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How to Improve Sales and Marketing Team Performance

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When developing lead generation programs, companies want to put into practice the activities that will deliver the best results. With each program different, no one-size-fits-all solution exists. Therefore, it’s important to fully understand a program’s goals and customize a solution accordingly.

Even with major differences, however, you’ll find common threads among lead generation programs. Certain routine yet best practices can be implemented to boost success. The following suggestions can help companies develop a stronger lead creation program.

Lead Generation ProgramsLead Generation ProgramsNo one thing will fix an issue or improve performance. You must look at your program as a whole to fully understand how each aspect works. Then, changes can be implemented across the program by fine-tuning each element as needed.

You can try different approaches based on respective results. A suggested course of action may be to analyze stages of the process. For example, you can compare factors involved in the campaign stage to the lead distribution stage. You can also analyze what’s happening in the early stages of lead nurturing versus the later stages.

By evaluating stages of the process, you can adjust where appropriate. The advantage of this approach is being able to measure performance more adequately and evaluate improvements.

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It’s a well-known fact that a gap exists between the sales and marketing departments. Therefore, an objective participant to manage lead generation programs makes sense. An outsourcing company with expertise in both sales and marketing can help close the gap and improve many of the related processes.

To develop a successful lead generation program through outsourcing, companies must be willing to provide open access to the sales and marketing infrastructure. This access also includes allowing key stakeholders to participate in appropriate areas of the process, like issue resolution

Lead Generation ProgramsLead Generation ProgramsCreating an environment in which knowledge is easily exchanged helps create better lead generation programs. The marketing staff that generated, qualified or nurtured the lead, the sales rep managing the lead and the sales executive responsible for achieving the forecast should share information about lead status and insight throughout the entire process.

Working as a team, participants in the lead generation program can identify all relationships involved in each sales opportunity. In other words, what other areas of the business might be an access point for the lead? Maintaining these relationships through an organized cohesive effort can produce improved performance.

Members of the team can provide different perspectives in terms of whether the lead is fully qualified. Competitive information can also be shared to address specific issues and help resolve objections.

Lead Generation ProgramsLead Generation Programs

By assigning a greater level of accountability, stakeholders can avoid letting a sales opportunity become stagnant. If you schedule regular follow-up on lead activities, you can avoid missing information or steps in the process. To ensure the best performing lead generation programs, accountability can help get things back on track and improve results.

Lead Generation ProgramsLead Generation ProgramsAll sales opportunities are not created equal. So they shouldn’t all be treated in the same manner. Different products and services may require unique lead generation programs. And the prospects generated may differ from product to product.

As a general rule of thumb, the more complex the sale, the more collaboration and nurturing are required. Often, a company’s sales team helps customers set budgets and justify the purchase.

Lead Generation ProgramsLead Generation ProgramsFinally, ongoing training helps lead generation programs succeed. The various stages of lead generation must be handled by skilled team members. A solid understanding of marketing campaigns coupled with intimate knowledge of a company’s brand, products and value propositions is crucial to a successful program outcome.

The suggestions can have a huge impact on lead generation programs. A well- defined process not only delivers results, but it elevates the confidence level of team members. A more confident team can create more productive relationships with prospects that convert to qualified leads.

About the AuthorAbout the AuthorLarry Fleischman is Director of Marketing for Televerde, a leading B2B provider of sales pipeline development solutions. For more information about Lead Generation Programs, visit:http://www.televerde.com/solutions/exactus-lead-generation-programs