Only 5 to 10 percent of your marketplace is ready to buy right now. To ensure that the remaining 90 to 95 percent eventually end up in your pipeline, you need to engage in value-driven lead generation and nurturing. In this presentation, Brian Carroll, Executive Director of Revenue Optimization at MECLABS, will describe the key components of a successful content-driven lead engagement approach. An accurate, on-target database: Find out how you can reach the right people in the right companies. Get easily actionable tips to grow your lists with Content they’ll eagerly consume and share: Learn how to engage and nurture prospects throughout the sales cycle. Discover how to strategically stretch resources by repurposing engaging content and learn it all from real-world examples. Gain strategies to: -Build a powerful database and keep it that way -Keep prospects engaged by providing the content they really want -Make the most of your content resources

1. The One-Two Punch of
Effective Lead Engagement
Accurate Lists and Powerful Content
Brian Carroll
Executive Director of Revenue
Optimization, MECLABS

2. MECLABS: A science lab with a consultancy
• More than 10 years of research
• 1,300+ major experiments
• Over 1 billion emails
• 10,000 sales-paths tested
• Hundreds of publications and
conferences
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3. Session Speaker
Brian Carroll
Executive Director of Revenue Optimization
MECLABS
Brian Carroll is Executive Director of Applied Research at MECLABS and
CEO of InTouch, part of the MECLABS Group. Author of the
bestseller, Lead Generation for the Complex Sale, Carroll is a leading
expert in lead generation and he's profiled and regularly quoted in
numerous publications.
@brianjcarroll Carroll also speaks to 20,000 people a year on improving sales
effectiveness and lead generation strategies. He has been profiled and
regularly quoted in numerous publications such as BtoB magazine,
Selling Power, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, Target Marketing,
Inc., Marketing News, DM News, MarketingProfs, MarketingSherpa,
Software CEO and CMO Magazine.
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4. The case for effective lead nurturing
• 80% of marketing leads wind up lost, ignored or discarded
• 80% of B2B marketers pass raw leads to sales
• Long-term leads (future opportunities), often ignored by
salespeople, represent 77% of potential sales
• 73% of companies have no process for re-engaging and
nurturing leads after sales
MarketingSherpa 2010-2011 B2B Benchmark Report
CMO Council and Business Performance
Management Forum, Sirius Decisions
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5. Case Study
Experiment ID: Protected Account
Location: MarketingSherpa Case Study Library
Test Protocol: CS31985
Research Notes:
Background: A B2B company with a short sales cycle launched an email series to
nurture older leads
Objective: To reinvigorate leads that have passed the initial 30 day window in which
most clients are most likely to convert.
Primary research question: Which tactics can be implemented to re-engage existing
leads in the database?
Test Design: Intensive initial 30-day lead nurture campaign followed by regular
newsletters, webinars and long term added-value email series.
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6. Results: How did they do it?
Customers are from leads generated
37% over three months ago
Customers are from leads generated
20% over one year ago
Key takeaways: Focus on your fresh, relevant leads but don’t
! neglect those you met three or more months ago.
Ensure your brand stays top of mind but communicate to them in a
way that is relevant and respectful.
What can you do to reach out to your existing list in a helpful way?
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7. Step 1: Nurture the fresh leads first
Leads generated through content downloads
Topic A Topic B Topic C Topic D
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8. Step 1: Nurture the fresh leads first
Leads generated through content downloads
Topic A Topic B Topic C Topic D
Week
1
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9. Step 1: Nurture the fresh leads first
Leads generated through content downloads
Topic A Topic B Topic C Topic D
Week
1
Week
2
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10. Step 1: Nurture the fresh leads first
Leads generated through content downloads
Topic A Topic B Topic C Topic D
Week
1
Week
2
CTA: sign up for online software demo
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11. Step 1: Nurture the fresh leads first
Leads generated through content downloads
Topic A Topic B Topic C Topic D
Week
1
Week
2
CTA: sign up for online software demo
Online Software
Sales-ready leads Re-engagement
Demo
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12. Step 2: Maintain an ongoing email program
If leads finish the initial nurturing series without converting, the team sends
two other types of emails to the audience:
Email Newsletter
This monthly email includes short
columns from the company CEO, as
well as information on industry
events, book reviews, marketing
advice and other content related to
the company.
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13. Step 2: Maintain an ongoing email program
Once leads finish the initial nurturing series without converting, the team
sends two other types of emails to the audience:
Monthly webinar invitations
• The term "webinar" in its subject line
• Personal salutation
• Description of the event
• One link and one button to register
• Header image linked to registration page
Manage your email subscriptions
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14. Step 3: Design long-term "tips" email series
In addition to the newsletters and webinar
invitations, a biweekly email series that features
marketing tips and other practical information for
12 months. Leads enter this series immediately
after finishing the short-term series.
Primary Goal: Maintain contact with the leads and
showcase the company's expertise
De-emphasized call to action: Register for online
demo
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15. Step 3: Design long-term "tips" email series
Pro-active option to opt-out
Above and beyond CANSPAM, an
email is sent three months into this
series which gives them an
opportunity to opt-out.
Shows respect for the prospect and
gives them a chance to reaffirm their
interest.
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16. Step 4: Avoid overwhelming your audience
The schedules and scenarios surrounding the email marketing were thoroughly
outlined and conditions were set, including:
• Stop emailing sales-ready leads
Leads that scheduled an online product demo stop receiving the nurturing
emails and are handed to the company's sales team.
• Start over for new downloads
Any leads in the long-term series that fill out a form to download more
content are taken out of the long-term series and placed into one of the four
short-term series.
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17. What is lead nurturing?
A relevant, consistent conversation with viable potential customers,
regardless of their timing to buy.
Understand Messaging Organize Execute Track Results &
Audience Strategy Content Tracks Engagement
Progressive Lead Movement Across Buying Stages
• Touch • Touch • Touch • Touch
1 • Track
• Follow- 2 • Track
• Follow- 3 • Track
• Follow- 4 • Track
• Follow-
Up Up Up Up
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18. Sales has a funnel – marketing should too
Events, Events, Summits, Guides, Subscribers, Website, Teleprospecting
Inquiries (Level 1) Not a Fit
Marketing Nurturing (Level 2)
Pipeline
Level 3,4,5 Leads
Returned
Prospects
CRM
Closed Loop
Feedback
HANDOFF
Sales
Sales Ready Generated
Leads Leads
Sales Existing
Clients
Pipeline
Measure ROI
Customers
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19. Four Key Steps
1 Develop a foundational database
2 Design your content library
3 Measure and tweak
4 Cycle back to improve your DB

20. Four Key Steps
1 Develop a foundational database
2 Design your content library
3 Measure and tweak
4 Cycle back to improve your DB

21. 1 Develop DB
Develop a foundational database
Build your nurturing database – start with who you know
Key accounts
Sales team Business cards
Past customers Past sales pipeline
Leads not touched 90+ days
Past event attendees
Inbound inquiries
Nurturing Web
Newsletter
list sources Phone
subscriptions
Email
Direct mail lists
Teleprospecting lists
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22. 1 Develop DB
Develop a foundational database
Marketing and Sales Alignment: What is a lead?
• Inquiries are not leads: As little as 5 to 15 percent of all inquiries are truly
sales-ready.
• Marketing doesn’t need sales to “accept” the leads. Marketing needs sales
to confirm whether the lead met the Universal Lead Definition that was
agreed to between sales and marketing
• Create your very own version of the universal lead definition, apply it to
every lead, and leave room for the definition to go through rapid
iterations as you close the loop with your sales team.
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23. 1 Develop DB
Develop a foundational database
F Action Item: ULD checklist
What makes a good sales lead?
• How can we raise the bar and give your better more actionable leads?
• What initiative or need makes this a good fit?
• What info is necessary to determine if a lead is worth the follow-up?
• What are the titles/job functions of economic buyers and influencers?
• What does this company values? What’s its culture like?
•
"
What are the common business issues?
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24. 1 Develop DB
Develop a foundational database
F Action Item: ULD checklist
What information is required to qualify leads as being sales ready?
What information is required to qualify leads as being sales ready?
•• What are the characteristics of the ideal sales opportunity?
What are the characteristics of the ideal sales opportunity?
•• What are the questions sales want answered before getting a lead?
What are the questions sales want answered before getting a lead?
•• What info is must-have vs. nice-to-have?
What info is must-have vs. nice-to-have?
•• Which questions tend to gather the most-needed information?
Which questions tend to gather the most-needed information?
•• What should we start doing to make leads more actionable?
What should we start doing to make leads more actionable?
•• What things should we stop doing with leads that don’t value?
"
What things should we stop doing with leads that don’t value?
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25. 1 Develop DB
Develop a foundational database
F Action Item: ULD checklist
Use the ULD to delineate “sales ready” vs. “nurture” lead statuses
• Will there be a time frame to evaluate and implement a solution?
• Will there be a formal or informal budget in place?
"
• Are there specific behaviors or traits you are looking for?
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26. 1 Develop DB
Develop a foundational database
F Action Item: ULD checklist
Identify key info a sales rep would value in speaking with a prospect
Identify key info a sales rep would value in speaking with a prospect
•• What fuels interest and how must we focus on it with the solution?
What fuels interest and how must we focus on it with the solution?
•• Where is the best entry point?
Where is the best entry point?
•• Who is involved in the buying process as it evolves?
Who is involved in the buying process as it evolves?
"
•• Should anyone else be contacted?
Should anyone else be contacted?
"
•• Where’s the funding coming from and who has authority over it?
Where’s the funding coming from and who has authority over it?
Then, only send as many sales ready leads that the sales person can effectively handle
Then, only send as many sales ready leads that the sales person can effectively handle
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27. 1 Develop DB
Develop a foundational database
Target company Nestle
 Company lead classification
 Industry
Identify  Employees
 Sales
firmographics,  Assigned rep
compile notes  Company notes
 Company web URL
Paris Sao Paulo Frankfurt Milan
Identify  Site type  Site type  Site type  Site type
headquarters, 

Site address 

Site address 

Site address 

Site address
 Site  Site  Site  Site
sites Qualification Qualification Qualification Qualification
 Site web URL  Site web URL  Site web URL  Site web URL
Brian Carroll Michelle Passe Pat Lorch
CIO Dir. eBusiness VP, Supply Chain
Identify, qualify  Lead classification  Lead classification  Lead Classification
 Contact info  Contact info  Contact info
contacts 

Conversation notes  Conversation notes  Conversation notes
 
 Qualification responses  Qualification responses  Qualification responses
 Qualification comments  Qualification comments  Qualification comments
 Contact history  Contact history  Contact history
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28. Four Key Steps
1 Develop a foundational database
2 Design your content library
3 Measure and tweak
4 Cycle back to improve your DB

29. 2 Design Library
Design your content library
Non-Nurtured Nurtured
Leads Leads • Organizations deemed
“best-in-class” see
double the bid-win ratio
on nurtured leads
compared to peers
• Nurtured leads delivered
47% higher average
order values than non
nurtured leads
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30. 2 Design Library
Design your content library
Connect with your personas:
• Project Leader
• CIO
• Contact Center
• Field Service Center
• Executive Sponsor
• Stakeholders
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31. 2 Design Library
Design your content library
Connect with your personas: Multi-track lead nurturing timeline
• Project Leader CIO Q1
• CIO Month 1 Free executive report via direct mail with follow-up call
• Contact Center Month 2 Invitation to executive roundtable via e-mail with follow-up call
• Field Service Center Month 3 Link to relevant Podcast via e-mail with follow-up voicemail
• Executive Sponsor IT Director Q1
• Stakeholders Month 1 3rd party article via e-mail and voice mail
Month 2 3rd party article via e-mail with follow-up
Month 3 Link to relevant webinar via e-mail with follow-up call
IT Manager Q1
Month 1 Relevant white paper via e-mail with voice mail
Month 2 Direct mail piece
Month 3 Invitation to webcast via e-mail with follow-up call
Client Plan for Q1 Audience: 3 Contacts Deep
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32. 2 Design Library
Design your content library
Map channels and content
Online
RSS
Website
Email Landing pages Phone
By-lined articles Microsites Develop relationships
Links to 3rd party Confirm correct
articles contacts
Case studies Gain internal referrals
Press releases Get opt-in email
Whitepapers
Event invitations
Nurturing addresses
Personal invitations
Research reports Re-engage aged
Collateral/brochures opportunities
Events Identify qualified leads
Live seminars
Webinars
Executive briefings
Conferences
Road shows
Trade shows
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33. 2 Design Library
Design your content library - Repurpose
Maximize your energy
Leverage your internal experts
• Harness the knowledge that exists in your functional business groups
• Create a process and function to capture the expertise and share it
• Develop your own thought leaders – make it easy for them to share
Gather, filter relevant content based on message mapping
• Third-party articles, relevant topics, research reports
• Vendor-agnostic podcasts, webinars, blogs and case studies position
sales team as trusted advisors
• Filter third-party content for a nurturing library of free sources
http://www.google.com/alerts
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34. 2 Design Library
Quality content can be repurposed
Turn one piece of content into multiple pieces of content
Research Chart
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35. 2 Design Library
Quality content can be repurposed
Turn one piece of content into multiple pieces of content
Research Chart Webinar Video Clip
Blog post Email
Tactical tool download
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36. 2 Design Library
The value of content beyond acquisition
Use a macro lens on your organization to make the case for content
development support. Who else can benefit from your content?
Sales/Account Management
• Nurture your existing customers
• Upsell, loyalty and retention
Human resources
• Recruiting
• Internal training and communication
Customer Service
• Training and education
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37. Four Key Steps
1 Develop a foundational database
2 Design your content library
3 Measure and tweak
4 Cycle back to improve your DB

38. 3 Measure
Tie content to a specific conversion
Track for patterns to see what works (and what doesn’t)
Research Chart Webinar Video Clip
Registrants Views
Attendees Likes/Dislikes
Replays Social Shares
Blog post Email
Tactical tool download
Pageviews Opens Downloads
Comments Clickthroughs Social Shares
Social Shares Shares Lead Capture
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39. 3 Measure
Measure and tweak
Quantitative Qualitative
• Use analytics to help clarify • Comments and social media
how topics and types of engagement on which topics
content drive engagement and resonate and may be a good
conversions – and which ones direction for future content:
don’t • Blog posts
• Lead generation forms tie into • Videos
database: • Articles
• Compare with how the • Encourage your sales team to
prospect engages with you share content with prospects to
• Look for patterns and score help explain complicated topics –
accordingly get their feedback on what
connects for the prospect
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40. 3 Measure
Measure and tweak
• Supported by tools that make it easy to:
• Continue conversation
• Suggest offers based on behavior and engagement
• Lead nurturing automation tools must also support:
• Lower volume
• Ad hoc delivery
• All touch points (phone, email, online, in person)
• Measure nurturing results such as:
• Depth of contact in sphere of influence
• Percentage of contacts who opt-in for nurturing
• Percentage of contacts who become sales-ready leads
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41. Four Key Steps
1 Develop a foundational database
2 Design your content library
3 Measure and tweak
4 Cycle back to improve your DB

42. 4 Cycle Back
Cycle back to improve your DB
Webinar
Registrants / Inquiries
Web Inquiries John Smith Touchpoints:
02/08/2012 - Attended Workshop “B2B Advanced Practices”
Social Media 10/18/2011 - Email Opened “TODAY: How marketers are
transforming change”
Inquiries 10/18/2011 - Downloaded Tradeshow checklist tool
Database 10/18/2011 - Attended Webinar - B2B Mkg BMR: Marketers
10/12/2011 - Email Link Clicked “Three ways to increase leads
Event Registrants Touchpoints generation at tradeshows and events”
& Attendees 10/12/2011 - Email Opened “Three ways to increase leads
generation at tradeshows and events”
09/20/2011 - Downloaded Q3 Event Summary whitepaper
09/19/2011 - Attended Webinar – “Event budget planning”
Downloadable Tool 09/05/2011 - Called – Spoke with Inbound Inquiry team
09/02/2011 - Message: Your question about services
09/01/2011 - Web Lead – Web – Contact Page
Sales Generated
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43. 4 Cycle Back
Progressive Profiling
Capture a little more information each time you provide value
First time download lead gen form Subsequent download progressive profiling
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44. 4 Cycle Back
Progressive Lead Scoring
• Phone – inquiries, conversations, sales leads
• Email interactions – opens, clicks, replies
• Website visits – product or service pages
• Collateral downloads – registrations or clicks
• Event attendance – webinars, tradeshows
• Information requests – contact-us form, email responses
! Lead engagement doesn’t equal sales readiness!
Use lead engagement to prioritize human-touch follow up.
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45. Four Key Steps
1 Develop a foundational database
2 Design your content library
3 Measure and tweak
4 Cycle back to improve your DB

46. Takeaway: Action items
1 Determine your Universal
Lead Definition: Build and
refine your DB approach
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47. Takeaway: Action items
1 Determine your Universal
Lead Definition: Build and
refine your DB approach
2 Build a three-month
track for your top three
personas
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48. Takeaway: Action items
1 Determine your Universal
Lead Definition: Build and
refine your DB approach
2 Build a three-month
track for your top three
personas
3 Create one piece of
content, and then
turn it into four
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49. Takeaway: Action items
4 Track each content item’s
conversion objectives
and set goals to increase
them
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50. Takeaway: Action items
4 Track each content item’s
conversion objectives
and set goals to increase
them
5 Connect your content
touchpoints to your DB
and start a progressive
profiling process
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51. Thank you
Brian Carroll
Executive Director of Revenue Optimization
MECLABS
651-255-7700 x 640
brian.carroll@meclabs.com
@brianjcarroll
Additional lead management resources:
MECLABS.com
B2BLeadBlog.com
B2BLeadBlog.com/LinkedIn
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52. The One-Two Punch of
Effective Lead Engagement
Accurate Lists and Powerful Content
Brian Carroll
Executive Director of Revenue
Optimization, MECLABS