LEAD GENERATION: FROM ACQUISITION TO NURTURING
Most software sales require over 12 touches before an opportunity is created. Effective lead generation requires a strategy that creates multiple touches without breaking the bank.
Lead Acquisition: build your target database
Whether you use paid search, rental lists, tradeshows, or telemarketing, acquiring new leads is costly. To make sure you get the most for your marketing dollars, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Naturally, the majority of the prospects you will reach are not going to be ready for a sales conversation. But that’s OK. At the acquisition phase, all you care about is that they fit your target customer profile, so you can continue to nurture them over time without paying the high cost of the initial acquisition over and over again.
Lead Nurturing: use the prospect database for ongoing communication and qualification
Marketing to your own database is much less costly than lead acquisition. Once in your permission database, you can touch each prospect 10-20 times a year for a cost that is less than the initial lead acquisition. This allows you to educate the market, create top-of-mind awareness for your solution, and engage with prospects at the time they are ready for a sales conversation.
