chrisbrogan.com - Latest Comments in Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Madison Florence — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:16:37 -0000

Nice post man,I like the way you tell it straight, keep up
the good work. A lot of great info.Very useful information! I'll keep this post
handy. Thank you very much. Well, I recently read a great guide about how to
build a lead generation engine that maps to how customers buy. Check it out
http://www.inboundsales.net...

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Billee Brady — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:06:15 -0000

Hi Chris,
Great blog post, Lead generation has definitely changed over the years and you outlined it perfectly.
Thanks,
Billee Brady

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Gautam Tandon — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:53:05 -0000

Great discussion. When it comes to Lead Generation, there are two main schools of thought. One school of thought focuses on generating leads mainly through marketing. Marketing over the Internet inherently requires considering Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Other school of thought focuses on generating leads by working with a Lead Generation Company. What is your primary source of lead generation? Please tell about your choice! http://blog.ellipsissolutio...

Thanks!
GT

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

yuregininsesi — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:47:43 -0000

I think the underlying resistance is to the shift to buyer power; and in large companies, or smaller traditional companies, seller power is embedded in culture, processes and systems. Part of the DNA so to speak. In these cases it may take a lot of pain and an accumulation of many incremental steps before a shift to inclusion and empowerment occurs. But it has to happen because the never-ending increase in competition for attention share will force it. Internal customers can provide a good staging area for empowering or "equipping" the customer programs.

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Andrew — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:56:00 -0000

Sounds good stuff for generating more quality business. Here's another quality resource http://www.bnbuzz.com/lead-.... Think this helps too..

Andrew

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Perry — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 01:45:45 -0000

This system should be used by those companies who are looking for education leads. Rather than merely asking for prospect information such as student interests, they can make their leads more interactive through blogs, polls, and message boards. They don’t only get to educate these students in choosing the most ideal course for them, but they can also get a general feel of what kinds of courses most of them are eyeing for.

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Guest — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:56:52 -0000

I agree with Preston - the traditional methods do still work. I think you need to work both SM and traditional methods. There are tried and true processes that work - working a funnel. And, my biggest customer does not even know what a blog is. I think online media in general is missing a large portion of our market because we don't slow down and speak the language of our customers.

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Preston Ehrler — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:14:28 -0000

Chris, interesting you discuss leads and in the same post the movie Boiler Room (that was set on the company AR Barron which I'm very familiar with as I worked on Wall Street for almost 20 years and knew a person who went to jail for his actions at Barron). I now have a website design/development company and find that creating leads and cold calling, yes COLD CALLING has produced the bulk of our customers. As a matter of fact in the years I worked on Wall Street, all the networking and palm pressing and parties etc, my largest customer, $45 million dollar account, was generated from a cold call.

I find it interesting that social networking (now social media) is such a buzz, but I think that when dealing with the actual bulk of potential customers, they don't Twitter, or Facebook or FriendFeed, as they are simply too busy, and therefore too disconnected to find someone like Webvantix via networking. So, how do we generate our leads at Webvantix...well that's the secret sauce isn't it? Let it be known, if it were from any of the social networking/social media sites we would be starving, as it seems it's a bunch of gurus speaking to other gurus...the nitty gritty small companies out there that hire us are just too busy to participate, and do appreciate the frontal assault of "are you interested in what we have to offer...yes or no."

Thanks for the opportunity to rant and discuss leads and prospecting--I love it so! Preston Ehrler, www.webvantix.com

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Bill Caskey — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:40:35 -0000

Chris,
Like the idea of podcasting as publishing. I recommend people podcast, then send their audio files to Kunaki who will turn it into a CD so you can give them out at tradeshows....cold calls...networking events etc., Repurposing....

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Mike Damphousse — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:22:23 -0000

I'll add to this with one comment. Sales people talk about bringing value to their prospects, becoming "consultative sales people". Marketers need to make a similar shift. Prospects would rather google up a solution and issue a PO than be called on by sales people. The latter will never go away, but the former can be enabled in a much better way. Great post Chris.

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Jennifer Graziani — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:38:58 -0000

I would argue that an economic downturn would be an even better case to adopt online community and social media as a means of lead generation. Sure, fewer companies will have the chutzpah to leave behind the traditional methods of marketing, but the ones that do will emerge from this recession as differentiators and likely in a stronger state than where they are now.

Of course there will be late adopters and your entire target market may not be riding the community train yet but thats the beauty of online community and social media! It can be a suppliment to the measures that you are already taking to generate those leads - Just beware of canabalizing your existing efforts.

Jen

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Guest — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:44:30 -0000

I was also going to comment on the late adopters and the plain old, don't get it don't have time to get it trying to make the numbers non-adopters. People, especially in this economy are going to do more that has worked in the past - it is human nature - it works, repeat it. I think the risk takers will try social media, but I think it will really grow when we get good at communicating the return for the investment. (or time, creativity, staff, money, etc.)

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Toby — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:02:13 -0000

Matt,
I don't think it's possible to convince the numbers people...yet. The power of this social media thing is apparent to those who use it, but, like the Internet before it, there will be MANY late-adopters.

Toby

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Matt Lambert — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:53:45 -0000

Right with you Chris.

I'm interested in how you convince the numbers people. What metrics can you show? (I imagine them asking)

Is conversion a trust issue :-)

Matt

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Brian — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:03:09 -0000

Not so fast my friend. Social networking and trust building make all the sense in the world, but there is one fatal flaw to the Web 2.0 strategies or whatever you want to call them. You make the assumption that everyone will have unfettered access to the Internet. You may have personally created this perfect, digitally connected world and used it to drive new business relationships. In fact, your "twittered world" is what puts food on your table. Unfortunately, not everyone is invited to the Twitter party. Why, you ask?

Welcome to the world of Web Filtering! Guess what, large corporations and small are catching on to the novel concept that giving people unlimited access to the Internet -- wherever you want to go and whenever you want to do it -- might not be the best way to maximize productivity. I worked for a mid-size company that instituted web filtering. We could only go to business appropriate sites and we could only spend 1 hour per day. It was tough to get used to, but let me tell you that it worked. I was massively more productive. If I absolutely had to go to a website for an extended period of time, there were several kiosks on the floor. Problem solved. And it's not just about productivity. It's about legal liability and protecting the business practices of your organization.

There is a saying in hockey that says, "Skate where the puck will be." Marketers need to push social networking, but if people don't think there will be more web filtering 10 years from now they are a damn fool. What is the business purpose of Facebook or Twitter for the average person working in a Fortune 500 Company? Your ability to build relationships with your best customers may be permanently revoked. To build relationships, you are going to have to knock on more doors and many of these doors are going to have to be the more in your face conventional methods that we have grown to hate.

Finally, once conventional media firms (newspapers, magazines, TV) start to figure out social networking (and they will), they are not going to play nice.

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Lawrence Anderson — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:29:26 -0000

Wow! Great points Chris. I especially liked your description of the "before the sale" strategy. I think that is probably where I am going to try to focus my web efforts. However, my gut tells me these tactics will probably work better for the B2C markets. With a much larger impact on companies that are trying to hit the ever so sexy "early adopters" category.

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Toby — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:22:31 -0000

There's a strange inertia that exists - the inertia of the status quo. I am finding that the main reason against adopting social media marketing strategies is that there are people with a vested interest in traditional marketing techniques. People with expertise in the old way of doing things (static websites, print people, website designers, well-off execs, etc.). I see it every time a client asks me to create a boring website rather than building one on Facebook. I see it when clients ask me for feedback on website proposals and strategy but balk when I respond with social media proposals. I hear it in all these "return on investment" debates that are taking place across the Internets.

If this online social media thing is all it's cracked up to be, all of these nay-sayers will have no choice but to get on board sooner or later. The question is, "Will there be any seats left for them on the bus?

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

kathy — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:19:24 -0000

Thanks for another thoughtful post Chris. Great food for thought in the comments too. I don't have all of this social media stuff figured out, but I know what we're doing is working. I liken this post to the one you made a few weeks back about "broadcasting" vs. "working the room" - which truly resonated with me.

As a marketer, it's never been all about one medium and SM is no different. My '09 plans definitely have a shift of dollars and the integration will look different. More importantly, where my time and energy is spent will be different and the execution in traditional channels will also have a new twist.

Yes, developing traditional ad campaigns is less time consuming than staying on top of Twitter, Google Alerts, blogs, podcasts, comments, forums, etc. It's a completely different type of pressure and demand of time. Change is never easy, but necessary to continue to grow. I know some of the tools will not be for us in the long run but I've got to go through the due diligence to figure it out.

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Steve Kloyda — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:55:18 -0000

Great post. It's all about relationship. Relationship begins with trust, integrity, honesty and the like. Get to know me first and then I may buy something from you.

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Penny Haynes — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:07:30 -0000

I love that. Pithy, practical, short and to the point. Doesn't that just boil back down to the question we're always supposed to be asking, "What can I do to help you succeed?"

But this one article turned on a light in my brain and cause me to shift my thinking and my marketing strategies at a crucial time when I am re-evaluating absolutely everything I'm doing. I see something very concrete I can do that I enjoy and will be practical help to those who need it.

Thank you!

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Greg Cangialosi — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:01:12 -0000

Thanks for the mention in your post Chris. I appreciate the kind words. I also like the term "natural lead generation methodology." You are right I wouldn't call it that, but it makes enough sense to me that maybe I should :-)

Thanks again,

Greg

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Matthew TT — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:27:42 -0000

Fundamentally I have to say it's a great post. It's funny... the arguments regarding social media's effectiveness as a marketing tool:

1) Lack of "rules" for forecasting ROI: "If I spend $X and Y hours, what can I reasonably expect back from this whole "Social Media" thingy?"
2) Not enough penetration of the medium into the general population: "I've heard only 30% of the population uses the internet, and only 10% of THAT use social media. Why waste my time?"
3) Doubts regarding whether the message when received would be taken seriously enough: "My neighbor's 24 year old son does that twitter thing and he still lives in his mom's basement...that's NOT my target market..."

You know the same questions and doubts had to be overcome when marketers started using newspaper and then television to "get the message out there." And I think most of you would agree that those mediums worked out okay... for a while, that is.

Growing pains, anyone?

What gnaws at the back of MY mind...what medium are we going to "fuss and fleer" over whether it will work or not in the NEXT 10 years??

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Tim Hayden — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:16:02 -0000

Good insight, Chris. I concur with the insight.

Today's lead-generation is not about the same deisng-same message being pushed and pushed upon a monolithic profile of customer. The "elevator pitch" is lofted up and we are set in motion to react and address the needs of what the audience is lofting in return. Instead of it being a "day-in-the-life" analysis of homogenous reaction, each new opportunity is sure to present itself with a new journey that is unlike the last conversation or sales cycle.

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Michael Bailey — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:37:57 -0000

Good information - as a developer, I'm always just a bit "outside" of these guidelines -

For me, I actually create what it is that I am trying to sale - many days have passed where I wish that I could just sell something which others have created.

Alas, my reality is that not only do I have to do what I say that I can do, I also have to sell what I have done. Wearing all the hats takes its toll and the only thing which keeps me rebounding and prevents me from quitting is that I like what I do - I just don't like not making any money, which might end up becoming the louder voice one day soon.

Re: Your Lead Generation Methods Have to Change

Alex Howard — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:35:19 -0000

Great post, Chris, as usual.

Like @RobLeavitt, I'm working in the enterprise IT space these days. According to the research study that Google and my employer released recently [<a href="http://www.techtarget.com/g..."download it here], 97% of IT buyers are researching their potential purchases online. They're using a wide gamut of media to make up their minds -- webcasts, podcasts, video interviews, white papers, articles, reviews, virtual tradeshows -- some of versions are more social than others.

I include the link above because I think that, with respect to lead generation and understanding the return on investment on digital marketing, we've been a thought leader, much like you've forged a clear space in thought leadership around getting ROI in social media. I hope the research in there will be of use to your readers -- I've certainly learned a great deal from your posts and your audience's comments over the years, so there's a bit of giving back there, even if you have to get through some registration first.

My personal take on the new world of lead generation, taken into the blogosphere and social media world, is that understanding 'permission marketing' will be even more crucial to digital marketers in 2009. As we create our personas on the web, leaving electronic footprints where ever we go in blog posts, tweets, comments and reviews, we give an ever-increasing insight into the products we use, media we consume and people we know. That kind of data is of course a goldmine for marketers (as Mark Zuckerberg hopes to leverage with Facebook Connect) though anything but a light touch will ruin the potential lead.

If you can reach out, human to human, and politely ask "Would [x product/service] interest you?" and include a link to your content, you're way ahead of the game. If you can earn that reader's trust enough to gain a membership and then continue to tailor your message and offering to them, you'll do well. You might even see their peers finding you online and looking to you for advice -- much as we might come here for your insight, Chris.