Building a Lead Management Program and System

The lead management process begins with the generation of inquiries (to some these are "leads") and from there the inquiry goes through a process of nurturing and conversion until it either becomes a sale or is dropped. 

Building an effective lead management program and system begins or should begin long before you've purchased a lead management application or CRM solution.  You need to lay out the processes of managing the leads (prospects) through each stage of conversion.  Ideally, the lead management processes that you put in place should determine what or which application you choose rather than the other way around.  The fact that many businesses purchase a lead management program with the hope that it will dictate the processes that have to be followed is the reason that so many CRM implementations fail. 

Click the link at the left to download the white paper "Developing a B2B Lead Management Program."

Steps in the Lead Management Program Planning Process

The following list represents the major steps in the process that need to be addressed, but you need to detail every point of contact and communications that takes place during each process step.  That includes the "who" as much as the "what."

1. Lead identification - develop definitions of leads through each stage of the qualification process.
2. Develop lead qualification criteria for each stage - B.A.N.T. or other criteria.
3. Develop lead contact / nurturing strategies for each stage of the lead management process.
4. Develop the lead management flow process.
5. Develop the engagement process - who, which departments contact the prospect at which stage.
6. Develop the message plan, offer and call to actions strategies.
7. Develop the content and supporting marketing collateral.
8. Develop the lead handover and feedback reporting plan.
9. Train the departments/personnel that will be involved in the lead management process.
10. Establish program milestones and develop the program benchmarks and KPIs
11. Develop the supporting expense budgets.
12. Launch the program.
13. Audit program performance.

Remember all departments that have any contact with the lead (prospect) at any point during the management process should be involved in developing the process plans for the program.