The REaD Group plc is pleased to announce the debut of its latest subsidiary, Funnel Lead Marketing. The first full-service ‘lead marketing’ agency of its kind in the UK, Funnel’s brief is to design and manage lead generation campaigns with the capacity to source, optimise and deliver a winning mix of consumer leads, both in terms of volume and quality.
Helmed by former Acxiom lead generation cohorts Peter Bell and Steve Cox, Funnel Lead Marketing will be based at REaD’s London Bridge office, alongside fellow Group subsidiaries meta-morphix and Scientia Data.
REaD Alert recently spoke with Peter and Steve in order to get their take on all things lead marketing.
REaD Alert: Lead marketing’s the new kid on the prospecting block, so to speak. Guys, how does it work?
Peter Bell (PB): Lead marketing is basically the data-driven science of generating, qualifying, contacting and converting consumers who have requested information on a particular product or service. Funnel’s rather like Perfect Match, I suppose – linking consumers who have certain wants and needs with offers, products and services we think they’ll find attractive.
REaD Alert: Sounds rather sexy.
Steve Cox (SC): Believe me, it isn’t! [All laugh.] It’s bloody hard work, actually.
REaD Alert: But in a marketing world where there’s already a bewildering array of channel choices, doesn’t lead marketing run the risk of being the final acquisition straw that breaks the budget camel’s back?
PB: Not at all.
SC: Exactly. If anything, it’s the reverse. Lead marketing actually takes a huge degree of risk out of the equation.
REaD Alert: How?
PB: With us, marketers only incur a cost when they are provided with opted-in contact information for consumers who have engaged with their brand. The overhead associated with identifying, qualifying and gaining these valuable leads is instead transferred to the media owner. So lead marketing stands to save brands a hell of a lot of time and money.
REaD Alert: At the risk of sounding like some Hollywood sci-fi film, exactly how do you make ‘first contact’ with consumers?
SC: If lead marketing’s anything it’s multi-channel. We regularly use a combination of online (search, banner advertising, affiliate marketing, e-mail and co-registration), alongside more traditional offline channels (DM, print media and the like), to direct consumers towards filling out lead generation advertisements. The one thing we ask clients to ensure is that each channel uses the same (or very similar) creative in order to keep each brand contact point on-message and mutually supporting.
PB: What we’re saying to consumers is: ‘If you’re interested in a product or service, then provide us with your contact details and we will be in touch with further information.’
SC: Add some sort of incentive into the mix - a discount or prize draw, for example - and every lead marketing campaign has the potential to attract sizable numbers of interested and motivated potential purchasers.
PB: Whose details you only acquire on an opted-in, pay-per-lead basis.
REaD Alert: Time to put you on the spot. What are your Top 10 tips for achieving lead marketing success?
PB: Okay. That’s five each. You go first, Steve.
SC: Thanks, mate. [Thinks] Well #1 would have to be setting clearly defined expectations and realistic campaign goals. Without these you do not pass go and do not collect £200. #2 is establishing the most appropriate channels and incentives in order to drive customers to your online registration site. That’s incredibly important, too. #3 is thinking from a consumer’s perspective when designing your creative content. Assume nothing – that’s always my advice. While #4 is avoiding real-time feeds unless you really can respond to consumers in a timely fashion. Don’t over-promise, in other words. Umm… This is really hard! And at #5, prioritise your needs. Don’t be tempted to ask ‘nice to know’ information at the expense of gathering vital consumer intel. Over to you, Mr Bell.
PB: Hmm… #6 is ‘Be consistent’. Like Steve mentioned earlier, staying on-message across your entire campaign - from brand introduction all the way through to conversion – is a ‘must do’. #7 is explaining your product or offer clearly and concisely. Cut the jargon and don’t patronise people. At #8, give yourself as much lead-time as possible and test, test and test again. Experiment with as many lead generation approaches as your budget permits in order to optimise your targeting proficiencies. #9 would have to be don’t lose control of where your lead generation advertisements are appearing. Trust me – it’s easily done. And finally, at #10, remember that lead generation shouldn’t be pursued in isolation. It’s no channel slave, so ensure that it informs and supports your entire multi-contact campaign strategy.
REaD Alert: Sounds good. Gentlemen, thanks for your time.
PB: Pleasure.
SC: Funnel looks forward to working with marketers and brand managers wanting new, ROI-optimised lead generation options as we all start prepping for more robust economic recovery in 2010.
PB: Amen to that.
Find out more information about Funnel Lead Marketing’s services.
Helmed by former Acxiom lead generation cohorts Peter Bell and Steve Cox, Funnel Lead Marketing will be based at REaD’s London Bridge office, alongside fellow Group subsidiaries meta-morphix and Scientia Data.
REaD Alert recently spoke with Peter and Steve in order to get their take on all things lead marketing.
REaD Alert: Lead marketing’s the new kid on the prospecting block, so to speak. Guys, how does it work?
Peter Bell (PB): Lead marketing is basically the data-driven science of generating, qualifying, contacting and converting consumers who have requested information on a particular product or service. Funnel’s rather like Perfect Match, I suppose – linking consumers who have certain wants and needs with offers, products and services we think they’ll find attractive.
REaD Alert: Sounds rather sexy.
Steve Cox (SC): Believe me, it isn’t! [All laugh.] It’s bloody hard work, actually.
REaD Alert: But in a marketing world where there’s already a bewildering array of channel choices, doesn’t lead marketing run the risk of being the final acquisition straw that breaks the budget camel’s back?
PB: Not at all.
SC: Exactly. If anything, it’s the reverse. Lead marketing actually takes a huge degree of risk out of the equation.
REaD Alert: How?
PB: With us, marketers only incur a cost when they are provided with opted-in contact information for consumers who have engaged with their brand. The overhead associated with identifying, qualifying and gaining these valuable leads is instead transferred to the media owner. So lead marketing stands to save brands a hell of a lot of time and money.
REaD Alert: At the risk of sounding like some Hollywood sci-fi film, exactly how do you make ‘first contact’ with consumers?
SC: If lead marketing’s anything it’s multi-channel. We regularly use a combination of online (search, banner advertising, affiliate marketing, e-mail and co-registration), alongside more traditional offline channels (DM, print media and the like), to direct consumers towards filling out lead generation advertisements. The one thing we ask clients to ensure is that each channel uses the same (or very similar) creative in order to keep each brand contact point on-message and mutually supporting.
PB: What we’re saying to consumers is: ‘If you’re interested in a product or service, then provide us with your contact details and we will be in touch with further information.’
SC: Add some sort of incentive into the mix - a discount or prize draw, for example - and every lead marketing campaign has the potential to attract sizable numbers of interested and motivated potential purchasers.
PB: Whose details you only acquire on an opted-in, pay-per-lead basis.
REaD Alert: Time to put you on the spot. What are your Top 10 tips for achieving lead marketing success?
PB: Okay. That’s five each. You go first, Steve.
SC: Thanks, mate. [Thinks] Well #1 would have to be setting clearly defined expectations and realistic campaign goals. Without these you do not pass go and do not collect £200. #2 is establishing the most appropriate channels and incentives in order to drive customers to your online registration site. That’s incredibly important, too. #3 is thinking from a consumer’s perspective when designing your creative content. Assume nothing – that’s always my advice. While #4 is avoiding real-time feeds unless you really can respond to consumers in a timely fashion. Don’t over-promise, in other words. Umm… This is really hard! And at #5, prioritise your needs. Don’t be tempted to ask ‘nice to know’ information at the expense of gathering vital consumer intel. Over to you, Mr Bell.
PB: Hmm… #6 is ‘Be consistent’. Like Steve mentioned earlier, staying on-message across your entire campaign - from brand introduction all the way through to conversion – is a ‘must do’. #7 is explaining your product or offer clearly and concisely. Cut the jargon and don’t patronise people. At #8, give yourself as much lead-time as possible and test, test and test again. Experiment with as many lead generation approaches as your budget permits in order to optimise your targeting proficiencies. #9 would have to be don’t lose control of where your lead generation advertisements are appearing. Trust me – it’s easily done. And finally, at #10, remember that lead generation shouldn’t be pursued in isolation. It’s no channel slave, so ensure that it informs and supports your entire multi-contact campaign strategy.
REaD Alert: Sounds good. Gentlemen, thanks for your time.
PB: Pleasure.
SC: Funnel looks forward to working with marketers and brand managers wanting new, ROI-optimised lead generation options as we all start prepping for more robust economic recovery in 2010.
PB: Amen to that.
Find out more information about Funnel Lead Marketing’s services.
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