Why Limit Your Lead Generation Efforts to Sales and Marketing?

Sales and Marketing are not the only departments concerned with lead generation.  Other departments including Professional Services, Customer Service, and Channels may also be concerned with lead generation.

Lead generation, though usually the focus of Sales and Marketing, is a company-wide activity.  Think about it.  Most of us have worked for a company or have been affiliated with a group or organization.  Regardless of your position, you come in contact with people who may be interested in buying your organization’s products or services. How will these potential customers or supporters know if they are an ideal fit for your product or services? Your contacts would usually get this information from you.

So how do you provide this information? Your source is your company, association or group.  What about your peers — what do you provide the employees or fellow members of your company or organization to help them better qualify leads?

Here is a suggestion for starters.  Share with your employees or group members important information like:

1. Your Ideal Buyer Profile – Help your employees and members understand what sales managers see as the best fit for your product or service. This can help employees and members distinguish potential leads that are ideal fits and those that are not.
2. Your Qualifying Questions – Help your people converse with prospects.  Your goal is to let employees and members know the qualifying questions to ask potential prospects.
3. Your Lead Definition and Rating – Help your employees, members and your sales team speak the same language as they discuss the lead.

Everyone in your organization should be considered a company salesperson as they interact with potential customers and buyers. Equip them to speak intelligently. This knowledge will build credibility, trust and confidence among potential customers, buyers, sales and other department employees.

Is everyone in your company aware of your ideal buyer profile?