There are many companies out there that are just looking to take your money and in return give you very limited, useless garbage. Lead generation is an excellent way for companies of all sizes to gain market research, prospective clients and develop future business. When some companies try to take advantage of clients, it leaves an uneasy feeling in the hearts of those who trusted the very persuasive, energetic and pushy salesperson into handing over their money.
There are ways for companies to “look out” for these fly by night companies. Some suggestions are:
Guaranteed, top of the line, leads from a lead generation company. If the sales guy on the end of the phone tell you this, watch out. No matter how good a lead generation company is, it is impossible to predict what the outcome of a new project will be let alone guarantee top leads (these are leads that are considered sales). Predictions can be made on what type of results could be excepted, especially if the company has had a similar previous/current client. The sales person would say something like; based on past experience I feel confident that we could bring in x% of leads…..
Sales people need time to set up the database to your company specifications, get lists, train sales people, develop relationships with the clients they are calling and of course to get the paper work out of the way. This will usually take 3-5 business days depending on the size of the campaign and the level of the sales peoples knowledge into your business/product.
NDA – A non-disclosure agreement should always be signed and sent to you by the sales contact, even if you decline. This is a good sign that the company is legit, because covering bases and not skipping steps are best business practices and show that the company is concerned about your safety and your success.
Sales person – You should be in contact with your sales person or the project manager for your campaign at least once a week. You should never have to chase them and they should always return phone calls and e-mails by next business day. These are the main points to a sales persons job and if they are not able to keep up with their clients or are simply not willing to answer questions then you know something is wrong. ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS!! This is your money, know whats happening with it.
There are probably 100′s of different things that could be written here, but the main point is to keep yourself aware. Do your research, call references, develop a relationship with your contact, call them at their office, review their web site and use your common sense when making that final decision. Shop around but keep in mind that lower prices in this market can mean lower quality results.
Pilot projects are excellent! If the company you have narrowed your search down to offers pilot projects you know they are a good bet. This type of project is all about the Lead Generation/Sales team showing you, the client what they can do. This project type is usually about 3 weeks in length and low in cost (<$5000 on avg.). Lead Generation companies do not usually make any profit from this type of campaign, but it does give them a chance to get all the leg work done and show you what they are capable of, therefore, hopefully maintaining you as a long-term client. It gives you, the client, a relatively inexpensive way of testing your market, developing some possible current/future sales from the lead that are provided and it helps to develop trust. It can as well show you if the company you have chosen is not for you.
