Let’s be honest. Maintaining a steady flow of qualified leads through your sales pipeline is an ongoing battle. It requires a lot of resources, specialised knowledge, and time, which can quickly distract the core team from what they do best.
If this fight sounds familiar, know that you are not alone. An increasing number of smart businesses are now outsourcing their lead generation.
But how do you know if such an approach is the right strategic move for your company? That’s where this guide comes in to offer actionable responses.
We’re going to take you through the many real benefits of outsourcing lead generation, cover some potential pitfalls along the way and offer a simple, five-step plan to ensure that your outsourced lead generation efforts deliver fantastic results.
What Does Outsourcing Lead Generation Mean?
In essence, outsourcing lead generation is when you join hands with an outside expert lead generation platform to manage part of your strategies associated with finding quality leads. Basically, it’s like hiring an extension of a marketing team whose one sole goal is to help fill the top of your funnel.
Outsourcing lead generation is far beyond the old tactics of cold calling rooms; it is now a complex mixture of tactics and strategies connected with finding and getting the attention of quality leads.
A professional lead generation partner might handle paid social media advertising, execute high-end email campaigns, or optimise your content for search engines. The objective is the same: to create a consistent flow of qualified sales leads so your salesperson can spend their time closing deals.
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The Benefits Of Outsourcing Lead Generation
There are many reasons why businesses choose to partner with a lead generation platform. Here are some of the reasons:
1. Access To Specialised Technology
Quality lead generation depends on a stack of software for analytics, automation and CRM, all of which are usually costly.
A lead generation agency not only has these tools but also specialises in using them. You get to enjoy the fruits of these tools without those premium subscription fees.
2. Cost Saving
Simply compare the cost of hiring, training, salaries and benefits, including your own overtime, to a predictable investment on a monthly basis for a lead generation platform. It’s significantly more economical.
Moreover, you can go higher or lower in scale based on campaign performance or number of quality leads, giving flexibility that white-label internal teams cannot.
3. Quick Results
A professional lead generation agency eats, sleeps and breathes quality leads. They have a tried-and-tested process and specialised channels ready to bring in leads.
This allows them to bring campaigns to market, test them, and optimise them at a much faster pace than an in-house team setting them up from scratch, which ultimately reduces the time it takes to see a return on your investment.
4. Focus On The Core Business
Your team should focus on your product, serving customers and guiding the company’s vision. By delegating the challenging lead generation process to the pros, you save precious internal bandwidth. Your team can focus on specialised work that helps you stand your ground in the market.
5. Increases Lead Quality
Quality over quantity. A professional lead generation agency will do the internal work to understand your ICP. They have a system so rigorous that by the time they pass a lead to your sales team, you have incredibly high chances of closing them, which results in improved conversion rates and sales efficiency.
The Limitations Of Outsourcing Lead Generation
The advantages of outsourcing lead generation are compelling, but it’s also right to look at the other side. Here are some limitations and their preventions:
1. Loss Of Direct Control
Giving up the direct control of such an important activity like lead generation isn’t easy for many entrepreneurs.
Prevention: Select a partner who is transparent in their dealings. Be sure to demand frequent, transparent reporting and insist on open access to campaign dashboards. A beneficial partnership is collaborative, not distant.
2. Communication Issues
If your team doesn’t echo the thoughts and statements of the lead generation agency, everything from efforts to workflow will feel redundant.
Prevention: Establish a transparent communication channel from the outset. Who is the first person you interact with? How frequently will there be strategy calls? Set these expectations early to ensure everyone is in agreement.
3. Inconsistent Quality Of Lead Generation Platforms
The market is overflowing with agencies, but not all of them live up to their claims. It’s an expensive mistake if you pick the wrong partner.
Prevention: Finding the best lead generation platform is the most important step. Conduct thorough research. Ask for client references and case studies. Don’t just listen to their sales pitch; examine their track record of results in the real world.
When Not To Outsource Lead Generation?
While the benefits listed above make outsourcing lead generation sound compelling, this isn’t a solution for every business.
If anything resonates with you in the following list, you may need to re-evaluate the decision to outsource:
- Your product is high-tech and requires technical expertise.
- Your target audience is niche-specific
- You have enough marketing and sales employees in-house.
- Your company culture values direct customer relationships.
- You had a previous negative experience with outsourcing lead generation.
In-House vs. Outsourced Lead Generation Cost Comparison
It is crucial to keep in mind that a proficient in-house lead generation team requires more expense than merely paying salaries. Hidden costs rapidly increase the expense, which makes outsourced lead generation more cost-efficient for SMEs.
Here is a clear comparison:
| In-House Costs | Outsource Costs |
|---|---|
|
Salaries and benefits for multiple roles such as SDRs, managers, and marketers |
A single predictable monthly fee |
|
Expensive automation tools, software and CRM analytics |
Advanced tools and software are included in the service |
|
Costly training and skill development programs |
No hidden hiring or training costs |
How To Successfully Outsource Lead Generation: A 5-Step Process
The ability to outsource lead generation systematically is the heart of any successful partnership. Follow this simple 5-step process:
1. Define Your Ideal Customers And Goals
Ensure you have a clear internal understanding before engaging with a lead generation agency. Whom do you consider a qualified lead? How many referrals are you looking to send us each month? Who is your ideal customer? Document all of these variables thoroughly.
2. Strong Onboarding Process
The partnership is as good as the beginning. Provide the lead generation platform with comprehensive brand guidelines, product specifications, and access to key team members. If they are to properly represent you, this exchange of information is crucial.
3. Pick Service Model And Partners
Determine whether you would prefer a full-funnel service or assistance with just one channel. Thereafter, shortlist a few lead generation platforms. Look over their case studies, request references; and ensure that their culture and communication style align with yours.
4. Set Clear KPIs And Reporting Metrics
Define KPIs upfront. This should include not only the volume of leads but also their quality, cost-per-lead, and conversion rates. Establish a regular reporting period: weekly or monthly to check out the progress.
5. Develop Collaborative Partnership
Consider viewing the lead generation agency as an integral part of your team. Give feedback on lead quality regularly, be prepared for strategic conversations and keep the lines of communication open. This partnership transforms a basic vendor relationship into a powerful growth engine.
Get Quality Leads With ProInteractive Today!
The world of how to outsource lead generation may seem complex, but the right platform makes everything simple. If you want a team obsessed with transparency, quality and ROI, then it’s time to get in touch with ProInteractive.
We don’t think there is a one-size-fits-all answer. Rather, we construct unique lead generation channels to send out clients high-quality leads that their business can count on.
Are you ready to power up your sales pipeline? Contact ProInteractive and see what we can produce together.
FAQs
Prices differ greatly depending on the quality and number of leads you want. The best lead generation platforms will give you a clear pricing after talking about your potential goals.
It can take at least 1 to 3 months to get proper lead flow going, though some short-term strategies bring leads right away.
A successful agency will fully absorb your brand’s voice, values, and target audience. That is why the first onboarding process is critical to making them understand your brand.
