Using Campaigns to Generate Leads and Open Doors

Getting your foot in the door is one of the biggest challenges marketers face. One good approach is launching regular campaigns to generate interest and leads in your offerings. CharTec adds a new campaign every month, and we go about it in a very methodical fashion. After all, once you find a successful formula, it only makes sense to stick with it!

The philosophy behind our campaigns is layering. When it comes to web content, we’ll start with introductory content to make everyone familiar with our topic. Never assume your audience has the same level of technical understanding that you have. Remember that you’re attempting to connect with people with various levels of knowledge and skills to convert into leads.

The first blog posts give you content to build upon, and then you can go deeper into the story and get more technical. Explain the topic before diving in. CharTec often uses a formula for a month-long campaign that entails spending the first week on the definition. The second week focuses on a deeper explanation. Then the third week focuses on applying it. The fourth week will either be a final blog or a deep-dive resource to wrap things up. Blogs are posted once a week on our member’s social media accounts. Each post has a different title and image so everyone knows when the new ones are out.

Invite Action for Leads

Every piece of material related to the campaign needs to have a mini-invitation to take some sort of action. For example, there might be an offering that asks people to input their information. In fact, this is one of the most successful approaches to getting a foot in the door for marketing because the individual involved has made it clear that they are interested. They are the ones initiating the request to learn more about whatever is being discussed. Anytime someone fills out a form they become a lead.

Be Quick

Only 1 to 3 percent of people who see an ad or material will fill out the contact form. And when they do those are absolutely the best leads you can get. And urgency is a key factor. If you respond to them within the first two or three hours, your chances of closing them are 400 percent higher! If you can respond to them in 15 minutes, that’s even better. Make sure your contact forms are not being sent somewhere that is not checked regularly. Someone should be monitoring them at all times. The goal is to get back to them while they are interested in your offering. Quick follow-up is everything.

At this point the process moves from Marketing to Sales. The lead has been generated. Now it’s time to close on whatever they are interested in.

Be Patient

Of course, the vast majority of leads are not easy to get. More often than not, you will need to be very proactive. Follow-up and find ways to connect with them via phone, LinkedIn, or wherever you can reach them. Like their social media posts, email them, and go to their events. Hopefully, they will eventually respond. And remember, we’re not stalking them. We’re just reminding them that we are here when they need us.

Clearly, this is a very long and tedious process, so you might be wondering if there are any shortcuts. While you may be able to invest in a Google AdWords campaign and back it up with a high-quality website to get a few leads quickly, this is not a realistic approach for most MSPs. Instead, you’ll need to get comfortable with the slow and steady follow-ups.

And be consistent! Generating leads in the Managed Service Industry is more difficult than just about every other industry. On average, it takes 7 touches with a prospect before they respond. So, it’s important that you don’t stop at the 5th or 6th touch. Our Sales staff tries to give new leads ten touches in their first thirty days.

Be Present

In addition, it is important to be present. While you do need to send emails and like posts, sitting in front of the computer all day is a mistake – at least when we’re not in the middle of a pandemic.

It is important to get out in the community and be involved in organizations. People are more receptive when they are talking with you face-to-face. Go to meetings and events, and talk to as many people as possible while you’re there. Avoid clustering and talking to the same people all evening. Cast a wide net or you won’t get anything to follow up on. Smile, shake a lot of hands and pass out your cards.

Consistency is essential. It is not enough to just attend a few events when you’re starting or scaling up. You have to be out in the community regularly if you truly want to keep moving things forward. As an MSP Salesperson, you are the ones that Marketing hands the ball to after they generate a lead. It’s your job to turn that lead into a sale.

If you need help with your Marketing or Sales Training, you’re in luck! Our Virtual Academy is just around the corner. May 19th & 20th we will be covering MSP Marketing, Sales, Operations, Finance, and HR.

Click HERE to register. Attend our Academy Pre-Day to hear from industry leaders, register HERE.