An Online Lead Generation Machine Will Not Increase Sales
In fact, there are those who make the news with how many online leads they generated.
How? Silly question. Everyone knows that a robust web presence is essential for any business to get found by customers.
Why? Because they need more leads! Why? Because they need more sales! Why? Because they need more money! Why? (this could go on and on...)
Ok, so internet or inbound marketing is all you need? A new website, blogs and social media will get you there!
What the headlines might not tell you is that even with a whole lot of online lead generation, sales declined.
How to Really Increase Sales With Online Lead Generation
And that my fervent reader, is why it is the biggest, baddest most dangerous online lead generation myth there is.
Marketing and sales integrate their processes to deliver the same expected experience to the customer. There is no disconnect between how marketing got their attention to how sales closes the business to how customer service maintains the relationship.
Wherever there is a disconnect, sales revenue will decline either to attrition, a longer sale cycle, or leads that are just not sales ready.
Is Your Sales Strategy Aligned with the Customer's Buying Process?
The most important thing for both the sales and marketing strategy to do is find the right questions to ask. The most important thing for smarketers (hybrid sales and marketing people) to do is ask the right questions at the right time.
That happens when both sides can see, understand, agree and relate to where the target customer is in their buying process.
Why Is Online Lead Generation So Dangerous?
I can not even begin to tell you how many dozens of business owners, business development consultants, even internet marketing consultants who struggle with how to stay relevant to the 21st century buyer.
I am scared for the businesses who are wading through several proposals for a new website, or a new marketing agency because they don't know what they don't know. Yet they have to make a decision based on just that. Many are buying the line that they just need to get a website, write some blogs and use social media and the sale and leads will be waiting in the inbox.
Will you increase traffic? Yes. Will you increase leads? Most likely. Will you increase sales? No promises.
