Business owners of more and more SMB companies that we talk with are frustrated because they can’t pinpoint the return on investment (ROI) from their lead generation campaigns. They’ve invested time, money and staff, but can’t articulate the value they’ve received.
Use this 8-point checklist to evaluate the success of your marketing campaign elements. We’ve infused the checklist with some humor to guide you in identifying where you need to put more focus to get the marketing campaign ROI you expect.
1. Who you gunna call? (Ghostbusters, obviously.)
Just kidding. Nothing spooky here! But the first step to successful marketing campaign ROI is to know WHO you are trying to reach. What solution are you trying to sell to them and how does it align with your target market? Knowing this is critical to developing a plan of action that targets the right people with the right messaging.
2. You must be a keyboard, cuz’ you’re just my type. Really?
It’s time to practice your pickup line. Developing your company’s value statement centered on your target market’s business issues, your solution and your unique differentiation, is critical. This step will inform your messaging throughout both your lead generation campaign and your sales activities for your target market. It creates a cohesive, memorable message that resonates with prospects who need your assistance.
3. Know thyself and thy market.
Choose your lead generation campaign strategy carefully. Consider how your target contacts prefer to receive information. Do you live in a small community that benefits from local events Cities where email, webinars and warm calling are best received? Then look internally. Are you better at cold calling, email campaigns, personal visits, events or something else? Ultimately, you want to choose 3-5 specific prospect attraction strategiesthat align with your strengths, who you’re targeting, and your campaign goal.
4. Variety is the spice of life!
And the spice of successful marketing! If you do the same things to the same group of people all of the time, you’ll lose their attention. Likewise, if you don’t do enough of the right lead generation activities – like in-person events in a smaller community where face to face relationships matter – you’ll see lackluster results. Use a variety of lead generation activities and be consistent in your communications to get noticed and build yourrecognition ROI.
5. No really, who are you going to call?
Your lead generation list is one of the top two critical success factors to achieve campaign ROI. Whether using a list you already own, or acquiring a new list, it must be clean and accurate, and segmented by target market. You also need a strategy that continues growing your lead generation list by capturing qualified website visitors.
6. Let’s play the Data-ing Game!
Testing, measuring and tracking marketing campaign results – i.e. email opens, clicks, replies, call returns, social media shares and comments, Google analytics, referrals, sales conversions, closed sales and so much more – can help you understand who on your list is engaged and which of your campaign messages are most resonant. Establish specific campaign metrics to monitor, and review them regularly with the intention of adjusting your lead generation strategy based on your results.
7. Embrace the combined power of MQL and SQL
Marketing Qualified Leads (MQL) are those prospects who have engaged with a predetermined amount of lead generation campaign activities. Sales Qualified Leads (SQL) are prospects that Sales has qualified as having immediate potential to become clients. Establish a closed loop process to move leads from MQL to SQL, then don’t shirk the calls. Be sure to call every marketing qualified lead and qualify if they are real sales opportunities, then measure the conversion of MQL to SQL and SQL to close. If MQL leads aren’t converting, often Sales needs a skill refresh for their calling.
8. The finish line is only the beginning.
Throughout (and after) each lead generation campaign, perform a strategic assessment to understand if there are any adjustments that need to be made – to your campaign, your sales and marketing processes, and the skills of your teams. Look beyond the sales metrics and assess how your marketing and sales overall need to evolve to achieve your company growth goal.
Marketing campaigns that produce strong ROI require more than sending a few emails if you want to see a healthy influx of new leads. We know firsthand that it takes time, planning, consistency, testing, strategic evaluation, and sales and marketing integration to produce the results you desire.
If you’re missing the expertise or ability to execute any of the steps above, KLA Group can help. We’ve got the team and the strategic framework to simplify your marketing campaigns, integrate your sales team, and dramatically improve your results.
Want to learn more? Give us a shout at 303-741-6636 or click here to request a free consultation. We’ll get on the phone with you and talk through all the opportunities you have to better leverage your lead generation to get more customers and grow your business.
