Trial and error is a great tool for learning anything and that goes for your marketing too. We all spend a lot of time looking for lead generation tools that work for our business and when we find one, we hold on to it. At the same time, if we try something and it does not work, we strike it off our list forever. I think that it’s a good way to ensure you are spending your budget wisely and getting results.
So far so good but let me ask you two further questions:
- How much of your knowledge of success is based on your preference and comfort zone rather than on testing and measuring?
- When was the last time you reviewed your tried and tested lead generation methods?
These are really important questions to consider because,
- You should base your lead generation campaigns on your target market’s preference and comfort zone rather than your own
- New lead generation tools are developed all the time and trends and approaches are developed so reviewing your approach regularly is important
The beginning of the year is often when companies plan their marketing, so this month I thought I would share my approach to campaign planning whilst taking into account the above considerations:
Break your marketing into individual campaigns first and plan each one separately
Don’t go in all directions in one go; it’s much better to have two successful campaigns than five messy ones.
Set your new business targets by working out the following parameters of the sale:
- Your average sale
- Your conversion rate
- Number of leads required
- Make sure your goals are SMART
Get a better understanding of who you are targeting. Consider things like:
- Who is your ideal company and why?
- What is the specific problem that you can solve?
- Who do you want to speak to?
- Where are they likely to go for information?
- What questions are they going to ask?
- What are your challenges in winning companies in this market?
Learn from your competition. Do some research to find out:
- Who are your main competitors in this market?
- What are they doing to attract new business?
- Can you offer something different?
Once you are clear on the above, look at tools and tactics:
- What worked for you in the past?
- What can you do successfully using your own resources?
- Are there any new tools you could use?
- What is worth outsourcing?
There are many more things you can do but the above considerations are key to setting you off in the right direction. Many companies are set up to do their own planning successfully but if you lack resources or would like another pair of eyes and ears on the case, give us a call to discuss further. Find out more about our lead generation plans here.