How Appointment Setting Campaigns Make Lead Generation More Effective
Lead generation is a key step in a B2B company’s business development activity. There are several ways to capture leads. Before pursuing them, they have to be qualified and nurtured. Planning and executing appointment setting campaigns for various purposes is an excellent way of achieving it.
Making appointment settings an integral part of the lead generation programs can build an efficient sales and marketing pipeline. Let us examine the different ways of generating leads and how blending appointment setting into these activities can be more effective.
1. Updating CRM Software Database
Sales database in the Customer Relationship Management forms the core of business development activity. Unfortunately, most B2B organizations’ sales funnel is outdated and cluttered. Cleaning up the pipeline takes a low priority as the sales teams should be focused on closing deals. It hampers the performance of the sales team gradually.
To overcome this precarious situation, organizing an appointment setting campaign can declutter the funnel and deliver qualified leads. An appointment setting project involves a team of experienced and trained Business Development Representatives handled by a Team Lead and supported by quality analysts. It should be treated as a different business development function, overseen by a Project Manager or an Account Manager. The team is equipped with the latest software products and hardware with an around-the-clock support group to achieve maximum output.
At the end of the campaign, you will find an exhaustive list of qualified leads and appointments with your prospects’ decision-makers and influencers.
2. Digital Marketing Campaigns
Internet and social media have changed the way people buy and sell. Digital marketing campaigns include attracting prospects to contact a B2B organization through its websites, social media handles, and emailers. Creating impactful content generates a lot of leads. Having a dedicated team of Business Development Representatives to respond to these contacts immediately has better chances of convincing them for an appointment with your Sales Rep.
3. Scheduling Meetings at Trade Shows and Networking Events
Participating in trade shows and networking events generates several inquiries for your products and services. After you have decided to put up a stall in such events, run an appointment setting campaign to inform your prospects to visit and have a look at your offerings.
The advantage of such exhibitions is there will be several prospects who will meet your team and share their contacts.
Immediately after the expo, organize a follow-up appointment setting campaign. As the prospects have already been warmed up, they will be more welcoming to meet your Sales Reps. These kinds of appointment setting campaigns have a higher success rate.
4. Nurturing Existing Clientele
Your customers might not be aware of all your products and services, especially the new ones. Organizing an appointment setting campaign to educate them yields quicker results. As they already share a healthy relationship with you, they will be more forthcoming to meet your sales team and learn about your latest offerings. The revenue from your clients will grow.
5. Revisit Dead and Cold Leads
During the initial campaigns, you might have come across prospects who wouldn’t have been interested in your products for various reasons like lack of budget, timeline, service by competition, etc. Experienced appointment setters make a note of these points in the database. Holding a campaign to revisit such prospects would yield the latest information about the situation. The possibility of elevating them to qualified leads is higher.
Integrating lead generation with appointment setting campaigns results in a smoothly flowing sales and marketing pipeline. Managed appointment setting companies have experienced Business Development Representatives who ensure the success of such campaigns.
B2B organizations’ Sales Representatives should be focused on converting prospects into customers. Hence, these enterprises should outsource appointment setting services.
Managed appointment setting firms take on the heavy lifting of cold calling, qualifying leads, and setting appointments with decision-makers and influencers. Thus, improving the productivity of B2B Sales Reps.
