then you can monitor and tweak scoring weights. If too many leads are coming back to marketing, then changing the score threshold, or score values, becomes an option.
Works for a company with 100 + employees+3Indicated an acceptable budget of $5,000 for purchase+5Indicated a time frame to purchase of three months or less+4Has job title that includes “Manager” or “Director”+3Indicated desire to be contacted by a salesperson+21Total36