The document provides a comprehensive guide for B2B marketers on lead qualification and nurturing, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing marketing qualified leads (MQLs) to enhance sales efficiency. It highlights that many inbound leads are mishandled, leading to potential loss to competitors, and advocates for structured lead nurturing strategies to prevent leaks in the sales funnel. Successful implementation of lead qualification and nurturing can significantly improve conversion rates and reduce the cost per opportunity.

1. A B2B Marketers Guide toLead QualificationandNurturing

2. IntroductionLead Qualification &Nurturing: OverviewWhat is Lead Qualification?

3. How Does Qualification Increase Sales?

4. How Can Nurturing Reduce Spend?A Day In the Life of the B2B MarketerThe Anatomy of aMarketing CampaignThe Campaign

5. The Execution

6. The Leads

7. The ResultsThe Need for Lead QualificationShould All Leads Be Assigned to Sales? 80% of inbound leads never have a meaningful conversation with sales

8. Finding a needle in a haystackThe Need for Lead QualificationThe Awful TruthA large number of the leads who were assigned should have never crossed the into the Sales arm of the organization.

9. 70% of your mishandled leads will buy from a competitor within 24 months.The Need for Lead QualificationAligning Sales and MarketingDefining a “Marketing Qualified Lead” (MQL)

10. Service Level Agreement (SLA)Greater alignment means:Less Lead Loss

11. Higher Opportunity Conversion RatesThe Need for Lead QualificationWhat is a MQL?Traditional Methods

12. BANT – Budget, Authority, Need and Timeline

13. Explicit Factors (Title, Company Size) Activity Level

14. “Eyeball” ApproachThe Need for Lead QualificationFinding the right 20%: A Blended ModelImplicit Factors: What they doExplicit Factors: Who they are

15. The Need for Lead QualificationExample Implicit Lead Scoring Model:Form or landing page conversion: +50 points

16. Site search query: +3 points

17. Link Click in an Email: +3 points

18. Visitor page view of Standard Pages: +1 point

19. Visitor page view of “Buying” Pages: +5 to +25 points

20. Opportunity created: +50 points

21. Opportunity lost: -100 pointsThe Need for Lead QualificationInterest vs. IntentInterest Research PhaseViews 25 pages on your website

22. Downloads 2 whitepapers

23. Attends webinarIntentBuying PhaseContact Me form

24. Searches for your company by name

25. Product TrialThe Need for Lead NurturingLead Nurturing 101Most new, inbound leads should not be advanced to Sales.

26. Many buyers of B2B technology are taking longer to close.

27. 80% of the “Best In Class” companies will implement a Lead Nurturing strategy by 2010.The Need for Lead NurturingWhat’s in it for Me?Nurturing prevents leaks in the sales funnel: Educate non sales-ready leads

28. Standardize Communication

29. Stay top-of-mind throughout the sales cycle

30. Reconnect After a LossLead Nurturing How-ToEducation for Leads who are not yet a MQLNurturing leads before a sales call is considered to be the most critical form of nurturing.

31. Leads have shown interest but not intent

32. Content should be educational and come from MarketingLead Nurturing How-ToStandardize CommunicationDeliver a consistent message

33. Automate Delivery so Sales is not responsible

34. Adjust the message when the prospect responds

35. Turn Trial into a CustomerLead Nurturing How-ToStay Top Of Mind In Sales CycleAutomate Delivery of “Sales-y” content

36. Inject Personal Notes from Rep

37. Trigger Rep-Driven follow up processesReconnect after a Loss Send Keep In Touch content as contract expiresLead Nurturing How-ToDo’s and Don’tsDoDon’t“Nurture” your entire database

38. Assume that Newsletters nurture

39. Use Segmentation

40. Use an Introduction

41. Be Mindful of Timing

42. General to Specific

43. Know When to StopLead Nurturing & the Bottom LineShow Me the MoneyCompanies that excel at lead nurturing attribute as much as 50% of new deals to older leads that have been nurtured.

44. Nurturing results in a lowercost per opportunityIn ClosingConclusionLead qualification aligns sales and marketing to reduce lead loss and streamline the funnel

45. Leads that are not yet qualified should be nurtured until sales-ready

46. Research shows that companies using lead qualification and nurturing are closing more deals with less resourcesAbout PardotPardot – No Hassle Marketing AutomationPardot is a user-friendly, month-to-month solution designed to simplify online marketing for B2B companies with a complex sales cycle. Please feel free to contact us with any additional questions you may have.www.pardot.com