Outbound Lead Generation and Qualifying

How It Works

• How We Generate Highly Qualified Leads
• The Quality Presentation
• Getting Started
• The Script
• The Call Campaign
• Reports and Reporting

What constitutes "qualified?"

Our focus is generating qualified leads at the executive level of corporate decision making. A qualified lead is worth your rep's time in following up. Qualified means answering these questions:

1. When does the prospect intend to implement?
2. How long is the decision making process?
3. Who else is involved in the decision?
4. How is the procurement funded?
5. Has funding for the acquisition been approved?
6. What other options are being considered?
7. Who else is the prospect talking with regarding providing the solution?

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The Quality Presentation

Our primary job is to make quality phone presentations on our client’s behalf. A quality presentation has at least six key elements:

Identifying the decision-maker;

Confirming the need and implementation time for your products;

Having a meaningful conversation with the decision-maker;

Capturing at least three key fields of information beyond basic contact data;

A running narrative of the conversation, which includes details like the prospect's current situation; decision making process; their hot buttons; who our client's competition is; what other options are being considered; and what obstacles need to be hurdled before the final decision is made;

Classifying the prospect as to their level of interest and need (described below).

PLEASE NOTE: It is important to understand that a quality presentation does not necessarily result in a lead or an immediate action item.

A quality presentation constitutes a meaningful conversation with a decision-maker of a company that can use our client’s products and services. We attempt to capture at least three key fields of information, above and beyond basic contact data. We also record a running narrative of the conversation which includes details like: the prospect’s current situation, decision making process, their hot buttons, who the competition is, what other options are being considered and what obstacles need to be hurdled before the final decision is made. There are other fields we can capture, which we will discuss with the client when we set up the database.

The purpose of the quality presentation is to engage a corporate decision maker in a meaningful discussion of their plans to implement the products and/or service that our client provides. We then qualify the prospect for our client. Qualification is based on how the client wishes to classify prospective customers. This is usually divided into timeframes indicating the prospect’s desire to implement the requirement. We set up a specific field in the database (see below) to enter the prospect’s projection. Then we use a consistent set of possible entries for the field. For example, a client may wish prospects divided into three categories that represent proposed implementation timeframe:

Before 3 months, 3 – 6 months, Over 6 months

It is important to understand that not all of the quality presentations made will result in actual "leads." We have generally found that between ten and fifteen percent of the quality presentations made result in an actual qualified lead within a realistic timeframe. How many such opportunities a client wants depends on their staffing and ability to follow-up. Call us so we can learn more about your specific market and offerings and then we can provide you with metrics for your situation.

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Getting Started

The first step is to decide and agree on the expected results. Then we define the parameters of a campaign needed to achieve those results. This will include the size of the effort, the duration, the list type and size, and cost.

Then we put together these terms into an Agreement for Services. Upon the client’s acceptance of the Agreement, the next step is getting us the database. This is usually emailed in Excel.

Next we assign a call team, a team leader and a project liaison. The team assigned will have specific expertise in your product and service specialties. Once the call team is in place, we conduct a training session with the client and their assigned team via teleconference. This is best facilitated by having the client provide any pertinent collateral materials not covered by the website prior to the teleconference.

Next, we setup the fields in our proprietary online contact management system, CheckLeads.com. Our project-manager and your delegate do this. Usually we setup between 5 and 10 fields, each with several sortable options. The fields vary from client to client. For instance, one field a client may be interested in is the number of users. To make the entries easy to sort for the client for future marketing, we set up a series of possible entries. In this example, the entries could be:

1 - 50, 50 - 100, 100 - 250, 250 - 500, More than 500

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The Script

After the training and database setup, we develop a written presentation, commonly referred to as a script. We deliberately avoid using the word script to emphasize the guided conversation quality of how we engage decision-makers in a discussion of their plans. We do not read to our client’s prospects. The presentation is written with input from the client. Once the client feels comfortable with the presentation, we start making test calls. We review each test call internally and with the client until we feel comfortable with the presentation.

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The Call Campaign

Then the Call Campaign begins. There are fewer calls made during the initial few days of calling then there are through the balance of the campaign. This is so you have time to report back to us the results of your follow-up on the immediate action items we send you during the test phase and the first few presentations of the actual campaign.

We need your feedback to make sure we're on track with the type of qualification you want before we get too far into the campaign. Once we have your initial feedback, we make whatever adjustments are necessary and proceed on a steadier pace to complete the contracted effort.

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Reports and Reporting

You are automatically notified via email as each new lead is posted to our online contact and pipeline management system (CheckLeads.com), often within minutes of the initial contact. Leads are automatically arranged chronologically, with the freshest leads at the top of the list. You can also view them alphabetically. It's easy to click and view complete contact information, contact notes, and all pertinent information provided in custom fields. (We customize and capture the fields of interest to your particular market.)

Once signed in to your CheckLeads.com database, you can select and view contact information for any listed lead. You can also print a report of all information including notes of the conversation. You can sort your leads by specific fields to facilitate precise market penetration and download ALL your data into Excel for importing into your CRM system.

With the CheckLeads.com system you have access to the most current information as it happens and the ability to quickly follow up on immediate action items.

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