Think Your Inside Sales Team Has it Covered? Think Again.

Think Your Inside Sales Team Has it Covered? Think Again.

I’ve made the case previously in this space how one of the easiest way to gain a quick return from any investment in marketing automation is to apply the technology towards more efficient and systematic follow-up to inbound leads. And yet, I’m finding in the course of...

Key to Marketing Automation Success: Process First, then Campaigns

In a phone call this week I was swapping war stories with a well-known sales and marketing consultant, who, like us, works with B2B companies to improve their return on marketing automation. Interestingly, our experiences in the rapidly evolving marketing automation...
Is “Please Have a Rep Contact Me” a Good Idea?

Is “Please Have a Rep Contact Me” a Good Idea?

A client asks: “On every registration form, we give prospects the option to request contact from a sales rep. Is that even worthwhile when we’re going to call everyone anyway? If it is a good idea, what should the verbiage be? Currently the form reads: [Yes/No radio...
Call Every New Sales Lead 6 Times? Sorry, that’s Crazy.

Call Every New Sales Lead 6 Times? Sorry, that’s Crazy.

I only recently came across the results of research published late last year by Leads360, a leading provider of hosted (SaaS) solutions for managing sales leads. In their August 2010 report, “Building the Optimal Inquiry Response Strategy,” Leads360 use the data...
Book Review: Essential Marketing Automation Handbook

Book Review: Essential Marketing Automation Handbook

This is a very belated review of a book that has been in my reading pile since December 09. But I’m glad I found the time. Published by the folks at marketing automation software company Genius.com, and authored by respected consultant, author, and blogger Ardath...
Lead Nurturing & the 80/20 Rule

Lead Nurturing & the 80/20 Rule

A couple of months ago, in a respected marketing Webzine, there appeared a case study detailing a software company that had gone to impressive lengths to make the most of their investment in marketing automation. The lead nurturing program they implemented included...