Lead Generation and Qualification - Televerde

1. The Different Viewpoints of Sales and Marketing Lead Generation and Qualification

2. Lead Generation and Qualification When it comes to lead generation and qualification, marketing and sales departments sometimes see things differently. Although both want to close more business, increase sales revenue and grow market share, they don’t necessarily always have the same goals. For example, marketing focuses on developing brand awareness over the long-term. Sales teams, on the other hand, concentrate on the prospects they can close in the near-term. The nature of sales complicates pursuing common objectives. With salespeople under constant pressure to meet quotas, they often forgo brand considerations for immediate revenue. Compensation based on closed sales and not brand contribution means salespeople will tend to take the quickest route to closing a deal.

3. Lead Generation and Qualification Further complicating lead generation and qualification are diverse definitions of the ideal customer. When salespeople pursue unresponsive prospects generated by marketing, they may start changing the message, product and pricing. They try to make the prospects fit in any way possible. The result is two departments pursuing different target audiences. Another area of misconception between sales and marketing is the volume of leads required to meet revenue quotas. Marketers assume salespeople want more leads so their efforts are focused on lead qualification and putting more opportunities in their pipeline. In actuality, salespeople want more time to effectively sell to sales-ready prospects.

4. Lead Generation and Qualification Unique Backgrounds Create Gaps Marketing and sales professionals come from distinct disciplines. They have unique personalities, behaviors and backgrounds. These differences often put the two departments at odds with one another. For example, marketers tend to be creative and/or analytical, spend more time in the office reading, analyzing, writing, and creating lead generation strategies and programs. Salespeople typically don’t like to be in an office, writing, reading, analyzing. Instead, they like to be negotiating with prospects to close deals. Given these disparities, it’s not a surprise the two departments often knock heads when it comes to lead generation and qualification activities.

5. Lead Generation and Qualification Marketing sometimes views sales as qualifying any lead with money regardless of brand alignment. In the B2B world, however, the focus needs to be on developing long-term relationships with the right type of clients that can grow into strategic, high-value relationships with future opportunities for revenue growth. This approach can be challenging for sales when they need to meet short-term sales forecasts. To close the gap, sales and marketing must find common answers to two questions: Who is the ideal target customer and what lead generation and qualification criteria should be used. But how should these two groups find commonality?

6. Lead Generation and Qualification The first step to achieving successful lead generation and qualification is for each department to engage the other as peers. In other words, sales and marketing should work together to develop target buyer profiles. With a jointly-constructed profile, both departments can determine appropriate lead qualification criteria.

7. Lead Generation and Qualification Another ideal solution to address the sales and marketing divide is to consider outsourcing all, or part, of your lead management program. An outsourcing provider injects an unbiased voice into the conversation. In an outsourcing model, the focus shifts appropriately to results instead of winning political battles.

8. Lead Generation and Qualification Outsourcing companies can also help meet the needs of both marketing and sales in an objective fashion. Through better lead generation and qualification activities, outsourcers can generate opportunities that satisfy a salesperson’s short-term revenue focus, while at the same time aligning leads with long-term brand positioning.

9. About the Author Larry Fleischman is Director of Marketing for Televerde, a leading B2B provider of sales pipeline development solutions. For more information about Lead Generation and Qualification, visit: http://www.televerde.com/solutions/lead-qualification/