Handoff From Marketing to Sales: 3 Considerations to Make
Sales and marketing are working more closely than ever before. So when is it time for lead handoff from marketing to sales?
The truth is, these two departments rely on each other. Because of this, when utilizing an inbound marketing strategy, sales and marketing need to be aligned. The best way to ensure this alignment is to test and see if leads generated through inbound efforts are ready for a call from sales.
How do you know if leads are sales-qualified?
For sales, there are a few things to consider before calling. Leads that are generated through inbound marketing efforts should not be treated in the same manner as leads generated through outbound marketing efforts.
Here’s some advice to consider when it comes to lead handoff from marketing to sales.
1. Proper lead handoff gives your salesperson a head-start on researching their lead.
The information you gather should include the individual’s name, title, phone number and email. Additionally, try to capture information on their company’s industry, number of employees, etc.
The more informed your salesperson is, the better acquainted they can get with the prospect before they reach out.
2. A lot of times, inbound leads come to learn, not buy.
Depending on when your handoff is, leads may be very warm, or very cold. Sales reps should adopt a trainer mentality when interacting these leads, especially for the first time.
If reps start selling too early on in the conversation, the lead will be scared off. Instead, encourage reps to be nonchalant and take on the role of consultant once they are past the initial rapport-building stage.
3. Your salesperson should have a logical approach in terms of where to take the conversation.
Not only should your salesperson have a trainer mentality when speaking to inbound leads, but they should also have a logical approach mapped out in terms of their potential conversation. Encourage them to map out what products and services the lead would most likely be interested in based on the material they downloaded from you to begin with.
Remember, your inbound marketing strategy serves to establish your company as a thought leader in your industry.
When contacting inbound leads, your sales team needs to be sensitive of where the lead came from. If your salespeople are successful in doing this right, your company’s presence will benefit all while you are helping people!
