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Many marketers hate to cold call prospects.
Yet, frequently leading the list of lead generation efforts for many
technical sales teams is -- you guessed it -- cold calling!
Cold calling has to take the prize as the most frustrating activity for
sales and marketing pros. What else could rival the experience? Nothing
like a steady diet of rejection as you call people who don't want to
speak to you.
Honestly, how many times can a sane person handle hearing "he's not in
at the moment", or, "could I ask what this is in reference to?"
Tough business, cold calling. I know. I did it years ago as a partner in
a
B-to-B ad agency. Armed with a contact list, I dialed for dollars in
search of new clients. I worked at it until I practically became phobic
at the mere sight of a phone.
There had to be a better way, I thought! So, I began reading everything
I could find on direct marketing and lead generation.
By the time I was responsible for directing global marketing strategies
for a $260 million manufacturer, I had developed a sure-fire system for
targeting, generating, and qualifying technical business-to-business
sales leads.
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 That's
more than 160 fresh, motivated sales leads delivered every month!
In the late 1990's, I managed global marketing and branding for Sulzer
Metco, a mid-market Swiss B-to-B industrial
manufacturer. I was responsible for supporting global engineering sales
teams located in 17 different countries -- all needing sales leads.
My publicity and marketing program for Sulzer Metco
generated over 8,500 qualified sales leads from engineers
and technical specifiers in over 140 countries!
I consistently used direct response offers in every Sulzer Metco
marketing communications and publicity effort in
order to give Sulzer's targeted audiences ample
opportunities to learn more about the company's technologies.
Below is an offer for an instructive applications brochure that
explained the many engineered solutions Sulzer
Metco could provide for the enhancement or
protection of industrial surfaces. Over 36,000 engineers requested this
brochure and learned about the under-utilized thermal spray
surface coating technology.
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By integrating direct response mechanisms -- in this case a fax number
or web site -- into Sulzer Metco's entire global
marketing and branding campaign, we enticed engineers and technical
managers to order a free applications brochure.
Sulzer's branding and marketing messages were kept consistent, and each
was delivered following a precise schedule. The results? Over 8,500
high-quality, pre-qualified sales leads. Using my Integrated Direct
Response Lead Generation marketing approach,
Sulzer created a detailed marketing database of 36,000 informed
prospects, and built a strong brand identity.
Since 1999, Sulzer Metco sales have doubled from approximately US$250
million to over US$500 million in 2005.
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| To really boost the number of
interested inquiries, and their relevance to
your products, you have to offer your
prospects a reason to respond. The best way to motivate prospects
to respond is to dangle an opportunity to get
something of value by offering them a data sheet, a PDF
file, product samples, technical references, white
papers, catalogs, CDs, brochures, or a reprint. |
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When we develop any marketing communications project, we consider
including an offer for a valuable professional tool, such as a catalog,
or product sample, to be integrated with the
entire marketing message. |
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Such offers can be delivered using the entire marketing mix:
PR news releases, published articles,
trade magazine ads, product-specific mini websites, direct mail,
e-mail, telemarketing, exhibits, and the
direct personal sales force. |
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Early in my career, as a young advertising agency pro, I was thrilled to
have created an award-winning advertising
campaign for Henry Schein, a dental products catalog direct marketer. My
campaign had helped successfully launch the client's direct marketing
business into the Canadian market. Back then, I hated the idea of a
coupon cluttering his beautifully designed ads. But, I learned something
invaluable! Direct response marketing generates sales!
Today, Henry Schein is a $4 billion global healthcare juggernaut and
market share leader providing dental, medical, and veterinary supplies
to more office-based practitioners in the US, Canada, and Europe than
any other company.
Their success has been built primarily on catalog sales generated
from
coupon responses to trade ads and direct mail, and e-commerce!
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If your organization needs to generate more
sales leads, or better qualify your sales leads,
just contact Carazo Communication to discuss a marketing solution that
meets your needs...
Better B-to-B marketing solutions. Proven results. |
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