Lead Nurturing, the Sirius Way. Jason Hekl Research Director, Demand Creation Strategies

Transcription

1 Lead Nurturing, the Sirius Way Jason Hekl Research Director, Demand Creation Strategies

2 Executive Summary Key issues Multi-touch lead nurturing continues to draw significant attention from marketing and sales leaders, but execution is often lacking By breaking apart each nurture type into common components, organizations can ensure their strategies and tactics are sound Nurturing execution isn t one-size-fits-all; key components change as nurture type changes What you will walk away with A four-pronged framework for b-to-b lead nurturing A checklist of elements that roll up to complete the framework Observations and best practices for each nurture type 2

3 Setting the Stage: Nurture Types SiriusPerspective: Prospects can sit in a variety of demand waterfall stages; thus, b-to-b organizations must consider multiple nurture types. 1 Pre-MQL Nurturing before a prospect is handed off to a teleprospecting, field or channel resource 1 2a: Active Recycled Nurturing when a prospect is rejected by a sales resource for a pre-determined reason 2 2 2b: Passive Recycled Nurturing when a prospect has experienced no movement for a pre-determined period of time, but has not been rejected by sales 3 3 Reconstituted Nurturing when a once-engaged opportunity has died on the vine, with no activity for months or even quarters 3

4 Scoring Components SiriusPerspective: Lead scoring is a critical nurturing driver; how scoring building blocks are used varies by nurture type. Demographics Activity Propensity to Buy Individual Company Recency Frequency Significance BANT E X P L I C I T I M P L I C I T Demographics Propensity to Buy Activity Individual Company BANT Recency Frequency Significance 4

5 Nurturing: A Framework Making the practice systematic, repeatable and complete

6 Lead Nurturing Framework: Components SiriusPerspective: A complete nurture effort regardless of type is built on four pillars. Entry The pathway(s) for a prospect to move into a nurture flow Treatment The content, offers and messages used to drive incremental activity with the prospect Transition Signals that a prospect is ready to be moved back into an active demand state Disposition Location(s) where a nurtured prospect will be delivered 6

7 The SiriusDecisions Lead Nurturing Framework SiriusPerspective: By crossing nurture types with key components, a new framework is born. Pre-MQL Entry Active Recycled Treatment Passive Recycled Transition Reconstituted Disposition 7

8 The SiriusDecisions Lead Nurturing Framework SiriusPerspective: By crossing nurture types with key components, a new framework is born. Pre-MQL Recycled: Active Recycled: Passive Reconstituted Disposition Transition Treatment Entry 8

9 Nurturing Framework: A Checklist SiriusPerspective: Depending on the type or types of nurturing your organization pursues, use our checklist to determine your readiness. Pre-MQL Recycled: Active Recycled: Passive Reconstituted Entry Target market agreement (companies, entry points) Complete, clean list (owned or purchased) Inbound marketing strategy Disqualification reasons CRM-to-MAP prospect feed Visibility rules (e.g. can sales still see active nurture prospects) Service-level agreements (if any prospects will go to tele) Time thresholds for lead inactivity Warning system (first-line manager, sales rep) Service-level agreements (field to tele) Aging opportunity parameters Segmentation rules List pull process Treatment Need-based campaign structure Decision-based demand program Conversion-optimized Web site Content Information collection strategy (categories, gating approach) Hierarchical touch strategy (reason, category of interest, vertical, role) Scripts/templates (if tele is involved) Information collection strategy Teleprospecting scripts templates Pre-call/post-call content Multi-touch reconstituted program Content to serve Information collection strategy Transition Lead scoring schematic(s) Lead definition threshold(s) Lead scoring schematic(s) Tele-triggers/definitions Sales removal permissions Contact rules (number of times dialed/ ed) Requalification rule set Lead scoring schematic Disposition Marketing automation/crm linkages Service-level agreements (marketing to tele, marketing to field) Lead bypass rule set Procedural rejection rules Service-level agreements (marketing to tele, tele to field) Lead bypass rule set Procedural rejection rules Non-qualifier/no contact pass (tele to marketing) Qualifier pass (tele to field) Non-qualifier/no contact pass (into long-term recycling) Qualifier pass (tele to field) 9

10 Pre-MQL Transition: Scoring by Demand Type SiriusPerspective: Pinpointing the type of demand being created drives messaging, offers and certainly the way lead scoring is used. Heaviest Weight Low/Moderate Weight No Weight New Concept Individual Company Recency Frequency Significance BANT New Paradigm Company Frequency Significance Individual Recency BANT Established Market BANT Individual Recency Company Frequency Significance Individual Company Recency Frequency Significance BANT 10

11 Pre-MQL Disposition: Service-Level Agreements SiriusPerspective: Best-in-class SLAs are built on three key principles: definitions, responsibilities and rules. To Teleprospecting Single score Scoring combination Attributes Lead delivery timeframes Expected volume Delivery method Time to accept Rejection (procedural) Disqualification Reject process DEFINITION RESPONSIBILITIES RULES To Field/Channel (via route-around rules) Single score Scoring combination Target account Global account Lead delivery timeframes Expected volume Delivery method Time to accept Rejection (procedural) Disqualification Reject process Time to disposition (back-end SLA) 11

12 Active Recycled Treatment: Interaction Hierarchy SiriusPerspective: To keep a prospect that has been put into a nurturing stream engaged, content and messaging must be appropriate. Role Vertical Area of Interest MIN Disqualification reason Purchase of an alternative Change in buying horizon Change in buying fundamental Area of interest Solution/product area Vertical Role Disqualification Reason 12

13 Active Recycled Transition: Building a Strategy SiriusPerspective: As nurturing type changes, certain scoring categories become supersets, with appropriate subsets underneath. Individual Behavior Frequency Recency Significance BANT It isn t just the activities, but rather the changes in activity that count Watching dump-outs, Web paths is critical BANT plays a role, as long as the source fits Company Behavior Frequency Recency Significance Observing at the aggregate/buying center level is the next nurturing frontier Individuals may not qualify, but companies might; transition a specific title/role if so? 13

14 Passive Recycled Entry: Key Drivers SiriusPerspective: To get a passive recycled program up and running, sales and marketing must tightly align around key elements of time. Eligibility Only for early-stage/phase deals Duration Based on total cycle length Nine months = days, adjust accordingly Notification Via auto To rep/partner, first-line manager 14

15 Passive Recycled Treatment: Marketing s Roles SiriusPerspective: While the first home of passive recycled leads will likely be teleprospecting, that doesn t mean marketing plays no role. Stage Number (Name) % Chance to Close/Timefr ame to Close What the Buyer Was Trying to Do What Sales Was Trying to Do Effective Offers May Include Zero (Working) 0%/No timeframe Research possible remedies for current problems; keep current with emerging issues Trying to get in touch with the prospect to have a conversation White paper Webcast invitation One (Qualify) 10%/12 months Understand whether there is a fit with the offering and my business needs Determining if the prospect intends to buy or is just looking Case study Solutions/needs template Pre-qualification template 15

16 Reconstituted Entry: Pulling Lists SiriusPerspective: Better segmentation is the key to ensuring reconstituted content/offers resonate with intended audiences. If age is LONGER than the average sales cycle, go directly to Opportunity Age Area of Interest Industry If age is WITHIN the average sales cycle, go FIRST to THEN to 16

17 Reconstituted Transition: Two Approaches SiriusPerspective: Use opportunity aging to guide which scoring elements will be used if you choose to score at all. Scored BANT Frequency Significance vs. Scored For teleprospecting/sales functions looking for higher quality Schematics should be dominated by combinations of BANT and activity (only use BANT if inside the sales cycle) All-response For teleprospecting/sales functions looking for volume Eject from further touches All-Response 17

18 Nurturing: Key Drivers Interaction is the key; do your content/offers promote it?

19 Demand Type SiriusPerspective: The type or types of demand an organization is trying to create play a significant role in its approach. 19

20 Buying Process SiriusPerspective: Understanding how prospects and customers buy is powerful in many ways. One: Loosening of the Status Quo Two: Committing to Change Early Stage Three: Exploring Possible Solutions Four: Committing to a Solution Middle Stage Five: Justifying the Decision Six: Making the Selection Late Stage 20

21 A Shared Construct: The Buying Cycle SiriusPerspective: Integrated campaigns combine messaging and marketing activities along the buyer s journey. BUYING CYCLE Loosening of the status quo MESSAGING Committing to change NEW CONCEPT Exploring possible solutions NEW PARADIGM Committing to a solution ESTABLISHED MARKET Justifying the decision Reputation Demand Creation Sales Enablement Making the selection Create awareness around a new problem Align problem with business issues; drive urgency Help buyer identify needs in solving the problem Align solution with specific sets of business needs Demonstrate core features and functionality Validate/ reinforce choice TOUCHES Education Solution Vendor Selection Education Education Solution T1 T2 T3 Solution Solution Selection T1 T2 T3 Selection Selection Selection T1 T2 T3

22 Sample Flow: Active Recycled SiriusPerspective: Our first sample process flow tracks what might happen if an opportunity s resolution was a competitor purchase. Marketing takes the lead Education Touch Education Touch Education Touch Behavior dictates whether touches can be evolved Education Touch MARKETING Opt out Theme takes the DQ reason into account Complement Touch No Yes Re-Enter Nurture TELE FIELD DQ: Compete Process starts with the reason Time measured in quarters; can extend indefinitely Qualifying Touch Qualify Disqualify 0 Q1 Q2 22

23 Sample Flow: Passive Recycling SiriusPerspective: Our second sample process flow tracks what might happen if a lead is pulled from sales. Marketing provides backing support MARKETING Touch followup/content Tele takes the lead No Connect Followup Touch Call Two No Connect Followup Touch Call One TELE Connect DQ Connect Time measured in weeks Telephone and are combined FIELD DQ: Passive Re-qual Leads DQ ed go to longterm nurturing 0 W1 W2 23

24 Sample Flow: Reconstituted SiriusPerspective: Our final flow depicts what a time-bounded reconstituted effort might look like. Theme dependent on age of dead opportunities (same v. complementary) MARKETING Leads Gathered Touch One Touch Two Touch Three TELE Even split between marketing and tele Requal Touches scored and aggregated, or any touch can be moved on FIELD Time measured in days Requal 0 D1 D4 D7 24

25 Recap: Best Practices in B-to-B Lead Nurturing 1 Importance 2 Types of Nurturing 3 Roles/Resources Required PRE- MQL PASSIVE RECYCLING ACTIVE RECYCLING RECONSTITUTED MARKETING TELE SALES 4 Nurturing Process for Each Type 5 Process Flows for Each Type ENTRY TRANSITION TREATMENT DISPOSITION 25

26 Advanced topics Emerging Roles Nurturing Specialist Marketing Automation Specialist Measurement Determining effectiveness of nurture programs without double counting Recycled Lead Scoring Implicit behavior Account level activity External triggers Long Term Nurture Entry, treatment, transition, disposition

27 Action Items Marketing Audit current nurturing initiatives against the SiriusDecisions Lead Nurturing Framework Review scoring approaches; are they built to produce a good and possible lead? Sales Explore a collaborative, passive recycled nurture program with marketing if one does not exist Set a back-end SLA with marketing to recycle idle leads 27

28 Q&A Jason Hekl, Research