Telemarketing Lead Generation Blog

Getting The Most Bang From Web Responders

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Laura Johnson, Senior Program Director

We have seen some fabulous results come out of responder or presales campaigns over the years. Given the expense of in-person events and the increase in the web as a method for contacts to gather information prior to a purchase, it’s no surpirse that responder initiatives are becoming a very popular method of generating lists for telemarketing or sales follow-up. There are a few key factors to consider when lauching a web response campaign, particularly surrounding the data you gather on a response form:

1. Ask the right questions when collecting contact data. For example, if you’re hoping to email people, you’ll need to make sure to collect their email address. If you want to do telemarketing follow-up, ask for their phone number and, if possible, capture their preferred method of contact.
2. Only ask for what you’re going to use. Keep it short. We’re all a bit lazy by nature. If it looks like too much to fill out just to download a brochure, people are inclined to skip it altogether. Limit the number of questions you ask as much as possible. If you’re not going to mail them something, don’t ask for a mailing address. Also, keep in mind that if a question is considered too personal, people aren’t going to answer it.
3. Use what you get. While you should keep it short, there are definitely some great bits of information you can get at this stage. Make sure you’re making the most of what people provide. If you’ve asked for the company’s industry, for example, use that knowledge in your follow-up.
4. Don’t force people to lie! Often times my clients compare the answers people provide on these registration forms with the actual results of calling and are disappointed to learn that people who said they were going to purchase in 6 months don’t actually have a plan to purchase. Closer examination reveals that “no plans to purchase” wasn’t an option on the form, so the contact had to select something just to be able download the material (or view the webcast, etc). This works the same way for things like budget, decision-making role, even industry.
5. Realize that people will lie! Given the anonmyity of the Internet, and the fact that users know how the system works, people find ways of getting around the system. You probably wouldn’t believe how much time “John Doe” or “Mikey Mouse” spends downloading white papers. Or how many prospects share the phone number “555-555-5555.” This underscores the importance of using lead qualification prior to sending data to sales. Inadvertantly sending bogus data to sales can undermine the credibility of your campaign. Instead, qualify responder data to ensure that only qualified, sales ready leads are going to sales.

While responder campaigns are a great way to uncover strong prospects, they can be costly. Using these tips can help to ensure that you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Finally, remember to periodically do a reality check to make sure that your campaigns are meeting your expectations. If they are falling short in some area, start looking for ways to tweak your process and make adjustmetns so you continue to realize strong ROI over time.

Tagged: telemarketing lead generation, lead generation, telemarketing tequalification, sales leads, telemarketing sales leads

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