Targeted Lead Generation and the Inside Sales and Marketing Handoff

As a marketing professional, my role at XANT is to generate targeted and nurtured leads to deliver them to the sales team. This handoff is absolutely essential for the success of a company.

Recently, Ken Krogue completed an eBook with Jon Miller of Marketo. In the eBook, “The Ultimate Revenue Engine,” Ken said, “In order to ensure all your leads are being contacted and the hard work of marketing does not go to waste, sales and marketing need to perfect a handoff process. This handoff is absolutely critical.”

Did you know that 71% of leads generated by marketing are never contacted? Ken shared this staggering fact in a Forbes article he authored on his online high velocity sales column. With that in mind, that’s why a developed and implemented sales/marketing handoff is so critical. Additionally, the handoff should allow the sales rep to take a quick moment to look over the lead record, check the lead score, and view other relevant information on the lead tracking tool. This allows the sales rep to have a more meaningful and strategic conversation with the lead, hopefully resulting in a closed deal.

This perfected sales/marketing handoff also helps sales overcome a lot of the common problems that have historically been pain points for sales reps. In a national research study conducted by XANT, “The Top Problems in the Inside Sales Industry,” the XANT research division asked a pool of sales reps and managers the following question: “What are the top obstacles that you face in trying to respond to marketing qualified leads?”

Guess what the number one response was. The majority of sales professionals surveyed said “making contacting with leads.” The second most common response was “accessing the correct decision maker in the company.” The third common response was, “knowing who was the right person to contact and when to make contact.”

What does this tell marketing? If you can alleviate these common obstacles that sales reps are making, the time and energy put into generating these leads will result in higher close and contact rates. Any increase in these metrics often directly relates to an increase in company revenue and success.

For a more in depth discussion on the inside sales perspective of the sales and marketing relationship, download the XANT and Marketo eBook, “The Ultimate Revenue Engine: Maximizing Results Through Inside Sales & Marketing Automation.”

What other actions can marketing make to ensure their leads are getting contacted and closed? Share your experiences in the comment box below.

The Ultimate Revenue Engine

Free eBook: The Ultimate Revenue Engine

Learn how to dramatically increase revenue by combining sales and marketing automation.

Receive email updates from the Sales Insider

Related Posts