You Have Leads – Now What?

Leads are key to growing your business.  Make your efforts count.

Everyone knows that solid leads are a key component to expanding your reach and ultimately expanding your business. Before getting started on developing and executing a marketing strategy, you will want to clearly define your target audience and qualify your leads.  Maintaining an accurate and updated database of leads can be time consuming and cumbersome, but it is essential to maximizing the ROI of your marketing effort. When utilizing leads through HBW, you will already have this step covered.  HBW leads will have the most updated and accurate information available on construction permits.

Now that you have a list of qualified leads, here are 5 areas you will want to consider as you get started:

  1. Be Prepared – Once you have engaged your lead, it is important that you are able to provide them with all the information they will need to answer any possible question. You will want to be a few steps ahead by having an updated website, service-related social media posts, easy-to-access brochures/samples and detailed information on the services you provide.  Since we are well into the Digital Age, clients expect quick turnaround time and responses, so make sure you have the bandwidth and availability for communication, site visits, estimates and executing the project.  Make sure you are realistic on what you can offer and your timeline.
  2. Make Contact – This may seem obvious, but there are many methods for making that first point of contact. You may choose to reach them through email, social media, direct mail or phone.  You will want to make sure that the method you choose is the most appropriate method for the client and services you are offering. Once you have made contact, it is important that you nurture your lead. A big part of nurturing leads is putting them at ease; although you may be taking them beyond their comfort zones by offering new and innovative products and services, you will want to make sure they feel secure in what you are offering and that their questions and feedback are valuable.
  3. Stand Out – All of us receive a barrage of advertising appeals on a daily basis; the same is true when it comes to your prospects. For this reason, you will want to make sure that you are authentic in your message once you have made contact.  Your message should include your competitive edge – What makes you different and better than the competition?  What services do you offer that are unique to your business?  You will want to make a statement and impact from the start.  For example, when having updated construction data from HBW, you can easily customize your approach as you will already be aware of their construction needs and interests.  By personalizing your approach and tailoring your service package to your leads’ current interests, you are gaining one step ahead of the competition.
  4. Track Progress – Tracking progress plays an important role in understanding which methods prove to be most effective in reaching and maintaining your leads. At the same time, you will want to have a reliable and user-friendly contact management system in place so that you can track progress with each individual.  Have a schedule and steps established for communicating with your lead.  For example: If a lead initially opens your e-blast and clicks to view certain pages on your website, you should include them in a related follow-up email campaign. Each point of contact you make should be documented in your database so that you know what information they have received and how often they have been contacted.
  5. Follow-up – One email, phone call or mailing will not do the job alone. You must follow-up on every point of contact and inquiry.  Procrastination is not an option when it comes to leads.  Your follow-up should be immediate for inquiries (less than 1 business day); if you do not make contact on your first attempt, follow-up with them through a different communication method.  Don’t let a lead fall through the cracks.  Following up is more than just making a second or third point of contact; it means following through on your message and deliverables in a timely manner.

By focusing on these basic areas of lead management, you can make the most of your time and contacts.  Each step that you take should be aligned with your marketing strategy, and it is equally as important to track the effectiveness of your efforts.  By being prepared and having a system for tracking progress, you can transform a valuable lead into a valuable client.

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