Compelling Marketing ...

Generating leads is a smart way to support your sales staff and make their efforts more efficient. A good lead generation program can lower your sales costs and raise your sales revenue.

Here are the basics of making lead generation work for your company:

1. Offer something free. This is the key to any successful lead generation program. Whether you use direct mail, print ads, radio, television, or other media, you must offer something free to get prospects to raise their hands and say, "I'm interested in this." You can offer just about anything: free booklet, free gift, free survey, free sample, free catalog, free inspection, free consultation, or anything else that's related to your product or service.

2. Help your prospect solve a problem. Forget positioning pieces and other pomp and circumstance. Give your offer value. For someone having tax problems, offering a "free tax reduction kit" is more appealing and relevant than "a free brochure about the XYZ Accounting Firm." Try to solve particular problems.

3. Stay focused on getting the lead. Don't get carried away with the creative aspects of designing a mail piece or ad. Keep your message as simple and lean as possible. The idea is to peak your prospect's interest in the free thing you're offering and get a request for it. Don't talk about your company, then tack on an offer. Focus the whole message on the freebie.

4. Gather the information you need to make a sale. The only reason for offering something free is to get a name, address, phone number, and other information to build your database. So make sure your reply device asks for the necessary data. Be careful if you ask for an e-mail response, though, because the prospect may not give you everything you need. And if you want to direct a prospect to your Web site, create a special URL that will ask for contact information first, otherwise your prospect will wander around your site and leave without providing the data you want.

5. Follow up fast. Hot leads cool off quickly. When you get an inquiry, send the freebie immediately. Then get the lead into the hands of your sales force pronto.

6. Fine tune your program to raise or lower lead quality. Once you have a lead generation program in place, evaluate the quality of the leads you are getting. Make adjustments to raise response (and loosen the quality of leads) or lower response (and tighten the quality of leads).

Here are ways to loosen the quality of your leads:

Give away free information and pay the postage yourself.
Give away a free gift.
Offer a premium that is not related to your product.
Say less about your product or service.
Make it easier to get your information by using a coupon or bind-in card.
Provide a toll-free number.
Ask for less information from your prospect.
Don't ask for a phone number.
Stress "no obligation" or that no sales call will be made.
Highlight your offer.
Make your message "loud."
Give your offer more value.
Don't mention the price, conditions, or requirements.
Use magazine bingo cards.

Here are ways to tighten the quality of your leads:

Charge a nominal fee for your information or ask for postage.
Don't give away a gift.
Offer a premium that is directly related to your product.
Say more about your product or service.
Make it harder to get your information by making prospects call or write.
Provide a non-toll-free phone number.
Ask for more information from your prospect, such as plans to buy, age, income, business size, title, etc.
Ask for a phone number.
Mention possible obligations or a future sales call.
Bury your offer.
Make your message "quiet."
Give your offer less value.
Mention the price, conditions, or requirements.
Avoid magazine bingo cards.

Copyright © 2003 Dean Rieck. All rights reserved. Dean Rieck is an internationally respected direct response copywriter, designer, and consultant. He is president of Direct Creative, a direct marketing firm that provides creative services for direct mail, ads, e-mail, and more. Visit www.DirectCreative.com to read more articles and subscribe to Dean's FREE Newsletter.