If your B2B product or service has a lengthy sales cycle, you've probably developed an excellent program for nurturing leads until a prospect decides to pull the trigger. But what if a customer needs a solution ASAP?
Paul Dunay, who blogs at Buzz Marketing for Technology, observed a pattern of whitepaper bingeing; within a short period of time, for instance, 20 colleagues from a single company would each download a certain publication. Because these customers needed a "fast lane," he says, "A lead nurturing super highway was born." And in a podcast at his site, Dunay discusses how to create fast lanes with Dale Underwood of EchoQuote.
A podcast slide shows a typical "how to buy" page, but with a twist. "We have an additional call to action on the existing website," says Underwood.
- Option 1: Those interested in the usual pace can select a traditional form with the heading: "Fill out your information and someone will get back to you."
- Option 2: Leads on a tight time frame, however, will appreciate seeing a simple button labeled: "Self-Service Pricing."
Underwood explains a button like this doesn't require you to publish pricing at your Web site; rather, it offers the "promise" of a fast-track quote once customers have selected components from a menu that looks rather like shopping carts you see in a B2C environment.
Providing a fast lane for those in a hurry is pure Marketing Inspiration. "Most prospects that request budgetary pricing are sales-ready leads," says Underwood. "Whether or not they're going to buy, ultimately, they're a prospect that needs to be handled by sales or at least looked at very quickly."
More Inspiration:
Andrea Learned: Why Do Super Bowl Ads Get So Much Attention?
Paul Dunay: Personal Brand Organization Tips
John Wall & Christopher Penn: Twitter, Social Media, Healthcare, Webinars
by Christina "CK" Kerley
