Do you feel frustrated trying to find a lead generation company that is suitable for your business?
With the many different lead generation companies around from sales lead generation companies to B2B lead generation companies, many companies experience this struggle with their digital marketing and question what company is the best suited for their budget, company size, and lead generation needs.
In this post, we will share with you 13 points that will guide you through this decision-making process and lead you to choose the best company for you and your business.
Taking a Closer Look At Your Company
The first step in this process is to look at some different factors regarding your company. These factors will give you the tools you need to walk down this path of finding the best lead generation company for you.
Step #1: Set Clear Goals
Starting the process to find a lead generation company can be a difficult one, but one way to help with that process is by setting clear goals that will guide you and your company in the right direction.
By setting goals for yourself and for the company, you are already preparing for great results and making the biggest step forward in having a killer lead generation machine.
When setting goals for your company, keep in mind to determine what type of method of lead generation your company wants to utilize. It is recommended for a company to choose one method and become a master in that method before moving to another one. For example, if your company wants to implement email as your lead generation method set goals revolving around that method and become a master at that, then add a new method and master that one. If your company tries to use too many methods at one time the process can be overwhelming and your results will suffer.
When setting goals, keep in mind to:
- Set short-term and long-term goals
- Make the short-term goals achievable
- Make a deadline for each short-term and long-term goal. For example, in 2 months have a goal of capturing 5 leads from a Facebook Ad.
Step #2: Set a Specific Timeline
Once your goals are set, the next step is to set a timeline. This timeline needs to include the deadlines set for the goals, specific dates for each part of the implementation process of the method chosen, and any important notes to keep in mind when reaching that next step of the process.
Your timeline can be as simple or as detailed as needed for your company, and with Microsoft’s already made templates for excel, you can choose the one that best fits your needs.
Step #3: Create a Budget
One big question that companies always ask is, “how much is it going to cost “? There is not a definite dollar amount that can be chosen when creating a lead generation process for your business, but a budget can be constructed to help allocate costs and make sure every dollar that is spent is not wasted.
This budget will vary based on the lead generation method that your company chooses. For a company that is focusing on paid ads or social media campaigns, their budget will look different compared to companies who want to focus on email capturing and campaigns.
Step #4: Identify Your Type of Lead Generation Company
Before you can identify what company is the best fit, you must first determine the type of lead generation company your business is. There are currently two types of lead generation companies:
- Major Account Lead Generation Company
- Small Sale Lead Generation Company
The major account lead generation company is for businesses who have high priced/complex products or services, upper-level management as the primary decision-maker, and have a more complicated lead generation process.
The small sale lead generation company is for businesses who are smaller in size, purchases, and in their sales cycle. The small sale lead generation is the most common type of company among businesses today.
One other factor to keep in mind is if your lead generation business is B2B or B2C. The difference between B2B lead generation and B2C lead generation is drastic and to ensure that you are getting the best process, it is crucial to find a company that understands the type of business you sell to.
Step #5: Assemble Your Team
The last step in identifying your lead generation business is to assemble your team. It is recommended for your team to include 3-5 members that can balance tasks, monitor incoming leads, keep track of the budget, and keep the process up to date.
It’s also highly recommended to have a team leader. This person will be the primary point of contact between the lead generation company you have chosen and the team. This will ensure that the team is running smoothly and the lead generation company is communicating properly.
Targeting Your Lead Generation Company
Now that you have identified areas in your business, the next step in the process is to determine the company that best fits your business. This process can be overwhelming at times and with the number of lead generation companies currently in business there is this unanswered question of “how do I know I will choose the right lead generation company“?
Below are 8 tips that your business can use to ensure that the company you choose to hire is the best fit.
Tip #1 Social Proof is Key
The best way to determine if a company you have found is trusted, reliable, and knowledgeable is by looking at their social proof. Social proof can include case studies, testimonials, and (the most common type social proof) online reviews.
Many companies will have reviews whether that is through sites like Facebook Business Page or Google Reviews and by looking at these reviews you will find a snapshot at how reliable the company is, their quality of work, and if they have been able to help other businesses with their lead generation process.
Tip #2 Finding Your Right Method
Since you have determined what type of method to use for your business (Step #1: Have Clear Goals), it is important to pick a company that specializes in the method you have chosen and will help you through the particular process for that method. A few reminders to keep in mind when deciding your method:
- Only choose one method first, master it, and then move on to another
- Choose a method that will be helpful in targeting your audience
- Decide a method that matches your business and your budget
When looking for a company to hire look for other methods that they specialize in along with the one you have chosen for the time being. If there is another method that wants to be used in the future, we recommend choosing a company that specializes in both methods to cause the headache of finding a new company for a new method.
One other factor to keep in mind is if your lead generation business is B2B or B2C. The difference between B2B lead generation and B2C lead generation is drastic and to ensure that you are getting the best process, it is crucial to find a company that understands the type of business you sell to.
Tip #3 The Process
The process to gain a lead is different for each business. Depending on the method that is used, how big the company is, and how long the process needs to be, each lead generation process should reflect what is right for the company. When determining a lead generation company to hire, the process for your company needs to be reviewed and discussed to determine if that company can implement your lead generation process efficiently and effectively.
Tip #4 High Quality Equals Better Leads
As with any process for lead generation, how to know if a lead qualifies needs to be reviewed when hiring a company. It’s recommended that each business determine what a good lead is for them, parameters should be set so the lead generation company knows what you consider a lead and can send over reliable ones straight to you to contact.
For example, a small business that is trying to gain leads for their specific niche might consider these parameters in qualifying a lead
- Income
- Location
- Age
- Business type (B2B businesses only)
If the lead generation company knows what you consider a “hot” lead, the likelihood that the leads brought in would turn into clients is higher.
Tip #5 Timing is Everything
Having leads that meet certain qualifications is one piece of the puzzle, but with any lead generation process, timing is everything. Being diligent in response time to incoming leads can make or break a business, and communicating timing for the chosen lead generation company is everything. If they cannot deliver your leads in a timely manner from when they come in, the company is not right for you.
The timing for each step in the process is solely up to your business, but some tips on good response time include:
- Responding within 24 hours of a new lead being received
- Giving proper response time in email chains
- Create a timeline and funnel for different responses and the possible “routes” each lead will take through the funnel
Tip #6 Don’t Forget the CRM
Lead generation needs to be an easy process that, once set in place, is not difficult to implement for each new lead received. Finding a company that has a successful CRM system can help your company move forward in the lead generation process.
If your company already has a CRM in place, we recommend finding a company that can integrate with your CRM system and creates less of a headache for you and your business.
If your business is looking for a simple CRM system that integrates with the most web design system and is user-friendly, we recommend using Active Campaign. This program is user-friendly and affordable for the new startup companies.
Tip #7 Open Communication
Having a team to help with your lead generation process is the first big step to ensure that this process is as simple as possible, but one factor that can make or break a company and their success rate is the communication between the two companies.
Communication is key in any business relationship and when it comes to communicating between two companies, the need for good communication is crucial. When targeting a lead generation company to use, knowing their communication skills is essential.
Some tips to test their communication skills, before hiring them, include:
- Sending an email and timing how long a response time they have
- Looking for any complaints of communication skills in the social proof
Finding a company that communicates well with your business can lead to great success for you, so do not skip this tip; always make communication a top priority.
Tip #8 Nurturing The Leads
Gaining a lead is one big factor, but keeping that lead and turning them into a client/customer is another. How the lead generation company you hire keeps and maintains the leads you receive is the last tip we have for any business looking to hire a company to help with their lead generation problem.
Following up on a lead and trying to convert them into a paying customer takes persistence, organization, and respect. A lead does not want to be pushed into anything, so the company’s job is “nurture” the lead by convincing them that your business is the best choice for them, that they will be missing out if they do not hire you.
What Is My Next Step?
So, you may be asking, what is my next step? The best way to determine that is to look at the tips we have given.
For your company, have you:
- Set Clear Goals?
- Determined Your Timeline?
- Planned Your Budget?
- Identified Your Type of Lead Generation Company?
- Picked Your Team?
If you answered no to any of those questions, start there. These five steps are the building blocks to choosing the best lead generation company for you.
If you answered yes to all of these questions then you are ready to choose your lead generation company. No need to worry, just follow the tips to find the company that works best for you and watch the power of lead generation grow your business to its fullest potential.