Is Lead Generation a Global Marketing Problem?

Lead generation is a top concern for international companies. Many global brands fail to meet their lead generation targets – according to one report, of the brands engaged in lead generation, only 17% were hitting expected levels.

One of the issues is that sales and marketing departments typically have different views on lead generation, as Paula Bates of Toucan Telemarketing explains.

“Sales generally favour outbound telemarketing, while marketing prefers digital channels,” she says. “This disconnect may contribute to poor lead generation performance overall. Successful lead generation must be a properly co-ordinated effort.”

Digital Disadvantages

Marketing is often very subjective, and what suits one marketer will not suit another, but most marketers agree that changes in digital technology demand a dynamic response.

However, while this has meant a growth in inbound marketing, drawing customers into a sales pipeline, it has also led to a neglect of other methods.

“Digital marketing offers innovative solutions, but they shouldn’t be the whole story,” Paula suggests.

An over-reliance on inbound marketing has certain disadvantages, as Paula points out.

“Your whole qualification process is prospect-led, and requires the prospect to act for it to be effective. And it can take more time to set up.”

Making the Call

Paula specialises in B2B telemarketing, and is helping to redefine how this works as part of an overall marketing strategy.

“You can exert greater control over who you’re targeting as a prospect, and, by opening an individual dialogue over the phone, you can lead the qualification process,” she advises. “You build an immediate rapport, and you can simultaneously identify and qualify your prospect.”

From a global perspective, B2B telemarketing is supremely adaptable, and sparing on resources.

“A small, highly-trained team of telemarketing experts can service the needs of a large corporation,” she says. “And when it comes to gaining a foothold in a home market for an international brand, it can make serious progress, quickly.”

Direct and Digital Together

Successful marketing is about co-ordination not isolation. For lead generation, best practice in marketing is not about one solution, but how different approaches, inbound and outbound, work together.

“Telemarketing is too valuable a tool to restrict itself to one department, or approach,” advises Paula. “For businesses to maximise their lead generation, they must embrace a variety of methods, in pursuit of a combined marketing strategy.”