1. Start with a lead.
Putting the Human Touch into Lead Generation
Brian Carroll, CEO of InTouch, Inc. and author of
Lead Generation for the Complex Sale (McGraw-Hill 2006)

2. Today’s B2B Buyers
• Vendor resistant
• Ignore sales and marketing messages
• Time constrained and too busy
• Minimal time to think and strategize
• Keep status quo (safer to do nothing)

3. “So, are ya ready
to buy yet?”
This isn’t being relevant

4. It’s not how you sell…it’s how they buy
A Simple Buying Process Model
Status Quo
Recognition Evaluation Resolution
Implementation
of Needs of Concerns
of Options
Buying
Decision
Buyer Buyer Buyer identifies Buyer implements
recognizes a determines and resolves chosen solutions.
problem. decision perceived risks.
criteria.
Buyer defines Buyer
range of Buyer assesses negotiates final
solutions. alternatives. terms.

5. Lead Generation = Building Relationships
Identify the right people and companies
Initiate a memorable conversation
Nurture them regardless of timing to buy
Bonus Tip: 90% of B2B customers want their sales person to be more of a resource.
- Cahners Study

6. Become a Trusted Advisor
– They know you and had a consistent dialog
– You are credible
– They believe you can help them
– They like you and want to work with you
“How you sell me is how you will serve me”

7. Start Early in the Buying Process
• Set the tone
• Start the conversation
• Avoid being column fodder
• Customer needs often grow over time

8. Lead Nurturing Defined
Lead nurturing is a relevant and consistent
dialog with viable potential customers,
regardless of their timing to buy.

9. Step 1: Understand and Capture Your Audience
Project
Other
Priorities
Departments
Internal
Business
Team
Unit Leaders
Members
Economic
Buyer
Industry Consultants
Affiliations and Advisors
Business
External
Analysts Other
Suppliers
Business Media
and Journals

10. Step 1: Understand and Capture Your Audience
Your Database is the Hub
Target Company Best Buy
Company Lead Classification
Industry
Identify Employees
Sales
Firmographics &
Assigned Rep
Compile Notes Company Notes
Company Web URL
Minneapolis New York Dallas Las Vegas
Identify Site Type Site Type Site Type Site Type
Headquarters & Site Address Site Address Site Address Site Address
Site Site Site Site
Sites Qualification Qualification Qualification Qualification
Site Web URL Site Web URL Site Web URL Site Web URL
Brian Carroll Michelle Passe Pat Lorch
CIO Dir. eBusiness VP, Supply Chain
Identify & Qualify Lead Classification Lead Classification Lead Classification
Contact Info Contact Info Contact Info
Contacts Conversation Notes Conversation Notes Conversation Notes
Qualification Responses Qualification Responses Qualification Responses
Qualification Comments Qualification Comments Qualification Comments
Contact History Contact History Contact History

11. Step 1: Understand and Capture Your Audience
Whom Do You Nurture? (Viable)
Who’s How deep
involved in do you
the buying want to
process? go?

12. Step 2: Message Development
Be Relevant
• How do they work?
• What is their functional role?
• What are their anticipated needs?
• What are their priorities and challenges?

13. Step 2: Message Development
Message Map Based on Role (Relevant)
Long sales cycles
External pressures Commoditization
Fewer sales opportunities
Improve account penetration
Increase sales team's selling time
Increase revenue
VP Sales Shorten average sales cycle
Build a predictable sales pipeline
Improve sales effectiveness
Improve sales Help sales team get to executives
effectiveness Ramp up new sales people
Retain and motivate sales force

14. Step 3: Build Your Lead Nurturing Library
• Gather and filter relevant content based on message map
– Third party articles, relevant topics, research reports
– Vendor agnostic podcasts, webinars, blogs and case studies
to position sales team as a “trusted advisor”
– Company specific white papers, success stories, webcasts
• Lesson Learned:
– Reuse available content before creating new content
– Filter third party content for a nurturing “library” using free
sources http://www.google.com/alerts
Resource: quot;Thought leadership for Lead Nurturingquot; (content strategy)
http://blog.startwithalead.com/weblog/2005/06/using_thought_l.html

15. Step 3: Build Your Lead Nurturing Library
Educational Marketing Tools

16. Step 3: Build Your Lead Nurturing Library
Lead Nurturing Library Template
Media Potential
Content Type Title/description Link Rating vehicle Audience
http://www.startwithalead.com/podcasts/podc
A email; online
Podcast Interview with MarketingSherpa's Anne Holland ast_20070626.mp3
http://www.startwithalead.com/downloads/FE
A email; online
Aricle It Takes a Committee to Buy Into B2B (Marketing News) B15_Spotlight_B2BMarketing.pdf
A Multimodal approach to Lead Nurturing for Complex http://www.startwithalead.com/article.asp?AR
A email; online
Webinar Sales TICLEID=286
http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic
le?AID=/20050613/FREE/506130740&Search A email; online
Aricle Word-of-Mouth Marketing Gets People Buzzing ID=73286843932144
http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/story/st
A email; online
Aricle Target Marketing Magazine - What's a Lead? ory.bsp?sid=39121&var=story
http://blog.startwithalead.com/weblog/2007/0
Blog Lead Management is far from an easy task 9/lead-management.html A email; online
Resource: “Content Ideas for Lead Nurturing”
http://blog.startwithalead.com/weblog/2007/08/content-ideas-1.html

17. Step 3: Build Your Lead Nurturing Library
Capturing and Filtering Third Party Content
• Technorati watch lists
(http://www.technorati.com)
• Google news alerts
(http://www.google.com/alerts)
Yahoo! News alerts
(http://alerts.yahoo.com)

18. Step 3: Build Your Lead Nurturing Library
Google News Alerts for Third Party Content

19. Step 3: Build Your Lead Nurturing Library
Email Template Built on Third Party Content
To: (Recipient)
From: (Sender)
Subject: Article on virtualization for executives
Hi Bill,
I thought you might find this recent article on virtualization relevant. It provides a strategic
overview that is written more for executives.
“FAQ: Detangling virtualization”
http://news.com.com/FAQ+Detangling+virtualization/2100-7339_3-6177447.html
We've been helping a number of companies decide when exactly to use virtualization and
how to avoid the quot;all my eggs in one basketquot; concern that this article brings up.
Best Regards,

20. Step 4: Develop Lead Nurturing Tracks

21. Step 4: Develop Lead Nurturing Tracks
Multi-track Lead Nurturing
(Client Plan for Q1 Audience 3 Contacts Deep)
CIO Q1 2008
Month 1 Free executive report via direct mail with follow-up call
Month 2 Invitation to executive roundtable via e-mail with follow-up call
Month 3 Link to relevant Podcast via e-mail with follow-up voicemail
Director of IT Q1 2008
Month 1 3rd party article via e-mail and voice mail
Month 2 3rd party article via e-mail with follow-up
Month 3 Link to relevant webinar via e-mail with follow-up call
IT Manager Q1 2008
Month 1 Relevant white paper via e-mail with voice mail
Month 2 Direct mail piece
Month 3 Invitation to webcast via e-mail with follow-up call
Tip: Crawl, Walk, Run

22. Step 5: Put the Human Touch Into Action
Phone – the “relevant conversation”
Develop Relationships
• Personal invitations to events
• Confirm contacts & get internal referrals
• Get permission & opt-in e-mail
• Re-engage aged opportunities
• Identify qualified leads
Measuring Nurturing Results
% Depth of Contacts in Sphere of Influence
% of Contacts that Opt-In for lead nurturing
% of Contacts that become “sales ready” leads

23. Step 5: Put the Human Touch Into Action
Phone - Reengage Past Leads
Reengaged 2500 “Past Leads” > 6 Months
InTouch served as an teleprospecting team.
Results (3 months):
20% leads were lost and 16% “not a fit”
40% became level 2 leads (actively nurtured)
15% became level 3 “sales ready” leads
7% Level 3 leads converted into sales
Investment: $40K
Revenue: $1.2 Million (ROI Funded lead nurturing)

24. Step 5: Put the Human Touch Into Action
Social Media: Podcasts and Blogs
• High-value
content with
educational intent
• Leverage
thought-leader
and partner
relationships for
content
• RSS is hot

25. Step 5: Put the Human Touch Into Action
Webinar Marketing (post event)
• Follow-up immediately (phone and email)
– Get list exported from provider ASAP
– Call/Email attendees and non attendees
• Answer questions
• Share follow-up article
• Do blog post summary article
• Promote next webinar
• Recorded event Q&A for podcast post on blog

26. Step 5: Put the Human Touch Into Action
Social Media: Microblogging
• What’s
Microblogging?
• Users can
describe their
current status in
short posts
distributed by
instant
messages,
mobile phones,
email or the Web.

27. Putting the Human Touch Into Action
Company Touchpoint History
04/30/2008 - Called - Rory Smith - Talked to DM
04/20/2008 - Called - Rory Smith - Got voice mail
04/17/2008 - Email Link Clicked - Rory Smith - Campaign 2008-04-17
04/17/2008 - Email Sent - Rory Smith - Message: How to optimize your outsourced teleprosp
04/17/2008 - Email Sent - Sylvie Jones - Message: How to optimize your outsourced teleprosp
04/17/2008 - Email Sent - Joel Koppelman - Message: How to optimize your outsourced teleprosp
04/08/2008 - Called - Rory Smith - Talked to DM
03/26/2008 - Called - Rory Smith - Talked to DM
03/20/2008 - Called - Rory Smith - Talked to DM
03/20/2008 - Called - Rory Smith - Got voice mail
03/19/2008 - Touchpoint - Rory Smith - Inquiry - Web
03/13/2008 - Email Link Clicked - Sylvie Jones - Campaign 2008-03-13
03/13/2008 - Email Sent - Sylvie Jones - Message: Why cost-per-lead budgets fail
03/13/2008 - Email Sent - Joel Koppelman - Message: Why cost-per-lead budgets fail
02/14/2008 - Email Sent - Sylvie Jones - Message: Using the phone in your lead generation s
02/14/2008 - Email Sent - Joel Koppelman - Message: Using the phone in your lead generation s
02/07/2008 - Called - Mitchell Codkind - Got voice mail
02/04/2008 - Called - Kelly Henry - Got voice mail
01/31/2008 - Called - Sylvie Jones - Got voice mail
01/29/2008 - Called - Sylvie Jones - Got voice mail
01/24/2008 - Touchpoint - Sylvie Jones - Blog Subscription - B2B Lead Generation

28. Case Study: Before Lead Nurturing
• No early stage leads actively nurtured
• 1 Contact engaged per company
• 2 touch points per contact
• 40% contacts provide e-mail addresses
• 21% Lead to Opportunity Rate (sales pursuit after hand off)
• 4% Lead to Sale Rate (sales converted from marketing leads)
Resource: quot;On marketing going beyond the Lead for Salesquot;
http://blog.startwithalead.com/weblog/2007/03/drive_your_lead.html

29. Case Study: Year-End Results Achieved
• 88% of early stage leads actively nurtured (none before)
• 3+ contacts engaged per company (200% improvement)
• 8 touch points per contact (300% improvement)
• 89% more opportunities in sales pipeline from leads
• 7% Lead to Sales Conversation Rate (75% improvement)
• Regular marketing pipeline analysis
• Sales reporting
– Closed loop feedback
– Conversion rates by stage

30. Thank you
Brian Carroll
CEO
InTouch
651.255.7700 x640
Bcarroll@startwithalead.com
Other lead generation resources:
www.startwithalead.com
www.leadgenerationbook.com
http://blog.startwithalead.com