Businesses now depend on digital marketing campaigns as a critical tool for generating B2B leads, but there is a need to close the gap in the lead flow from marketing and sales. Far too frequently, these digital campaigns create leads that fall outside the sales team’s expectations for qualification. As a result, the flow of leads from marketing to sales is disrupted, and potential opportunities are never converted. Fear not; there is a way to fill this gap and enable companies to maximize their marketing expenditures.
The Gap in Generating B2B Leads
Digital B2B marketing initiatives often produce many leads. However, these MQLs are not sales-qualified leads (SQL). These prospects might have expressed interest in the products or services. They still need to go through a thorough screening process. This can close the gap and prevent underqualified leads from going to the sales team.
Unqualified leads will cost the sales team their time and resources, which is a concern. Unqualified leads are unknown, and the sales team is not likely to invest their time in qualifying these leads. These leads are too often unprepared to purchase, may need more funds, or may not be the ideal customer for the goods or services being promoted. The sales team wastes their time on leads that are unlikely to result in a sale. As a result, there is a disrupted flow of leads from marketing to sales, and potential deals are never developed.
Close the Gap In the Lead Flow from Marketing to Sales
An automated digital system can generate MQLs. However, something else must happen before these MQLs are passed to sales. Adding a lead qualification step between the leads generated digitally (MQLs) and highly qualified leads the sales team expects (SQL) will increase the deals closed and revenue generated. This added step identifies the qualified opportunities for the sales team to develop. A team of Sales Development Reps can call and qualify leads before the sales team is engaged.
The SDR team is charged with finding the decision-maker, the money, the timetable, and the interest before the lead is considered qualified. The sales team is then provided this information. This allows them to concentrate their efforts on prospects more likely to result in a closed deal. Once they are on board with the new qualifying step, the sales staff will be more productive They will close more deals and generate more revenue.
Improve Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI)
Including a lead qualification stage also increases the return on marketing investment. Businesses can lower the spend on under-qualified leads. This improves the conversion rate of their marketing operations by concentrating on quality prospects. Companies can increase their income while leveling their marketing spend, which results in a higher return on investment.
Thus, digital B2B marketing initiatives can provide a sizable number of underqualified leads compared to what the sales team anticipates. Potential deals are never developed due to the gap this causes in the lead flow from marketing to sales. This issue can be resolved by adding a lead qualification step between the leads generated digitally and the sales team. This BDR team separates the true opportunities for the sales team to develop. Businesses can boost revenue and enhance return on marketing investment by concentrating on qualified leads. Start qualifying your leads now if you want to bridge the gap between marketing and sales!
A simple and effective way to test and implement the BDR qualification team is outsourcing this function to an experienced partner like ResponsePoint.
