Lead generation is not telemarketing. Many people interchange these terms but they are not interchangeable. Lead generation is a focused and targeted effort. Telemarketing is more of a shotgun approach – remember how your mother used to throw spaghetti against the wall to see if a few pieces would stick?
Every business has core functions and non-core functions. Core function means that there are specialists on staff who are dedicated to that task. Non-core function usually means that many people are involved but no one is ultimately responsible. Lead generation is typically a non-core function for most businesses.
How do most companies do lead generation? Typically lead generation is done during down times, when sales have taken a dip or when the pipeline dries up. In reality, lead generation should be a continuous function to ensure that none of these drops in revenue occur.
Outsourcing the lead generation function makes dollars and sense. It makes dollars because lead generation increases your pipeline of opportunities and, ultimately, bottom line revenue. It makes sense because lead generation is the outsourced firm’s core business – their area of expertise.
Lead generation is not mass marketing. It is an effort drawn from clear and concise planning. Lead generation is an effort targeted to a select few. It is an effort that must be ongoing in order to ensure continued success. Companies that invest the funds in lead generation are those that continually have a pipeline of opportunities, generate increased revenue year after year and experience less economic fluctuation due to swings in the marketplace. This is because they are in control of their flow of leads.
Don’t want until sales are down to do lead generation. Don’t wait until October to evaluate your bottom line revenue for the year. Don’t wait until your pipeline of opportunities dries up. Begin investing in lead generation before any of these things occur – because, inevitably, they will.
Doing lead generation in house is usually reactive. Outsourcing lead generation is proactive. The following quote says it all “Being proactive means being reactive – ahead of time”.