The Art of Lead Farming

The Art of Lead Farming Steps to Successful Lead Gen Marketing Tridiv Das Founder and CEO, Creative Factor

Why lead farming?

Businesses are always looking for low hanging fruits…

Picking Just the Low-Hanging Fruit is Lazy

Selling…look for symptoms...

“Drop price and give other concessions...”

“Optimistic sales projections that

consistently fall short...”

“I’ve got a potential big deal here,” and eventually they treat the rep like The Boy

Who Cried Wolf because his deals usually don’t happen”

“Many one-time sales, since the rep never really understood why the customer bought in the first place, and the customer went

elsewhere”

Cultivate lead

�  Don’t make your objective for the call to simply pick the low-hanging fruit.

�  The goal should be to dig deeper and get the ones you are missing now.

�  Understand the big picture. Don’t be a simple vendor. Question more. Find out about the business reasons behind the purchase. What are the reasons and needs behind it.

“I’ll be happy to give you a quote on that. Tell me more

about the project.”

Steps to Lead Farming A farmer knows it all, and no business schools have ever taught you.

Crop Selection

�  First step to lead farming is to choose the right sets seeds (products or the bundle) which suits the field (Market place)

�  A selection that compliments each other, and presented to market as a holistic solution which makes perfect business sense

1

Hewlett Packard (Ireland)

�  Ireland’s grocery retailers could stand to benefit from opportunities in the growing retail photo publishing market, estimated to be worth €56 billion by 2013.

Hewlett Packard (Ireland)

“The amount of images being taken today is far in excess of anything that has ever been taken before. They’re being captured on cameras, on phones, and on other devices, and what’s happening now is that there are also many more things that people want to do with their images, not just photographs.”

Hewlett Packard (Ireland)

Solutions attract a high margin, as well as increased footfall to the store. Retailers that have implemented the retail publishing approach are experiencing significantly better than industry average year-over-year growth, by as much as 60 to 70 percent depending on the product.

Land Preparation

�  Pick your key markets and their timings.

�  Objective is to tap the potential market to stimulate Demand.

�  Think how your solution is going to add value to the market.

�  Meet your customers and understand the growth and opportunities.

2

Intel India: PC Success Story

In Early 2002, in a bid to sustain its technological leadership, Intel Asia Electronics chalked out a multi-pronged marketing strategy which includes mass media campaigns, online advertising, events, trade shows and seminars.

In addition, the company kicked off a slew of marketing initiatives in a bid to reach out to a wider target audience - Intel Digital PC Party was launched in over 25 cities across the country.

In addition, to ‘Intel Creativity Corner’ in Delhi schools to start with.

Besides other SMB Event Campaigns To educate them about managing business

Intel’s ‘Digital PC Party’ A family event that, educates entertains and engages. AT prime locations across 25 cities in India. In big halls, they set up a class-room atmosphere with demonstrators. Visitors can sit and work on our computers. Also, we invite dealers for these meets. In fact, visitors can avail of installment offers from Leading banking finance organization at the same location.

300-350 Events Every year. Attracting 1000 Families per weekend. Connecting more than 500 Intel partners in event with their prospect buyers.

Installed ‘Pentium 4 Processor’ (P4P)-based PCs at many schools across the country, where students can explore their creativity. Also, we have introduced exclusive offers for students. In fact, parents can now pay the money through installments in five years’ time.”

Intel Education Program over the years has empowered thousands of teachers and the education system by adopting computers in education.

Intel’s World Ahead program enabled Indian SMEs to adopt IT in collaboration with financial Organizations

Seeding

�  Seeding is one of the most important aspect of marketing. Never loose an opportunity to plant an idea or solution in the minds of your prospects, or even your existing customer.

�  Considering the fact that says 60-70% of purchase decision is made even before a sales person is engaged.

�  In-bound marketing plans a crucial role at this stag, which includes content marketing techniques.

3

A recent survey of LinkedIn members within the B2B Technology Marketing Community showed that case studies are the most effective form of content marketing. The survey, B2B Content Marketing Trends 2012 also showed that compelling storytelling is the most effective content tactic.

Human beings, across civilizations, cultures and races, we all, universally, love a good story, we are all people with emotions. Regardless of whether we function in the B2B marketing or in the B2C space, we all have a need for stories to stir up emotions in us. And well, if those emotions make us feel good and positive and enthusiastic, then even better in the world of business.

The issue is, most organizations, even the ones that recognize the importance of integrating social media into a comprehensive marketing plan, fail to realize that the onus of sourcing great stories does not rest entirely on marketing. Certainly, the creative folks in marketing can take the lead and craft the story to make it engaging and interesting to the audience. The story itself can and should emerge from the length and breadth of the company.

Turning sales force into thought leaders- IBM

�  In 2011-12, IBM UK encouraged its army of sales consultants to become more eminent in their respective industries, to highlight the breadth of the specialist knowledge and skills offered by the company.

�  Over hundreds of its leading consultants raised their professional profiles through the use of social media.

�  To equip the sales consultants, IBM periodically organizes 2 day Training workshop. Which is primarily focus on meeting journalist, Exposure Social media tools and audiences insight

The Network Effect: Cisco

2013 Webby Official

Honoree:

The Network Effect: Cisco

Cisco has a web documentary series called The Network Effect.

What you see here is not self-serving, brand promotion or sales driven creative videos. Instead, you hear inspiring stories of innovators and inventors who laid the path of Cisco’s network prowess in the industry. You’ll see what I mean when you watch the documentaries.

I like the story of the undertaker who created his own telecom switch so he could channel business directly from the market to his business and won market share over his competitor. There is another fantastic story about slum dwellers in Brazil who will give up entire families’ meals so they can invest in a business website and nurture leads over the Internet based on the ability to showcase their skills to potential customers. If ever there was a powerful argument to support the power of the Internet and the growth charter of this dynamic industry, this story has it.

2013 Webby Official

Honoree:

Irrigation

Lead irrigation is a continuity of the dialogue between the business and its eco-system.

Content Marketing is best effective when it creates sustainable campaigns and dialogue on a regular basis with its eco-system.

Commit to consistency.

4

“Who is talking on your behalf when you are not advertising”

Harvesting

�  This is the most critical phase of business, when you approach the market ready to buy your solutions.

�  If you closely monitor your sales cycles you will be able to spot the harvest season.

�  The objective therefore is to maximize your sales during the harvest season with exciting direct promotions,

�  It makes more sense to collaborate with banks and eco system partners to make your solutions most affordable.

5

As part of its ongoing efforts to increase PC penetration in SMEs, Intel has joined hands with ICICI Bank to provide easy and affordable financing options for the purchase of IT solutions in small and medium businesses.

Harvesting

�  The Second most important aspect of the harvesting Season is to mine your customers further.

�  Your Customers too have a harvesting season, it could be abrupt or seasonal.

�  Keeping an close eye on the your customers business cycle will help up sell.

5

The average business loses around 20 percent of its customers annually simply by failing to attend to customer relationships. In some industries this leakage is as high as 80 percent.

Blogs, CRM Systems, Loyalty Programs Magic Moments, Overcome Buyers Remorse, Personal Touches, Premiums and Gifts, Questionnaires and Surveys Regular Reviews, Social Media, Welcome Book

Lead Farming tools

Inbound Marketing

Tools

Outbound Marketing

Tools

�  Primarily all forms of content marketing, which includes Case studies, videos, Blogs SEO, and other forms of social media.

�  Print, Radio, Trade Shows, emails, telemarketing and direct mail.

Ultimately as a marketer, you need a seamless integration between both marketing strategies to maximize your visibility and impact on the marketplace.

Effecting lead Farming tool Selections

Crop Selection

Land Preparation

Seeding Irrigation Harvest

Presentations, Brochures, Direct Marketing Thought Leadership.

Trade shows Road shows, Mass Medias Education Programs Partner Programs

Content Marketing Social Cause Marketing

Content Marketing 1:1 Meet Sales kits

Co Marketing Customer Retention program Social Media Customer Care.

Suggestive Media mix Model

Quick Lead Farming Recap

Crop Selection

Land Preparation

Seeding Irrigation Harvest

Identifying the right solution mix for your customers.

Invest in a market for long term returns

Never loose an opportunity to plant the seed of your solution.

Stay Committed and keep the conversations on going.

Collaborate and make most of the opportunity. Focus on Existing Customers

Happy lead farming!