At RMS, we define business-to-business (B2B) lead qualification as the process of ascertaining the level of interest a contact database has for our clients’ products or services. As part of B2B lead qualification projects, we rank each prospect’s level of interest to determine their likelihood of making a purchase in the near future. There are three different stages for likelihood to purchase: hot, warm, and cold leads. A hot lead is a prospect that is ready to purchase from the client, a cold lead is a prospect that is not at all interested, which leaves a warm lead somewhere in the middle.
B2B lead qualification projects are often coupled with database management. Database management is the process of updating existing contact information, such as verifying email addresses, job titles, and phone numbers, as well as adding new contacts to the client’s database. Updating a database allows clients to better understand who is in the database, identify leads, and ensure that information is current for prospects.
Here are 3 things to look for when hiring an individual or firm for B2B lead qualification:
- Make sure the individual performing the B2B lead qualification has great phone skills.
This is important because when the individual calls someone from your database, the first interaction will likely be with a receptionist, who is often not the person they need to talk to. The vendor should also have a conversational tone that does not sound like they are reading off of a survey script. A great way to gain the gatekeeper’s trust is to start by confirming company contact information. By providing information about the company and key contacts to the gatekeeper, the vendor becomes more credible.
- Make sure the individual performing the B2B lead qualification knows who to talk to.
The individual should have a clear understanding of your business and industry. This will arm them with the information needed to determine which contacts to target, and what titles to look for in the database. Once they have reached the desired contact, the individual should also be able to determine the extent of the contact’s decision making influence. This will ultimately allow the individual to determine whether a prospect is a hot or cold lead.
- Make sure the individual performing the B2B lead qualification knows your products/services and industry jargon.
Be sure that the individual performing the B2B lead qualification understands common business practices in your industry, and has the ability to properly use industry-specific lingo and buzzwords. Understanding the prospect’s pain points is the key to identifying how your products or services can meet those unmet needs, and allows the individual performing the B2B lead qualification to understand how motivated the prospect is to make a purchase in the near future.
RMS QualiSight houses Central New York’s premier focus group facility and full-service call center offering inbound and outbound services. If you are interested in learning more about our B2B lead qualification or database management services, please contact Lauren Krell, QualiSight Facility Manager, at LaurenK@RMSresults.com or at 1-866-567-5422.
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