Outsourcing Lead Generation
Why startups should be Outsourcing Lead Generation ?
Marketing is considered as a core and critical function for both established businesses and startups. Lead Generation is a first step and is a prerequisite to approach potential customers. Can this task be outsourced?
One of the most difficult decisions a startup has to make is whether to outsource lead generation to a third-party company or to employ their own people for doing it.
Outsourcing Lead Generation-Definition
In marketing, lead generation is the initiation of consumer interest or inquiry into products or services of a business. Leads can be created for purposes such as list building, e-newsletter, list acquisition or for sales leads.
Outsourcing Lead Generation-Issues
Initially, Startups, mainly, by solopreneurs have to spend their maximum time to acquire customers. Identifying the right fishing hole is crucial inapproaching the target audience. Can they save time by using marketing agencies to identify leads for their businesses? Should one hire freelancers or a professional organization? Who should close the deal?
Outsourcing Lead Generation-ADVICE
Piaras MacDonnel-Co-founder of company
We're a startup experimenting with outsourcing our lead generation and here a couple of things I've learnt:
Define Profile of ideal Orgnisation and Role. You'll need to define both your ideal organisation and the ideal roles within that organization for your outsourcer. These should be agreed with both Marketing and Sales before handing over.
Outsourcing should be used to scale not invent. You need to have your prospecting process written down and tested in-house first ;don't expect someone else to understand your business and come up with a system. By all means take their feedback and update your own.
You must have collateral for them. You'll need datasheets, lead pages, email templates, FAQs and a host of other collateral for them to use. Ask them for a list. Lead Gen outsourcers should not produce collateral.
Agree metrics. You'll need to define in advance what success will be measured on. I would not expect a Lead Gen function to close deals, that's for your Sales team. I would expect the quality of the lead to be set and Sales to provide feedback.
Use your systems. 3rd parties will want to use their own tools and systems, avoid this. If your outsourcer has recommendations for change, make them.
Free Lancer or Professional Organisation
There are always pros and cons for both approaches.
Freelancers
Cost could be less
Directly Responsible for results
Startups may have to spend time in follow up and laydown processes
Scaling up may be difficult and may have to deal with multiple freelancers
Professional Organization
Well-developed Processes and systems
Data Quality
Domain Expertise
Technology Application for analyzing results
Quick Scaling up
Set Ideas
Cost could be higher
Outsourcing Lead Generation-Conclusion
Conclusion
By outsourcing the lead generation startups need not interview for new employees, move into a bigger office space, buy equipment and need not learn through trial and error. This saves an abundance of time and stress. Win- Win situation all around.
“Once you get a lead from the lead generation company then please remember to keep them updated with the results of the lead – good, bad or ugly!” - Andy Dickens
