Working B2B and B2C leads requires different approaches, and also different approaches based upon the origin of your leads. A number of companies are very slow to pick up on organically generated leads, in other words leads generated by their website, digital advertising, and email campaigns, or even by direct mail campaigns. There is a period where these leads are going to be freshest, and therefore the most effective, and you have a better chance of getting the sale. Certain states are also starting to implement timeframes for callbacks, so there is a further argument for striking while the iron is hot to contact leads.
How Often is Too Often to Contact Leads?
In the age of caller ID, it’s hard to say how many calls are being screened. With an organically, a rapid call back is ideal but not always possible. You also have to remember that people have much shorter attention spans than they once did, and you need to get them while you are still in top of mind. It’s easy to say you should keep calling until you get a response, since a large percent sales happen before the 10th attempt. If you call back once a day for a week for a week with no contact, it might be best to let the lead rest for a time - say two weeks – before putting it back into the call rotation.
Gauging Success
One of the more complicated tasks of management is employing various metrics to measure the efficiency of the call room. You can measure by the number of calls outbound from a particular agent, the number of leads qualified, the number of contacts made, or the number of sales resulting from a given batch of leads. The numbers and definitive values for gauging success can be elusive. Leads vary in quality depending on the source, certain agents will take more time in speaking with and qualifying their leads, and will be more diligent in their follow-up calls afterward. Especially in B2B wholesale applications, it may take time to bring the buying agent around, but afterwards the repeat business is surely worth the investment in calling time..
Keep It Fresh
By now most toddlers can tell when someone is reading to them from a script. While scripts are helpful in training new agents, they can be constricting for your most experienced agents. Allow for some variation in the script after a certain level of experience. Your experienced agents have generally seen and/or heard it all, and have developed answers and responses of their own. Encourage experienced and successful agents to train newer agents, and provide their best tips and tricks.
Technology Plays a Role
One of the best sales tools that your room can have is an up-to-date dialing software that allows them to make the most efficient use of their time. Predictive dialing can make many more calls per hour, and provide valuable analytics that will help you to tighten up your operation and make more sales.
