When is a “free download” no longer free?
What do you wish companies would stop doing when you download a free white paper?
I bet I already know. I had a conversation recently with my business development executive who has become highly suspicious of "free" white paper downloads. There are some sites that he refuses to download from because not only was the prior information unhelpful, but he knows he will receive a call from a telemarketer – even after he’s made it clear he’s not interested. Why do we continue to force people into being "leads"?
People download content often to answer questions. Don’t assume that because they downloaded something that they are ready to talk to a sales person. You need to first connect with your potential lead.
I’ve found that calling people is the best way to qualify leads, and if that phone call is conducted correctly it can be the start of a really good relationship. If there is an initiative invariably people will tell more about their project and what they are trying to do. The nuance matters and it helps you sound less like a pusher and more like a relevant resource.
A good example of a follow up comes from Endeca. When my colleague downloaded a white paper from their site, Endeca’s follow-up was very professional. The call opened with questions about what led him to take a look at their paper. They asked what he found particularly interesting about the download.
When InTouch handles inquiry/lead qualification for our clients, we typically start off with something like, "A lot of people download our white papers to get their questions answered. I was wondering if you got a chance to read (insert title of the download), and if your question got answered. Or, is there some other way that I can help?"
Also, rather than asking, "Are you the decision maker for the company?" ask something like, "Were you trying to answer this question for yourself or another member of your team so I can help you get the needed information."
There has to be a balance between collecting information and providing value. If you’ll think of Lead Generation as a process of micro-conversions that build opportunity profiles over time, you’ll be successful. With that in mind, here are some things to think about when offering ‘free’ information:
- Downloads that are thinly-veiled product brochures and technical documents of the offered product are not only unprofessional, they’re ineffective.
- Be careful about requiring registration to receive anything worthwhile. Request an email address first, then later on a first and last name. Requesting a phone number should be later on in the process.
- Sales teams should never receive Web inquiries directly and unqualified (truth be told – sales people only want to talk to people who actually WANT to talk to them)
- Contacts should be established with potential customers to prime them into the lead-nurturing program
- Web site forms should be to the point for maximum response
- All inquiries should be responded to with a prompt note of thanks (how good is your "thank you" auto reply?)
- A supplementary email thank you should be used to share value added relevant data
Related Posts:
On Lead Nurturing: Looking for a "hot" date?
Why Most B2B Sites Fail to Convert Sales Leads
So what do you wish companies/sales people would stop doing when you download a free white paper or other "free" content?
Human Touch, Lead Generation, Lead Management, Lead Nurturing, Lead Qualification, Marketing Strategy, Sales Leads, Thought Leadership, Word-of-Mouth
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The reason many B2B firms jump on these white paper “leads” is because they don’t have a system to qualify prospects.
While they will convert some, these results are short lived. Thanks for reminding us about micro conversions and lead nurturing.
Best,
Justin
I’ve had horrible experiences after downloading white papers. First of all, the white papers contained little helpful substance. Worst of all, I get bombarded by inexperience telemarketers or inside sales reps who don’t understand how to connect and sell with some nuance. They are obviously clueless and could not possibly understand my business needs.
Brian, the point you make here is backed up very much by the former CIO of Egg bank.
I interviewed him recently in London, and he mentioned that – when trying to find out about new products and services – he would send people in his network out to “scan” the market and pull information back together for him.
Overtly pushy calls won’t work in this environment, but asking the right questions about the need for the information will lead to greater insight, and more chance of getting in on the project earlier. The full interview with him is here
It’s much less intrusive to respond with a series of emails than a phone call. Modern demand generation systems make it easy to set up a sequence of emails and Web surveys that can incrementally build a relationship and adjust messages based on previous responses. Plus, you can set up your download to require a valid email for delivery, whereas there’s no guarantee the phone number someone gives you will be correct.
At the end of the day, it’s all about providing valuable information to the customer. The whitepaper needs to have good, meaty content. A follow up call is fine, but you need to be able to open with an offer to provide even MORE meaty information. All of a sudden you have identified yourself as a giver and that always gets the relationship off to a good start…
- Dr. Jim Anderson
http://www.TheAccidentalNegotiator.com
“Learn The Secrets of Side-By-Side Negotiating To Get The Most Value Out Of Every Negotiation”
I prefer not having registration at all – not asking for any information and merely giving the white paper away as a download to anyone who wants it.
Two things make this successful in lead generation: 1) The document you offer has to offer real value – make it a how-to guide, tutorial, real-world case study with details, etc. 2) Offer a call to action at the end to engage with you in a sales opportunity – make the call to action such that it pre-qualifies the reader in the action they take.
Doing the first thing above can make the document you offer viral. The second thing gets response from the profiled prospect and target market.
Food for thought. Nice post.
Love this Brian! It’s an awesome post and I totally DIGG your advice! Great to keep being reminded of this – Awarness is EVERYTHING.
I found the micro conversations do build opportunities and = success- WIN WIN!!I have been playing with this strategy on twitter and reaping some outstanding results – 2 new clients and a presentation on social Media to a firm only down the road – all in 140 characters!! Micro conversations build trust and great relationships when being authentic! Looking forward to your next post lead gen guru!
Sam 2.0! Mutimer http://www.businessperformance.com.au
Great post Brian. I think people quickly forget about building the relationship. You don’t propose on the first date and you shouldn’t jump to secure an appointment on the first sign of interest.
In my experience, most people need a lot of information about your services and ability to solve problems before they’re ready to talk about solving their problems. Keep up the great work.
Nick Rice