As any sales professional knows, not all leads are at the same stage of the sales cycle.
What we mean is – some leads are closer to the beginning and conducting high level research to see “what’s out there” or “what’s possible”, while other leads are closer to making a buying decision with questions and needs that are more practical and focused.
The Power of Qualified Leads for Your Sales Cycle
Obviously, both kinds of leads – those doing their initial research, and those close to making decision – are valuable; especially since the latter is typically generated by the former. That is, leads who are ready to buy usually started out as those who were (for all intents and purposes) “window shopping” and exploring their options.
So what does this have to do with inbound marketing and, specifically, the glorious power of using inbound marketing to filter the sales cycle? It has EVERYTHING to do with it, and it’s one of the reasons that, rather than replacing sales professionals, inbound marketing is a sales professional’s best friend.
Optimize Your Limited Sales Time with Qualified Leads
Regardless of whether a business is a start-up on a shoestring budget or a massive multinational with even more massive cash reserves, there is always a limit to how much time sales professionals have available to speak with leads.
It’s not that sales professionals are stingy with their time. On the contrary – and especially in the B2B space – sales professionals often spend dozens of hours (in addition to all of the other background work they do) communicating with a single lead and developing the relationship.
However, the point is that no matter how generous they are with their time, there comes a point where sales professionals have to say to themselves “by speaking with lead A, I can’t speak with lead B”. And that’s where inbound marketing shines.
How Inbound Marketing Helps Filter Sales Qualified Leads
That’s because inbound marketing can be used to target leads at different stages of the sales funnel, so that when they connect with sales professionals, they’re much more “qualified”. That is, they’re more engaged, focused, and either have specific questions or are fundamentally familiar with what they should be looking for in a solution.
In short, everyone wins.
How Inbound Marketing Benefits Your Sales Cycle
- As-yet-qualified leads get the objective information – blog posts, eBooks, etc. – they want on-demand, and without any perceived “sales pressure” (sometimes just speaking with a sales professional puts pressure on leads, even if there is absolutely no pressure and the conversation is as easy and friendly as a chat with a neighbor).
- Business can start building the relationship with leads at the earliest possible opportunity and usher them into becoming more qualified – but in a way that scales seamlessly and can be completely automated (i.e. sending an eBook to 10 leads or 1000 costs the same!)
- Qualified leads enter into the conversation with better, smarter questions that provide them with meaningful information specific to their problems and business.
- Sales professionals are free to spend their limited time on the phone, over the web, or in person with more qualified leads – which results in a higher close rate.
The Bottom Line
There’s plenty to love about inbound marketing, and we often sing its praises here in our blog – because we’ve seen the results with our clients, and right here at Leap Clixx, too.
However, one of inbound marketing’s greatest benefits – yet perhaps among its least highlighted – is its ability to filter the sales cycle and make life easier for all involved. What’s not to love?
Learn more about turning your website into a lead generation machine with our free eBook!
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