Lead generation is the lifeblood of any business. It’s the process of acquiring potential customers’ contact information and nurturing them into loyal clients. While hiring salespeople is essential, it’s not a magic bullet for solving lead generation woes. Let’s explore why.
- Timing Issues—Most companies hire salespeople too early. They think that by hiring a salesperson, they can go back to running the business or working on technical issues and the salesperson will be successful, bringing in new customers. This rarely happens because most salespeople need leads to close. A closer and a lead generation specialist are two separate things rarely found in the same candidate.
- Referrals—Referrals and word of mouth are vital to the growth of a small business, but they run out quickly. Once the owner has called everyone they know, and mined what they can out of their existing client base, it is time for something different.
- Lead Generation Strategy—Salespeople at times can run a lead generation campaign, but it is unlikely that they know how to build it, run it to be successful and be able to effectively manage the leads that come out of it. You really need a fully baked strategy before you begin that includes all the components, budgets, tasks to be assigned and timing. Expecting a new hire to do all of this without a track record of experience in this discipline is just not reasonable.
- Branding and Presentation—A salesperson who generates many leads but cannot convert them to sales appointments may struggle against your current branding. Is your website professional? Do you use landing pages to focus on the products and services you are pitching? Is there good content to draw them in without scaring them off by demanding they make an appointment? You need to woo your customers. Build a relationship. If your web content is not built that way, the efforts of even the best sales staff might be wasted.
- Tracking—Do you have a process for lead generation the salesperson can follow? Is there tracking involved so you can measure success and make adjustments? Without these key components, you are likely to waste considerable time “waiting” for your salesperson to be effective.
- Nurturing—Leads don’t convert overnight. It takes time. Do you have the processes in place to ensure every lead is touched regularly and engaged so they eventually convert to paying customers? You cannot rely on a single person to do this without the tools. You also cannot expect them to find the tool, set it up, and manage it effectively while also doing the job of a salesperson.
Conclusion
Hiring salespeople is essential, but it’s not a standalone solution. Combine their efforts with a robust lead generation strategy and tools to fuel sustainable business growth. Remember, it’s not about choosing one over the other—it’s about integrating both effectively.
Reach out to RedVine Operations if you need help in this area. We can help get your lead generation program up and running with our MGEN Program and train your sales personnel to ensure there is effective integration between the two.
