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Sales Lead Management Association^SM August 2010 Newsletter

What Will Your Company Do for Sales Lead Management Week

Sales Lead Management Week is upon us for the third year.  Traditionally, this has been a week for webinars, seminars, podcasts, speeches and blog entries that discuss the importance of lead follow-up and ROI reporting for lead generation.  The SLMA site has ideas for companies that believe it isn't enough to generate the lead, it must also be managed.   The SLMA challenges marketing and sales officers to create events around the topic of lead management.

IDEAS HERE >>

ARTICLES:

• BOOK REVIEW: Marketing Metrics in Action by Laura Patterson
• Upcoming SLMA Radio show: August 26 and September 2
• Companies Call Social Media Marketing "Tradeshow Marketing" For the Online Medium - by Oliver Feakins, President of WebTalent SEO WebTalent SEO
• Building the Optimal Inquiry Response Strategy - by: Leads360
• Nominations for 50 Most Influential People in Sales Lead Management in 2010 Open October 1st
• HELP WANTED: SLMA Opportunity Media Sales Representative
• Who Holds the Keys to Your Online Presence?- by Susan Finch, Susan Finch Web Solutions Provider
• Non-Profits Need Event Lead Management..- by Susan Finch, Founder, Binky Patrol, Inc.

Articles:

BOOK REVIEW: Marketing Metrics in Action by Laura Patterson

Talk about marketing accountability has become almost commonplace. And most marketing executives"get it." They understand the need to know the numbers.
The real question is,"Which numbers?"

Marketing Metrics in Action: Creating a Performance-Driven Marketing Organization goes a long way in helping marketers get it. It answers the persistent questions and addresses everyday problems with a balance of sound theory and technique and practical application.

When faced with the prospect of learning many marketing execs gird their loins, contort their faces, and roll up their sleeves as they prepare to attack a 450-page tome filled with tiny type, massive equations, and incomprehensible technical explanations that have little connection with most forms of marketing and sales reality. In short, something painful that may or may not help.

Read the full review >>

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August 26th SLAM Radio – Interviews with Eloqua’s CEO Joseph Payne and CEO of Mac McIntosh of Mac McIntosh, Inc.

by James Obermayer

On August 26th, this Thursday at 5 PM PST, SLMA Radio host Will Crist provides news coverage on sales lead management and interviews with Eloqua's Joseph Payne and sales lead expert Mac McIntosh.  Some of the questions we hope to cover include:
From Joseph Payne:

1. What does Eloqua mean when it says it can deliver Sales Intelligently and Measure Everything?
2. What is the biggest challenge facing CMO's today?
3. Why should a company president care about using a marketing automation process?
4. Can Eloqua make life more predictable for a Sales Manager?  How?
5. Are there industry segments which have had more success with marketing automation than others?
6. Who do you look up to for leadership?

From Mac McIntosh:

• Who do you look up to as a leader in B2B Marketing?
• I have to ask for some advice:  A CMO says the salespeople for his company are not following up on the sales inquiries she gives them.  What advice can you give her to change that?
• Some more advice please:  A CFO has unusual power in a company and doesn't believe in creating sales leads.  How do you change his mind?
• What is the best lead generating vehicle today for B2B companies in this down marketplace?
• What advice do you give CMO's about measuring the ROI for marketing?

View the full schedule here >>

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Companies Call Social Media Marketing "Tradeshow Marketing" For the Online Medium

Oliver Feakins, President of WebTalent SEO WebTalent SEO

Prior to starting at a social media marketing agency, I was a corporate sales executive. Throughout my career I loved attending trade shows. It was different; it got me out of the standard routine of cold calling and scheduled meetings. It also appealed to me because of the unique way in which I could get in front of my potential client base to build relationships, answer questions and build my company's brand.  Management would always try to cut tradeshows from the marketing budget listing the expense and time that goes into them as the reasons. They would also complain tradeshow marketing was hard to justify because there was not a clear Return on Investment (ROI).  With the rise of social media marketing, I'm beginning to see a lot of these same questions and concerns being raised about Social Media Marketing that were once raised about tradeshow marketing.

Read the full story >>

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Building the Optimal Inquiry Response Strategy
Maximizing contact and conversion rates by calling consumer inquiries at the right times.

By Leads 360

Recently, Leads360 published a series of studies to empower consumer-facing organizations to convert more inquiries. The two major takeaways to date are: (1) calling new inquiries quickly is one of the biggest drivers of lead conversion, and (2) calling inquiries 6 times is the best way to achieve nearly maximum conversion rates, without overtaxing stats. This new study builds upon the previous research by adding a new dimension: conversion rates can be further increased by properly timing contact attempts.

Read the full article linked to a 2 page PDF >>

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Nominations for 50 Most Influential People in Sales Lead Management in 2010 Open October 1st

Last Year we had 3600 votes cast, this year we expect more than 10,000. SLMA CEO James Obermayer said, "These men and women are creators of wealth and our members recognize their contributions to this important field of managing sales leads." Only members can nominate, but anyone can vote.. Last year's list of winners and interviews are still available for viewing on the SLMA site. We'll send out announcements as we get closer to the nominating period. Start thinking about those individuals who have influenced Sales Lead Management during this year

See last year's winners and read their interviews here >>

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Help Wanted: SLMA Opportunity: Media Sales Representative

The Sales Lead Management Association has an opportunity for a media sales rep to represent its various services. These services include sponsorship, display advertising, radio commercials, industry leader news, speaker’s directory, sponsored white papers, research, and webinars plus text and newsletter display advertising. The ideal representative will have a media sales background, understand internet media and is probably representing other non-competing services or associations. This is an above average commission only opportunity. Please send your resume to: [email protected]

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Do You Know Who Holds the Keys to Your Online Presence?

What are all of the usernames and passwords for all of the pieces?

Lately I can't attend a workshop, networking event, business meeting without hearing a tale of woe about  "..they've stolen my website and won't give it back!"  The cry for justice varies from: "I don't know where my website is" to "I don't know how to find 'the guy' anymore."

Don't cry victim, don't be helpless, don't give up.  Take control.  Learn to ask the questions that will leave you informed.  This is YOUR marketing tool, YOUR identity, YOUR branding. Shouldn't you take steps to protect it, just like you would a product, logo or trade secrets?  (hint - the answer is YES!)

Read the full article >>

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Non Profits Need Event Lead Management.

Thinking of Events as Tradeshows When it Comes to Lead Management and Opportunities.

by Susan Finch, Founder, Binky Patrol Comforting Covers for Kids

A non-profit is still a business. Whether there are paid employees or 100% volunteer, it still has to be accountable and progress toward increasing volunteers, resources, and cash flow in order to keep the organization growing. As the president of a 501c3 corporation since 1996, there has been endless value remembering that there is still a need for follow up with all leads. Whether these leads are potential volunteers, chapter leaders, sponsors, or media opportunities; they all need to be managed.

When a non-profit of any size decides to participate in an event, such as Race for the Cure, they need to consider what the goals are of having the event. Are they merely trying to get people familiar with the organization or are they truly trying to generate more volunteers and potential sponsors? What about the media opportunities?

Read the full article >>

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