By Libby Brandt
ChoiceLocal is constantly working with our partners to develop a digital marketing strategy that addresses their specific problems in meaningful ways. One of the most common questions our partners ask is, “How do I keep track of leads that come in through my website, PPC and search?”
In the past, there has not been a simple solution to this problem.
However, we have found that following a few important best practices and streamlining business processes can greatly simplify lead follow-up and improve lead closure rates by upwards of 20%.
Lead Response Time:
Response time for incoming leads is CRITICAL to closing them. We recommend that our partners respond to all incoming web forms and calls within 5 minutes of submission. This greatly reduces the likelihood that your lead is talking to another competitor first.
Additionally, we recommend following up at least 10 times after initial contact. This strategy is based on data that states that fewer than 2% of sales are made on the first contact and 80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact.
Establish a Follow-Up Procedure
Once you’ve committed to immediate response for all leads as part of your digital marketing strategy, it’s important to establish a follow-up procedure. Automation is the single easiest mechanism for this. Most website forms have an option to configure email alerts. Make sure yours is set up properly so lead notifications go where they need to go immediately. It is also easy to set up automated text messages as emails through these systems. A step-by-step guide for how to do this can be found here.
We also recommend establishing a chain of command for all lead follow-up in your office. This means designating a team of individuals to receive automated lead notifications and a hierarchy of who will respond and when. This way, no lead is missed and there are no questions about who will follow up under what circumstances.
Long-Term Follow-Up
ChoiceLocal has developed an elegant system to automatically alert our partners when a lead form has been submitted. We have also created a platform, called ChoiceLocal Closer, that provides a series of automated responses that will follow leads through the sales funnel and provide relevant information to them to keep your business top of mind as they approach their decision.
This means that after your initial point of contact, the system will alert you when the next appropriate time to contact your lead will be (based on the prospective client’s service needs, industry studies, tests and best practices) and in what capacity this contact should take place. This system uses a combination of phone and automated, customized emails to follow up with your lead.
Following up and keeping track of leads does not have to be a difficult process. Simply making a few procedural changes and ensuring that your automated processes are set up properly can make an enormous difference.
For more information about ChoiceLocal Closer, please contact us today. Stay tuned for more information about how to maximize your business’s digital marketing strategy!
About the Author
Libby Brandt is a Digital Marketing Specialist and Marketing Coordinator at ChoiceLocal. She has more than 7 years of digital marketing and social media management experience. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her dog and cat, reading and painting.
