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Deadly Sin ? GREED . Don ’ t be guilty of turning away seemingly smaller opportunities because you think they ’ re “ not enough ” or “ not worth it ” for you .
Killing Leads By Answering Your Phones All Wrong
There are a few CRITICAL things you MUST do in your phone answering process that will literally either turn your phone into an opportunity well OR burn leads over and over again . Some of them are things like not answering phones live , having a tech answer phones , making someone wait on hold , and so on .
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Deadly Sin ? ENVY . Don ’ t be guilty of being discontent about your growth or envious of others ’ successes when you aren ’ t even doing the most basic of things like answering your phones correctly .
Putting Off Off-White Leads
Very often , your leads will call in asking about something that isn ’ t quite in your wheelhouse . It will sound like an unqualified lead , but ( just like the previous sins ) you MUST dig to find the true opportunity ! Remember , they are calling you and other IT companies and NOT going to their current provider . That existing relationship is on the rocks , and it is a perfect time for you to become their “ go-to ” for all things tech to build that relationship . Another common way people commit this sin of dismissing off-white leads is when they receive a form fill opt-in for a free report / checklist / discovery call , but the email provided is a personal email without a company domain . You may think it ’ s not qualified , but listen to this : When shopping for a new IT vendor , many people AVOID putting in their company email because they don ’ t want their current provider to see and sabotage them .
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Deadly Sin ? LUST . Don ’ t be guilty of salivating over the “ perfect lead ” that you ignore the opportunities right in front of you .
Mistaking A Prospect Who Ignores Your Follow-Up As Not A Lead
Just because you can ’ t ever get a hold of someone who filled out a form , downloaded a guide from your ad , or engaged with you and went dark , it does NOT mean they are not a qualified lead ! ALL leads are qualified until you prove them not to be . Burn that into your brain . They just aren ’ t at the point in their buying cycle where they are ready to talk . They ARE a lead , and your job at this point if they are unresponsive is it to put them into your drip marketing so when they are at the point where they are ready to engage , they know just how to find you .
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Not Having A DEFINED Process For How Inbound Leads Are Handled ( And Managing It )
This is the lead ’ s very first impression of you , and first impressions NEVER have a second chance . You only get this one shot to show a lead how professional , responsive , attentive , and devoted you are , so in the words of Robin , “ Don ’ t f * ck it up !” But you can ’ t just have a process ; you have to make sure it ’ s being followed . Use a call recording / call tracking software to do regular quality control checks on how your team is answering the phone .
Deadly Sin ? ANGER . Don ’ t be guilty of getting mad at how your team is handling leads when you haven ’ t ever given them a written , defined process and thorough training .
The golden rule of inbound leads ? Treat EVERY lead like a fivestar lead ! And if you are committing any of these sins , get down on your knees , beg for forgiveness , and make a solemn oath to me that you will stop sinning for good . And as you suffer your penance and start making changes , I challenge you to look for the disguised leads ! Ask questions , dig for opportunities , and when that disguised lead comes in , ask yourself , “ Where ’ s the opportunity in this ?!” n
Allison Foelber is the VP of Done-For-You Agency Services at Technology Marketing Toolkit . She has been in the IT marketing industry for over 10 years and was even Robin Robins ’ own marketing manager at one point . In her current role , she manages the team that builds conversion marketing funnels for clients that leverage the power of print , digital , and authority marketing to generate leads . All of the strategies used are data-driven and custom to each client , ensuring that dollars invested in marketing yield dollars received in sales . She can be reached at Allison @ TechnologyMarketingToolkit . com .
Deadly Sin ? GLUTTONY . Don ’ t be guilty of overindulging and thinking that a lead that doesn ’ t respond isn ’ t a lead .
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