Are you missing steps between first contact and conversion? Here are 8 tried and true tips for ensuring leads convert into opportunities.

1. Connecting The Dots
From First Contact
to Conversion
Companies are making large investments in acquiring leads,
and it is the job of the marketing and sales teams to ensure
that those investments bear fruit. Sales and marketing must
work in tandem to optimize lead conversion and accelerate
the sales cycle. Here’s how they can connect the dots:
1
Maximize Investments
1
$1,70
0
4
$2
,50
0
5
00
,5
$5
According to
the B2B Lead Generation
Marketing Trends 2013 report,
which surveyed members in
the B2B Technology Marketing
Community on LinkedIn, cost per
lead is the top metric used to measure
marketing ROI, with nearly 60% of
respondents reporting cost
per lead as the top measurement
used to calculate ROI.
$1,000
3
Optimize
Cost Per
Lead Metrics
$25
2
The cost of a lead can range anywhere between
$25 all the way up to $5,000 in some industries.
Whether a lead comes from a trade show, a
pay-per-click campaign or an outbound
call campaign, it is critical to add
intelligence behind the lead at key
stages in the buying cycle in
order to increase conversion
to opportunities and
closed deals.
2
60%
3
Track Number Of
Leads Converting
According to the B2B Lead Generation Marketing
Trends 2013 report, most marketers report
that only 5% to 10% of qualified leads
convert to customers. One quarter
of marketers do not know their
conversion rates.
Realize
Buyers Need
More Nurturing
A recent survey by SAVO revealed
that one third of businesses send at
least 50% of their prospect leads
back into their sales system for
more nurturing versus converting
them into an opportunity.
50%
4
Present
Buyers With
Relevant
Content At
Key Points
5
When asked what marketing
tactics are most effective, nearly
60% of the respondents
pointed to compelling
content at each stage
of the buying cycle,
according to the B2B
Lead Generation
Marketing Trends
2013 report.
Use
Content
& Context
To Help
Close Deals
High-performing reps
require persona
knowledge and assets,
as well as tools that
help them customize
their interactions
with prospects.
They need content
that does more
than describe
the product —
content must
align to
the sales
process.
7
6
Feed
Sales
The Right
Resources
Progressive B2B
organizations are
aligning the sales and
marketing teams to
help boost conversion
rates, accelerate leads
and differentiate
their offerings. By
equipping sales with
the right resources
— content,
collateral and
coaching —
marketing can
maximize lead
conversion
and ensure
prospects
become
customers.
%
1
2
Convert
More Leads
To Customers
8
Companies that connect the
dots between lead conversion
and sales acceleration can
get closer to the 21% sales
conversion rates experienced
by some of today’s top
marketers.
Sources:
SiriusDecisions, B2B Lead Generation Marketing Trends
2013 report by Holger Schulze, MarketingSherpa, SAVO