B2B Lead Generation Blog

Web Analytics for B2B Lead Generation

In the complex sale, the length of the buying cycle makes the connection between on-the-web activity and the off-line decision to purchase much more difficult to trace. So the challenge is connecting our website data (analytics), with marketing data (inquiries and leads) with the sales process and revenue (closing the loop). 

I came across Manoj Jasra post, "B2B Web Analytics: Deeper Dive - Web Analytics World" and thought it was relevant to share.   

Jasra writes, "in order to be successful in a B2B world, marketers require a strong understanding in regards to their potential customers. Things such as lead qualification, targeting in the sales cycle, and testing content/collateral are all areas where analysts can push the envelope in order to provide more insight for their marketing team."

Jasra's post outlines four key analytic areas which include: quality of leads, sales cycle, optimizing your content (for SEO and conversion) and conversion rates and funnels.

Here are some posts that give more suggestions on analytics.

Related posts:

Tracking ROI From Web Generated Leads
Improve your online lead generation measurement

I still think there is a lot of improvement that needs to be made in this area. Are you satisfied with your ability to track your online lead generation ROI? If so, what's been working for you?

Lead management software becoming a hot topic

What do you do with leads or inquires once you generate them?

This basic question is overlooked by so many and yet it’s the leading cause of failure in what would otherwise be effective lead generation programs.

The common-sense answer to this challenge is easier said than done: Have your best people respond to them quickly and consistently in order to qualify them into sales ready leads. The ones that aren’t qualified yet (but are a fit) you put into a lead nurturing process.

The need to better manage leads and inquires has given rise to a slew of new software companies offering a variety of lead management or marketing automation solutions. 

An interesting conversation was started recently by Laura Ramos on the Forrester Marketing blog about lead management software. I’m really glad to see an analyst giving their opinion and I look forward to more insights. Ramos’ post, “B2B Lead Management Market Heats Up,” is definitely worth checking out.

According to Ramos, there are four primary buckets of technology solutions aimed at solving the “how do I make lead generation activities more effective?” They are:

1. Web analytics
2. Database services
3. Marketing automation
4. “Pure play” lead management

With that said, I think it is important to realize that lead management software and marketing automation tools are only one part of an effective process. Here's what I've learned...

Software will not spontaneously generate collaboration between sales and marketing, nor will it create solutions that match your processes and it certainly will not generate sales-ready leads on it’s own. However, for many the allure of easy execution and fast results are difficult to resist. It’s easy to overlook that these systems require a great deal of hands on input and maintenance to be fully appreciated.

My company has spent well over a million dollars and almost ten years to develop our lead management software system that we use as part of our services and we’re learning what works (and what doesn’t) everyday through testing and trial and error. That said, I can say that developing a good process takes more time than you think and developing people to execute the process consistently is even more difficult.

I regularly encounter organizations that invest in expensive software before they fully understand the fundamental operational processes that it will be supporting. This was and still is true of CRM and SFA systems. Lead management software has turned out to be no different. If you want to fully leverage your lead management software, you’ll first need to develop operational discipline and focus on good execution.

Start by understanding your lead generation requirements and design a suitable process to support it and insert the software into the process where it will be most effective and actually used. Most importantly, don’t under estimate the need for a dedicated team of people that will drive the process and make the inputs into the system.

Begin by mapping out a clear process. At InTouch we use process flow and data diagrams to collaborate with clients when designing lead management programs.  Make sure you involve and collaborate with everyone who will be part of the process. Their buy-in will be key to the programs success. Then identify if there are still any gaps in staffing. Finally, once people and process are mapped out, select the tools or systems that will help your people efficiently manage the process.

Lead management is the bridge between sales and marketing that connects the beginning and middle of the customer acquisition process. It requires engaged people to execute the right process, which is then supported by the right software.

B2B 2.0 marketing expo by MarketingProfs

The gang at MarketingProfs put together conference that's worth checking out. Now here's the best part... no conference travel required. The B2B 2.0 Marketing Expo is March 5, 2008 and you can register here.

Alltop a single page blog dashboard of sorts

If you don’t have time to search though multiple blogs I recommend you check out Alltop. The site was launched by marketing wiz, blogger, author, entrepreneur & venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki.

What's different about Alltop? It’s really a selection of the top 50 RSS feeds (i.e. mostly blogs) in 20 categories. All that information is collected listed in a single page. Personally, I’m finding Alltop useful for keeping up with other topics I'm interested in but don't want to spend a lot of time on.

The small business section includes the B2B Lead Generation Blog along with publications like Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Forbes and some of my favorite bloggers like Jill Konrath, Patrick Schaber, Seth Godin, John Jantsch, and Yvonne DiVita.

MarketingSherpa Demand Generation Summit 2007

Click here now to buy a ticket to the Demand Gen Summit and get a copy of my new book: "Lead Generation for the Complex Sale" Register by 9/28 For a $100 Discount

You're invited to join me at MarketingSherpa’s Demand Generation Summit at your choice of Boston (Oct 15-16) or San Francisco (Oct 29-30.) I’ll be speaking on “Blogging, Podcasting, Speaking Gigs, & Book Authorship: How to Generate Leads and Measure ROI as an Authority.”

Some of the other topics include: New B-to-B Search Marketing; Maximizing White Papers, Ezines Webinars & Podcasts; Marketing to Fortune 500; Video, Viral & Web 2.0 B-to-B Marketing; How to Measure & Manage Leads and more.

I hope you can make it. Register here

B2B Marketing and lead generation via Social networking

Have you dipped your toe in the water of social networking yet? And if not, should you start? That's a question I know a lot of very busy B2B marketers ask themselves which is why I found Tessa Wegert's ClickZ article on "Facebook as a B2B Marketing Tool" interesting.

In the article, Wegert highlights how some marketers are experimenting with using the Facebook site for proactive marketing and build targeted niche networks and B2B communities.

I've been using LinkedIn for several years because it's geared more for business people. But I’ve heard the audience demographic of the Facebook is now moving from being focused on college kids to becoming a place for adults.

Overall, social networking sites are proving to be great tools for job seekers and recruiting. But I still wonder about the value of social networking tools for lead generation and business development that Wegert's article brings up.

In B2B, I think our reputation matters as much as our brand. Like traditional networks, online social networks must be built on trust and value to be effective. In either case, you can't replace credibility lost, if you fail to use them correctly.

I have a few hundred people in my online social network and more in my off line network. But I've found it takes just as much effort to use social networking tools to nurture relationships online as it does to nurture relationships off line. So in the end, I end up connecting more with my network offline or using old standbys like the phone or email.

Here's my question…

If you use social networking tools, I'd love to get your input. Do you think a typical marketer or sales person (who isn't a good “networker” already) can build relationships and generate sales leads for their company from a social networking tool? Why or why not?

Inquiry management and search marketing strategy

BtoB Magazine's Carol Krol interviewed Kevin Lee, executive chairman of Did-it Search Marketing on "Effective Search Strategies." I first met Kevin as a fellow speaker at MarketingSherpa's first Lead Generation Summit.

I liked what Kevin had to say when Krol asked him this question, "What are the top three things a marketer should be wary of when evaluating a search marketing strategy?" I think Kevin's points serve as a good reminder for web inquiry management.

I've summarized Kevin's three points:

1. Don’t be too Web myopic. Don’t focus exclusively on Web-based leads because typically in a b-to-b environment, a prospect may choose to communicate with your company by telephone or some other channel.
2. All leads are not created equal. This is true offline and online. Don't oversimplify. Qualify the leads first.
3. The velocity of inquiry follow-up matters. Your response time say's more about you then you realize. If your competition takes 24 hours to respond and it takes you days to respond, you’re in big trouble. And don't just send a canned response either.

BtoB Magazine: Effective search strategies

Podcast: Interview with MarketingSherpa's Anne Holland

Would you like some inspiration or some fresh ideas for your marketing and lead generation strategy?

If so, MarketingSherpa just released their “Business Technology Marketing Benchmark Guide 2007-08” and I had the privilege to interview Anne Holland about this year's findings. Very useful stuff. Download the Executive Summary

During our in-depth interview, Anne shares some terrific insights and helpful data on numerous marketing and lead generation tactics.

Three data points that I found particularity interesting:

1. Teleprospecting works. As we all know, tech buyers are a notoriously tough crowd to cold call. Sherpa's findings contradict the "calling doesn't work" line we've heard for years. Their data shows that over 50% of tech buyers admitted to short listing a vendor after receiving a well timed and relevant phone call.

2. Sherpa's data shows that more decision makers (not just influencers) are attending webinars and watching archived events. This indicates the importance of relevant educational events and online content for lead generation.

3. Companies who provided fewer but higher quality "sales ready" leads to their sale people have better sales conversion rates than those that send lots of early stage leads and that creating a "cost per lead" culture just does not work.

Listen to podcast now (31 min MP3)

Show Agenda  

• Benchmark data that B2B all marketers must know
• Fresh ideas and best practices for lead qualification
• Why you should capture and track all web inquiries in your CRM
• How many buyers/influencers in the typical F500 buying process (hint: it's big!)
• Sherpa's unexpected data on B2B telemarketing (teleprospecting)
• Useful data on lead management and lead nurturing
• How webinars are reaching more decision makers than you would expect
• Common email mistakes (and why mobile devices matter more than you think)
• How and why high quality content is important and influential to buyers
• Why fewer leads is better (the CEOs role) and why "cost per lead" budgets fail
• Distinguishing characteristics of top performing marketers
• Unconventional research that will improve your corporate website homepage

The Business Technology Benchmark Marketing Guide features data on numerous marketing and lead generation tactics especially valuable. They also have practical data on search, email, PR, direct mail, lead generation, trade shows, podcasting, telemarketing, budgeting and more. They interviewed over 1000 marketers, plus this year they gathered in-depth research from 4,658 actual business technology buyers.

If you are a marketer for a company that sells technology, I encourage you to get a copy of this report. It will definitely help you better budget, forecast, and benchmark your marketing results.

MarketingSherpa: Business Technology Marketing Benchmark Guide 2007-08

Online Lead Generation and Management Strategies that Get Results

Back In 2005, I did an 11 City speaking tour sponsored by GlobalSpec to teach manufacturers how to become better at lead generation, lead management and lead nurturing. 

I traveled with Guy Maser VP of Marketing for GlobalSpec and I thought he had a great message about helping marketers get the most out of their internet lead generation investment. Today, his article in BtoB Magazine gives a great summary of his presentation from the roadshow and is worth a read.

Guys writes, “The backbone of traditional marketing has long been the 4Ps: product, pricing, placement and promotion. While these fundamentals still hold true, the Internet has changed marketing and the fundamentals we apply to it. New and innovative online marketing tactics help companies build their brand and generate leads online. Some of the leads are “hot” and ready to buy while others are long-term and need nurturing. To turn these leads into customers, marketing and sales teams must have dedicated and collaborative lead management practices. This environment has brought about a need to complement the classic 4Ps of marketing with a variation called the 4Ts: target, tactics, transact and track. Implementing the 4Ts can help you get the most out of the Internet in your b-to-b sales and marketing efforts, and can help improve the alignment between sales and marketing within an organization.”

BtoB Magazine: Lead Generation and Management Strategies that Get Results

Social Media Pundits Disconnect from B2B Marketing

As someone in B2B, do you feel left out of the social media buzz? I read a good article on "What’s Wrong With Social Media For B2B Marketing" by John Miller who also writes the Modern B2B Marketing blog.

John's article highlights something most of us in B2B marketing have come to accept. B2C marketing gets the vast majority of links and clicks while B2B hears the quiet sound of crickets chirping.

I remember when I started blogging in 2003 and there was only 11 true B2B marketing related blogs. Now there's are over a hundred. John lists about 80 of them on his blog.

John concludes, "The result is that there are fewer pundits and thought leaders writing about B2B marketing, resulting in fewer links to those early adopters who do write about business marketing techniques. And since links mean leadership on the web, the result is that the less-trendy subjects in B2B marketing—like marketing accountability and lead management—get left behind."

Personally, I think the reason B2B marketing receives less attention comes down to time and momentum.

I don't know a B2B marketer who isn’t swamped and time constrained. They often have more projects than hands to do them.

Plus, there are more B2C marketers than B2B marketers. Why? There are simply more consumer buyers than business buyers. And as consumers, it’s easier to understand B2C marketing experiences, concepts and ideas. There’s just more to write about, more people and thus there’s more momentum.

B2B is more complex. Complex things are harder communicate and take more time and effort to build momentum. For example, my business partners and I were talking at lunch about why Steven Hawking is less known at this stage of his life than Albert Einstein (don't ask why were talking about this). One person said, "You can put Einstein's E=mc2 on a t-shirt and then a consumer will buy that. You can’t do that with Hawking.”

My point? Those who spend more time talking about the trendy marketing mediums (ie. Blogs, podcasts, WOM, etc.) are easier to link to than those who are talking about the strategy and execution aspects that B2B marketers really need. It’s a momentum thing.

B2B marketers may never have the same amount of buzz as those in B2C and that's okay. B2B marketing isn’t a popularity contest. It's about results. Without us, B2C marketers wouldn't have anything to sell and our economy would suffer. That's a fact. And that's why I love it.

Podcast: The New Rules of Marketing & PR Interview with David Meerman Scott

Before the Internet and social media tools, companies could only communicate through the filter of advertising or media ink placed by a PR firm. But fortunately the rules have changed.

I just interviewed David Meerman Scott author the new book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly. The book was officially released on June 4, 2007.

David also writes the Web Ink Now blog and has been named to the MarketingSherpa Viral Marketing Hall of Fame for the past two years in a row. During our interview we cover a variety of topics that are relevant to lead generation, PR and marketing.

Show Notes

• The New Rules of Marketing & PR
• Strategies for reaching more buyers directly via the web
• The role of content in reaching people earlier in their buying process
• Building your online credibility and authority
• Thought leadership and the changing role of media and journalists
• PR tactics that work

Listen to podcast now (MP3 27 min 12 MB)
Subscribe to the Start With the Lead Show

David is a friend and colleague so I'm happy to see his book is doing so well. As I write this post his book is ranked in the top 100 of Amazon Best Sellers. Congrats David! Get your copy of The New Rules of Marketing & PR on Amazon.

B2B Lead Generation Blog is today's TypePad Featured Blog

Greetings and welcome new readers! I'm honored that the B2B Lead Generation Blog was chosen as today's Typepad featured blog. I've been using Typepad to power my blog since October of 2003 and I think it's a super blogging tool.

Their write up is quite glowing (aw-shucks) and it's fun to be recognized. And, I'm even getting a cool t-shirt to boot. Thanks TypePad!

TypePad Featured Blogs: B2B Lead Generation Blog

On Lead Nurturing: Looking for a "hot" date?

When it comes to lead generation, the dating analogy is nothing new. But I liked what Tom Myer at the tdog.blog said on the topic of lead nurturing in his post, "If you don’t remember me on the second date, why should we go on a third?"

Myer writes:

“If lead generation is like dating, and we’re all out there on the singles scene, most of our effort goes to landing first dates. We do everything we can to catch someone’s eye, fetch up the nerve to ask them out, and work really hard on making a good impression that first time around. We may also have well-meaning friends and families setting us up on blind dates (aka referrals), and we may also run into those people who have heard good things about us from other people and want to get to know us better (aka word of mouth). (Yes, it’s a neat metaphor, and I’m not the first to notice it, but I digress.)

All of this dating stuff aside, lead nurturing is like getting to know someone better (except in the business context multiple relationships are not only condoned but encouraged!). If you spend all that time and energy getting a “first date”, why would you blow it by not remembering important facts about your prospect on the “second date”? Also, if you’re on that second date, why not take this chance to get to know them a little better?”

I agree. He goes on in the post to talk about how to use your relevant and educational content as part of the lead nurturing mix.

As important as information gathering is, it is important to not get too personal on the first date. Think about your web forms. Are you asking for far too much information before you've earned their trust?  I wrote about this in my post, Why Most B2B Sites Fail to Convert Sales Leads.

Don't blow it on the first date by thinking of it as a campaign rather than a conversation.  The challenge is to make each conversation you have be relevant and meaningful.  The reward? A more memorable conversation that will likely lead to others and eventually a relationship.

You'll do better by thinking of lead nurturing as a process of micro-conversions based on the multiple conversations you’re having. Be patient and you'll build the opportunity profile over time.

Sridhar Ramanathan president of Pacifica Group points this out in his blog post, "Demand Generation: Are You Making Your Prospects Lie? He writes, "One of the dirty little secrets of online marketing is that the leads you generate are only as good as the data that the customer prospect chooses to share about themselves. And very often they lie."

As a way to get started, no strings attached, why not give away something of value for free? Then later request an email address, then ask for first and last name, later requesting a phone number, and so on.

I can tell you that it does take time to use a nurturing approach, but you will end up with better and more profitable relationships, whether it be personal or professional. 

Heck, I knew that I wanted to marry my wife after the second date, but I can tell you that it took time, attention, creativity and patience to win her heart. 

Let’s go one step further with the dating analogy. If your customers made the leap to commit to working with you, do you then ignore them because you’ve already won them over?

At InTouch we believe the “yes” is only the beginning, not the final result. Take time to nurture your existing customers too. Like any good relationship, it starts with a memorable and meaningful first conversation and continues with ongoing attention and commitment.

Lead Generation via Podcasts: An Interview With Paul Dunay

Did you know that podcasting can help you generate more leads and nurture future customers? Research shows that Podcasts do impact B2B purchase decisions.

Buyers want to know you understand them and that you’re relevant to their specific needs. They also want to know the people behind the company. An excellent way to reach them is by developing thought leading (educational) content in the form of podcasts.

If you provide your prospects with high quality thought leading content as part of your lead nurturing process, then you will find that your prospects are calling you first when they are ready to buy.

I interviewed Paul Dunay, Director of Global Field Marketing for BearingPoint. Paul also writes the insightful Buzz Marketing for Technology Blog. I really enjoyed learning from his experience in the trenches. This year he's going to do over 120 podcasts!

Show Notes

• Where podcasting fits in the multimodal lead generation portfolio
• How podcasting helps establish and reinforce thought leadership
• Where podcasts can help your lead generation ROI
• Why podcasts are perfect for lead nurturing (I was flattered to learn that Paul found inspiration in my book to develop his strategy.)
• Outsource podcast production or do-it-yourself
• Hints and tips for marketers to start podcasting for lead generation

Listen to podcast now (MP3 22 min 5.6 MB)
Subscribe to the Start With the Lead Show

On B2B Demand Generation tools and Lead Generation Dashboards

CEOs continue to demand better ROI measurement and accountability from marketers.

As a result there’s been a surge of interest in software and tools to manage the process of lead management, lead nurturing and lead generation with a greater emphasis on measurability. 

In 2005, I wrote a post predicting that lead generation dashboards would become a hot topic and according to the CMO Council's 2007 Outlook Report the time for marketing performance dashboards is now.

The report states, "Seventy-five percent of respondents from companies with revenues of more than $500 million plan to deploy a marketing performance measurement dashboard this year, almost twice the number who will invest in the next highest category of system deployment, which is lead generation and qualification. Marketers from smaller companies said lead generation and qualification and email campaign management would be their two top areas of system or service deployment."

Additionally a MarketingProfs article from last week, “B2B Demand Generation in the Age of Accountability, Measurability, and Automation” by Mike Zavershnik of Eloqua emphasizes how, “new marketing automation systems delivered as a service enable marketers to quickly scale their most successful campaigns to drive a larger flow of qualified leads.”

With that said, I think it is important to remember that buying lead management software and dashboards tools is akin to buying a high performance stock car. Without a skilled and knowledgeable driver behind the wheel, you may never get out of first gear no matter how great the car is. 

All to often companies invest in expensive software before they fully understand the fundamental operational processes that it will be supporting. This is a common theme in sales and marketing automation, CRM implementation being another good example.
To develop a world class demand generation and lead management operation you’ll need three things:

• Enough of the right people to support the process
• A well thought out process to support the people
• And finally, the right tools and systems to help people manage the process

I think that most sales and marketing professionals recognize that software will not spontaneously generate results, but the allure of easy execution and fast results are difficult to resist. It’s also easy to forget that these systems require a great deal of hands on input and maintenance to be fully appreciated. 

Yes, lead management software and dashboard tools are hot now because pressure for more measurable ROI is greater that ever and these tools can help you, but make sure you take a more holistic approach. 

Start by understanding your lead generation requirements and design a suitable process to support it and insert the software into the process where it will be most effective and actually used. Most importantly, don’t under estimate the need for a dedicated team of people that will drive the process and make the inputs into the system.

If we continue to follow this line of thought it's logical then to ask yourself if the metrics you are getting back out of the system are telling you that you’re getting better?

This morning I talked with Jim Berkowitz, who writes the CRM Mastery E-Journal. When I told him about this post he replied, “With dashboards, nobody ever seems to talk about having the right metrics that help you measure if you’re improving…” I agree.

Most marketing metrics are like driving a car by looking in the rear view mirror (yes, another car analogy!). They tell you where you've been but they can't tell you where you’re going. Ouch! So are you using metrics that actually help you look forward?

I think companies will continue to buy the promise of these tools even though they lack the resources to actually leverage them. What do you think?

On giving away ideas

I had coffee with a potential partner and our conversation ebbed to a discussion about marketing philosophy and lead generation.  He said something like, "I think companies [like yours] give away many of their trade secrets on their website. They provide too much information.  If I wanted to compete with you... all I would need to do is read your website or blog. The purpose of a website is to solicit interest... you've got to get people to respond... to generate leads."

My response...

People use the web for research; they are looking for fresh ideas, insight and actionable information.  Intellectual property is difficult to protect and is quickly commoditized by the market. Why not leverage some of your IP to your advantage? Leverage it and demonstrate your thought leadership. 

It’s difficult to defend technology that can easily become commoditized and your processes can be copied or improved upon as well. You can't even keep all of your people indefinitely. There are more protections for tangible products but not many for service based business, which most companies are evolving to anyway.

I have a friend who is a NASCAR fan and what he loves is that it's more about the driver than the car. All the cars are the same.  It’s the driver and the crew that make the difference. It's kind of like that with business now. 

Most companies have the same basic car. It's really about how well you drive it. The driver and crew in this metaphor can be seen as thought leadership; the ideas and talents that set the team apart from others. It’s what people remember and identify with. Features and benefit are cool, but sooner than later everyone’s car has the same features anyway.

This is particularity important for companies engaged in a complex sale, where up to 70% of a customer’s perception of your brand comes from their interactions with your sales people. I believe that the people and companies who succeed today are those who learn faster and teach others what they know more effectively. 

My skeptical coffee companion had a schotoma (blind spot) because his viewpoint came from a product driven, B2C, branding perspective.

I didn't have any formal training in marketing before I got started. At first that seemed like a disadvantage, but now I realize that having a clean slate gave me the advantage of being untainted. I strive to not have preconceived notion of how it SHOULD BE.  Instead, I listen to the voice of my customers and what I hear is that they want a relationship with a trusted advisor, not someone who guards their thoughts and ideas.

So what happens to people/companies that keep the ideas to themselves?

Jure Cuhalev over at the g. blog also has some great thoughts on giving away ideas. Jure writes, "...I have a theory of what happens to them. They start losing their ability to produce new ideas, since their current idea preoccupies them. They think about it all the time to the point that they can not think of anything fresh." 

Jure also quotes David Kelley, one of the most visible product designers in the world, especially in the world of high technology. Kelly is founder of IDEO, America's largest independent product design and development firm.

I think Kelly's viewpoint goes well beyond design. Read the following quote and replace "designers" with your role (ie. CEOs, Marketers and so on)... I think it will ring true.

According to Kelly, "Successful designers just send out their vision to the world; and then, when somebody else builds on it, that’s okay. They’re not protective of their ideas because they’re so used to having ideas. A creative designer has an idea a minute. Publicizing an idea is a way to improve on the idea—someone else can build on it, expand it. If you’re fluent with ideas, as most design people are, you don’t have to be fearful. You don’t protect your one good idea because your afraid you’ll never have another good one."

Again, it's not the car. It's the crew and driver.

Where do Your Email Newsletters go?

So I finally got a chance to catch my breath a bit and read some of the content on my "blogs I read" list.  I've often talked about how marketers can reuse content for lead nurturing.  If you currently are sending e-newsletters, here's an idea for you consider. 

Those who subscribe to this blog via my feedblitz e-mail notification are already familiar with the blogletter concept.  You can apply this concept to your existing e-newsletter.  Chad Hornfield writes on his Anything Goes Marketing blog, "How can you take your email newsletters to the next level to maximize their SEO effectiveness?" Try combining your email newsletter with your blog. 

Link: Anything Goes Marketing: Where do Your Email Newsletters go? Email Heaven?.

Another useful post on the same subject by contributing writer (and Web designer) Sarah Lewis for Debbie Weil's WordBiz Report on "How and Why to Combine an E-newsletter and a Blog."

Sarah writes, "In short, e-newsletters aren't as easy to create and update as blogs. That can make it harder to keep to a regular publishing schedule (ahem… you might have noticed that Debbie's publishing schedule has been a bit irregular of late). It makes sense, then, to take some of the easy-to-use technology that has made blogging so popular, and apply it to e-newsletters."

Link: WordBiz Report: How and Why to Combine an E-newsletter and a Blog

Avoid wasting your Pay-Per-Click lead generation budget

Thanks to Jim Berkowitz and his CRM Mastery E-Journal for pointing me to the MarketingProfs article, Five Proven Ways to Waste Money With Pay-per-Click Advertising by John Grant.

I think this article does a nice job pointing out some of the most common pay-per-click mistakes and some easy fixes to help convert more clicks into web inquiries. 

Just remember that most web inquiries are not sales ready leads so don't simply throw them over the wall to your sales reps. Qualify them first. 

MarketingProfs.com: Five Proven Ways to Waste Money With Pay-per-Click Advertising

Podcast: Marketing and Sales for Big Complex Selling (Pt 1)

I had a great time chatting with Todd at 800-CEO-READ on lead generation. This is the first of three podcasts 800-CEO-Read is doing on B2B sales and marketing.

Here's what Todd says about it:
"In this podcast, I talk with Brian Carroll, author of Lead Generation for the Complex Sale. Next week, I interview Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies. In week three, I bring Jill and Brian together to talk about the interface between marketing and sales."

Like many of Todd's podcasts; this one is a high-level discussion geared for business leaders and those who support sales people. While you're there, I encourage you to take some time to visit 800-CEO-READ's other websites. They are a super resource for anyone who reads business books.

Listen to podcast now (MP3 43:47 min 30.1 MB)

Article: Why Most B2B Websites Fail To Convert Sales Leads

Check out a new article that I wrote for RainToday, called “Why Most B2B Web Sites Fail to Convert Sales Leads.”  It was originally a blog post I wrote back in June.  There, I offer some thoughts on organizing and providing open access to more of your web content to successfully improve your lead generation success. 

E-books: A Hip and Stylish Younger Sibling to the Nerdy Whitepaper

If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you are a reader of other blogs. As such, you’re probably aware of the growing number of e-books available. So what's the deal? 

Fellow e-Book author David Meerman Scott just wrote an article for MarketingProfs.com that's really helpful. Titled E-books:  A Hip and Stylish Younger Sibling to the Nerdy Whitepaper, it’s an interesting and educational read about the nature of the phenomenon, its purpose, style and definition. He gives some great advice on how to create your own eBooks too.  BTW - I'm using the spelling of e-books and eBooks interchangeably until we all agree on how to spell it. 

Just like blogs and podcasts, e-books are a terrific way to spread ideas, engage conversations and generate demand.  David not only compares them to the older whitepapers, but also discusses their use as a valuable marketing and lead generation tool. My e-book was even included on his list successful of examples of the genre.  So “get hip” and read this article. 

Speaking at MarketingSherpa's B-to-B Demand Generation Summit 2006

I'm speaking at MarketingSherpa's Demand Generation Summit being held in Boston and SF this fall.  I've worked out a special promotion with MarketingSherpa -- you’ll get a complimentary autographed copy of my book and a $300 discount on the Summit if you register by August 31st.

This should be just in time to inspire you during your fall budget and planning season. Meet experts; mingle with your peers; and discover new data, strategies, and tactics (includes search, podcasting, email & microsites). 

Please note, you must click on this link to register so you can get the discount and free book (that's the only way our good friends at MarketingSherpa can identify you as qualifying for the complimentary, autographed book offer).

Webinar: Lead Generation Strategies for the Complex Sale

Join me for a complimentary webinar this Thursday, August 17, 2006 at 1pm EDT.  This action-oriented session will provide tips and best practices that you can put into practice immediately.

When you leave this session you will:

• Learn 3 proven lead generation strategies that deliver results
• The most effective ways to get sales and marketing alignment
• See the most effective tactics used for an integrated marketing program
• Know how to identify and prioritize your best prospects
• Hear what's working to develop a dialog with executive level buyers

Register here

This event is sponsored and hosted by WebEx Communications, the worldwide leader in online meeting applications.

New complimentary e-book - Start with a Lead: Eight critical success factors for lead generation results

My latest project is ready! I just published a complimentary new e-book titled Start with a Lead: Eight critical success factors for lead generation. Please download it and pass it on.

According to studies, the single biggest challenge for contemporary B2B marketers is effective lead generation. Conversely, it has been pointed out that 80 percent of marketing expenditures on lead generation are wasted because the leads are lost, ignored or discarded by sales people.

Marketers today are constantly reminded that the company needs more sales leads...now. Unfortunately, that immediacy is quite often at the direct expense of quality. Instead, marketers should adopt and tailor lead generation programs that will increase the odds of creating better sales leads and relationships that will ultimately result in long-term, happy and profitable customers.

In this e-book, you will learn how to develop high-volume, high-quality lead generation programs for your company. It was written for business leaders, managers and marketers who want to help their sales team sell with highly qualified business opportunities, because sales people should only be brought in when a lead has been qualified as “sales ready.” 

Download Start With a Lead: Eight critical success factors for lead generation

MarketingSherpa Data on the Best & Worst Lead Generation Offers for 2006

I've been quiet here for over a week, but not because I don't have a ton of things to write about. Actually, I'm focused on getting a special project ready that I’ll be releasing to tomorrow. Stay tuned. 

In the meantime, I do want to quickly share some interesting research from MarketingSherpa. They conducted their third annual study of business technology marketing.

Their results show that thought-leading content that's educational in nature performed best as a call to action.  In addition to webinars, this data shows that blogs and podcasts are evolving into key elements of the B2B marketer's lead generation toolkit. 

You'll find a link below to the complete study, but they made this interesting chart available immediately: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/images/leadgenoffers.gif.

MarketingSherpa: Best & Worst Lead Generation Offers for 2006

If you're interested, I also highlight how thought leading content influences the lead generation process here and here. 

The B2B Lead Generation Blog Wins Best B-to-B Marketing Blog in MarketingSherpa's Readers' Choice Awards

Thank you all for voting! I won the best B-to-B Marketing Blog in MarketingSherpa's Readers' Choice Awards!  I’m humbled and thrilled that so many readers have found the content valuable and informative enough to cast their vote for my blog. 

MarketingSherpa writes:

"Our readership is 65% B-to-B marketers, so this was a hotly contested category. Brian won honorable mention last year and has moved up a notch, sharpening his game. That's tough in a world where blog fatigue can all too easily set in. Brian's new book on the same subject was released in May 2006 by McGraw Hill, so he's having a banner year all around!"

After winning honorable mention in same category in 2004 and 2005 this feels great.  I appreciate for your support and will continue to work on keeping this blog a positive resource.  Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees.  Cheers!

MarketingSherpa’s Top 10 Best Blogs & Best Podcast of 2006: Readers’ Choice Award Results

Podcast: Interview on the Cullinane & Green Report

I was interviewed by podcasting experts Joe Cullinane and Roger Green on the Cullinane & Green Report. I encourage you to check out their other interviews with Mike Bosworth, author of Solution Selling and co-author of CustomerCentric Selling and Jackie Huba co-author of Creating Customer Evangelists too.

During this podcast, I share my thoughts on how to use technology tools like podcasts, blogs and RSS for new business development and lead generation. 

Listen to podcast now (36:26 minutes)

Podcast: Duct Tape meets Lead Generation for the Complex Sale

I'm a guest on the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast today hosted by John Jantsch.  John's Duct Tape Marketing Blog was chosen as a Forbes favorite for small business and was twice named "Best Small Business Marketing Blog" by the readers of Marketing Sherpa. While you're visiting John's blog, be sure to subscribe to his newsletter. It's terrific. 

Listen to podcast now

Why Most B2B Sites Fail to Convert Sales Leads

Most people coming to your website aren't coming to your website to buy. They are coming to your site for information. Do you have your web site’s good content under lock and key? 

Research shows shows that if you require registration on your website to download content such as articles, white papers, studies or other "free" resources, you could be losing 75%-85% of your potential leads! 

I saw a press release for a study last week completed by the Nielsen Norman Group, which also supports this finding. According to their study, the practice of making users register before providing them with deeper information will send sales prospects running.

You'll do better by thinking of lead generation as a process of micro-conversions that build an opportunity profile over time, such as requesting an email address, then asking for first and last name, later requesting a phone number, and so on. 

There should be a balance between collecting information and providing value; i.e., be careful about requiring registration to receive anything worthwhile. Your thought-leading content can be a lead generation tool, but only if it is easily accessed.

Almost every company has at least some decent content for leads who are in the later stages of their buying process, including:  brochures, case studies, success stories, sell sheets, etc. 

The key is to reach people as early in their buying process as possible. That's where you have the biggest influence. It's not effective to wait until they are narrowing their short list.

What most companies lack is thought-leading content that addresses needs of people who are in the early stages of their buying process.  KnowledgeStorm made this same point in their recent report on evaluating and scoring web leads. And interestingly, those who do have good, relevant content lock it up behind registration pages.

Ardath Albee over at the Marketing Interactions Blog has some great thoughts on this too. Marketing Interactions: B2B Websites Not Effective

New Book: Lead Generation for the Complex Sale is officially released

The wait is over! My book, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale, was released this morning. You can read the press release or listen to my podcast about it. 

I liked what Bryan Eisenberg, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Call To Action and the new book Waiting for Your Cat to Bark? had to say: 

"The lead generation game has changed in the age of the Internet. If you don't have this new playbook your competitors will. Brian Carroll closes the loop on lead generation, taking you from defining a lead, thinking like your prospects, tactics to increase lead generation, passing leads from marketing to sales, measuring the results, and nurturing the leads for increased revenue. If you don't read and then apply lessons from Lead Generation for the Complex Sale, then let me know how things work out for you."

Read the book announcement press release

Listen to the book release podcast (7:43 min 7.12 MB)

Download a free chapter

For the real thing, order on Amazon. You can find the book at your local Borders or Barnes & Noble and other bookstores. For multiple copies, order on 800-CEO-Read (Call Meg at 800-236-7323 ext. 206 CST.)  For the buzz on the book, read reviews and news. More about the author.

Update:  The book made its debut in Amazon's top 100 (sales and marketing books) today.  Debbie Weil author of The Corporate Blogging Book calls my book launch an example of Book Launch 2.0. 

Lead Generation for the Complex Sale on wsRadio.com

I just did a 40-minute live interview on the Online Marketing show with RSS Ray broadcast by WS Radio.com, the world wide leader in internet talk radio.  A podcast version of the show is available via iTunes or the host website RSSRay.com.

During the interview, I share new ideas for generating B2B customers and talk about my book, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale, that's being released next week.

Click here to listen to the recording. 

Book Cover and Advanced Praise for Lead Generation for the Complex Sale

We're quickly approaching the official release of my book, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale : Boost the Quality and Quantity of Leads to Increase Your ROI.  Also, my book got a new cover!  (click image to enlarge) 

I'm humbled by the incredible endorsements that I've received for the book so far. You can read the advanced endorsements here, more here, and via my new book website before they're posted on the major on-line bookseller websites. 

For those who pre-ordered the book, it will arrive with the new cover in June.  I just got my first shipment of author copies and they look great!  Thanks again! 

Webcast: 8 Critical Success Factors for B2B Lead Generation

Join me for a complimentary webcast on Thursday, March 16th at 2pm EST.  I'm speaking on the "8 Critical Success Factors for B2B Lead Generation Success" along with Mark Organ, CEO of Eloqua.   

Watch the recorded webcast archive now

During this webcast, I will share the most critical – and often overlooked - factors in successful lead generation including:

• How to combine sales and marketing to optimize the number of leads
• Preventing lulls in your sales cycle
• Developing Universal Lead Definition (ULD) and ideal customer profile (ICP)
• Building, maintaining and growing your database
• Multi-modal lead nurturing - a crash course
• Ready yourself for what's next - new and promising tactics
• and more...

Register for this webcast registration is closed. Watch the recorded webcast now

Sponsored by Eloqua, provider of the leading integrated demand generation platform for executing, automating and measuring highly effective B2B marketing programs.

The halo effect and lead generation

My dad taught me many lessons growing up and one that stands out as relevant to lead generation went something like this:  He said “choose your friends carefully because we become like the people we spend most of our time with and [like it or not] we’re judged by the company we keep."  He didn't know that he explained how the halo effect works.

This new case study by MarketingSherpa demonstrates the practical application of the halo effect.  It explains how Steelwedge, "...a previously little-known software company became a trusted and admired brand in a couple of short years.  The trick? Alliances with nuts-and-bolts professors in America's heartland." 

This idea is already in lead generation playbooks for most of the largest consulting firms.  We see the halo effect demonstrated in places like the Harvard Business Review where it's quite common to see business executives collaborate on papers with a professor or sponsor research projects. 

These experts can become a source of speakers and webinar presenters.  You may want to co-market an event and share the attendees list.  There are also opportunities to post articles and materials by these experts on your web site or as links on an e-newsletter.  The ultimate objective is to have some of their credibility to rub off on you. 

One way to start relationships with professors is to find those that have their own consulting practices.  Think about how you help build their practice and they may be more inclined to help you. 

I previously wrote a post on "Lead Generation via Industry Experts" which gives specific suggestions to help you get started. 

MarketingSherpa: How to Impress Conservative Fortune 100 Business Prospects by Allying With Academia

Podcasts vs. Webinars which is better?

An interesting conversation started on podcasts vs. webinars at the Church of the Customer Blog. Jackie Huba argues that companies should dump their webinars in favor of videocasts and podcasts. She writes, "the self-serve nature of mobile media means people can listen to podcasts/videocasts when and where they want, not tied to a computer at a specific time."

That’s a good point, but in the context of the complex sale, I respectfully disagree.  I use podcasts and they are no doubt more “buzz” worthy than webinars.  Still, if your target audience lacks a portable MP3 player, they are tethered to their computer anyway right? 

People want different information, in different ways, and at different times during their buying process. The choices they'll make will depend on their role, their exact need, and the time frame they have to solve that need. 

Key question: Do you truly understand your potential customers buying process? 

Your way of selling and marketing must conform to the customer's buying process, driven by a clear understanding of needs and the impact of those needs on both that company and its customers. Every potential customer will have a slightly different buying process.

I have found it helpful to look at the potential customer's buying process on the basis of modalities it employs at each buying step. To that end, I've developed a model that hypothetically shows the correlation between steps in a prospect's buying process and the sales effort together with tactics that might be of interest at each stage. (Click image to enlarge)

If you want help on mapping out your customers buying process, a great source is Kristin Zhivago's book Rivers of Revenue. I cite her process on in my upcoming book. She gets it better than anyone I know.