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Sales Lead Management Newsletter:
September 2013

FROM OUR BLOG:

Isn't it time marketers take credit for the wealth they create?

Marketers create tremendous wealth for their companies, but seldom do they get credit for it. To correct this shortcoming, the SLMA has added a sales lead revenue prediction calculator on its website that allows you to predict the sales results for any lead generation program. Just enter four numbers and *BINGO*; you have a sales prediction of your campaign results.

This calculator will help you forecast a sales result for virtually any campaign or lead generation program. You must enter four pieces of information.

1. The number of sales inquiries
2. The sales lead follow-up percent you currently have as reported by the CRM system
3. Your market share percentage
4. The average sales price for the product that generated the inquiry (lead)

Some areas are filled-in for you (qualified buyers, available buyers, sales units) either by a predetermined number, or from the information you enter.

Print the results, send it to someone, or freak out when you see how much wealth Marketing creates.

For security reasons we are not allowing you to enter your company or product name. When you leave the page the results will disappear, leaving no trace of your visit or forecast - - shhhhh.

Click here to try out your calculator. Make it a favorite from your home page.

Marketers generate wealth; isn't it time you take credit for it?

Top 3 Ways to Determine if a Database Provider is Legitimate

By Guest Author, Tim Slevin, President & CEO of Healthcare Data Solutions

There are a lot of database companies out there, and most of them are legitimate businesses that want to develop lasting customer relationships by providing quality data and service. But a small percentage of these companies are definitely not reputable, and if you're not careful, you can lose money on a bad deal.

To help you determine if a database provider is legitimate, I've compiled a list of the top 3 things that you should do before signing any contracts or paying any money.

Full post >

Solve a fourth-quarter sales slump by calling back 'older' inquirers: A Story.

A majority of companies entering their fourth quarter in sales crisis mode can solve revenue and profit shortfalls by mining sales inquiries generated in the previous 12 months. If there is no database of these prospects, the company gets what it deserves. Fortunately, most companies have a list of inquiries and leads, regardless of their qualification level. And most companies can sort their lead list into a group worth calling.

First Decision: whom to call?

If there are only a few hundred inquirers, call them all; if several thousand, then it's time to segment the list. It can be segmented by:

1. Product: most likely to be bought, most profitable, shortest sell cycle, etc.

2. Inquirers who are qualified.

3. Inquirers who filled out the product information form (not just, "I wanna see that video").

4. Inquirers who visited your website more than once.

5. Inquirers from that hot trade show. 6. Inquirers who identified themselves as buyers.

7. Inquirers who have a time frame to buy (immediate need), etc. Give it some thought, and call only the most qualified.

Full post >

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  LISTEN TO THIS WEEK'S SLMA RADIO SHOW THURSDAY:

  Dan Perry from Sales Benchmark Index talks to Jim about:

  Is the traditional sales compensation program for B2B dead?

   

  AND LISTEN TO RECENT SLMA RADIO GUESTS:

  September 19:	September 12:	September 5:	August 29:
  How legitimate database providers are different from those who fake it.  Host Jim Obermayer interviews database provider expert Tim Slevin of Healthcare Database Solutions on the difficult subject of database integrity.	Why it's time for women to lead in America Susan Finch interviewed Vicki Donlan. Vicki is a Business & Health Coach, Speaker and Author of HER TURN: Why It's Time for Women to Lead in America	Part 2 Should Marketing be compensated on revenue? SLMA Radio host Jim Obermayer tackles the thorny question of compensation plans for marketing. Should Sales and Marketing be on the same plan?	Part 1 Is this the best you can do? What's expected from a marketing manager today? In a series of two shows, SLMA radio host Jim Obermayer asks, Eric Lundbohm, "Are marketing managers responsible for lead generation?
  Listen here > (need link)	Listen here >	Listen here >	Listen here >

   

  Upcoming shows include:

  • Dan McDade: Comp Programs for Telemarketing
  • Cyndi Greenglass: Strategic Volunteering: When saying "yes" is bad. 

   

  
  Interested in being a guest on the show?
  Contact Jim Obermayer with your ideas.
  [email protected]

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NEW SERVICE OFFERED FOR PAST SLMA RADIO GUESTS:
Convert your audio interview into a video you can post toYouTube.

We are always looking for ways to get more mileage out of our social media and interview efforts, right?

Here's the answer: we can convert your SLMA Radio interview to a "video" to post on YouTube. Sure we can do it with just the SLMA Radio logo and your logo - that's fast. But we can also insert images, video clips, music, headshots, contact information, charts, graphics at the appropriate places.

Once we have created the YouTube video for your interview, we'll post to the SLMA YouTube channel, push out to social media venues, mention on G+, etc. AND... GIVE YOU THE FILE so you can do the same.

If you are interested in learning more about this service, pricing and variables, please contact either Jim Obermayer or Susan Finch. You can see a sample here from a recent interview.

If you want to talk about opening a discussion as a Hangout On Air (HOA), contact us, as well. There is a fee for this service, depending on complexity.

Nominations Open Oct 1st for '50 Most Influential People in Sales Lead Management'

Nominees can be in Sales, Marketing, Lead Management, Marketing Automation, Lead Generation, Lead Nurtuuring, Lead Scoring/Qualification, CRM and related fields.

The annual nomination and election process for the '50 Most Influential People in Sales Lead Management' will start October 1st. Sales Lead Management Association members will have the month of October to submit nominations for those people they believe have contributed the most to the sales lead management industry. As a reminder, only SLMA members may nominate and vote (membership is free). Visit the SLMA website on October 1st for the nomination form.

Starting November 5th, nominee names will be published on a ballot list for voting by the membership (three votes for three people, no duplicates). Voting will end November 30th. Election results will be published in a press release and on the SLMA website on December 5th.

Sales Lead Management Association Declares October 21-25, 2013 to be Sales Lead Management Week

Association Encourages Industry to Manage & Measure Lead Generation

LOS ANGELES, CA - - April 24, 2012- - James W. Obermayer, executive director of the Sales Lead Management Association (SLMA), today designated the week of October 21-25, 2013 as the sixth annual Sales Lead Management Week.  Obermayer said "Sales leads are the life blood of most organizations and yet, in spite of the billions of dollars spent on lead generation, lead management is assumed to be handled by buying a CRM system. And yet, even though 80% of companies have a CRM system, lead follow-up is in the low double digits. This is what sales lead management week is all about - - bringing attention to the massive management failure that wastes B2B and B2C company resources."

Details here >