Traditionally, getting targeted leads has always been the first step in the sales process, but people do business very differently now. Businesses used to buy leads, which included personal contact information, then they would proactively make cold calls to qualify them (qualified leads). Also, traditional advertising in newspapers, on television and radio stations didn't provide any real information about the companies, so the lead qualification process has to start with this.
This "push" approach has been replaced with a "pull" approach. Instead of you "pushing" your message in a cold call, targeted leads are "pulled" to your website content - it's the law of attraction at work. Providing informational content on your website is the single most powerful way to attract targeted leads. People find your content listed on other sites and they click on a link that takes them to your site. They then learn more about your business and its brand. Some of these people share your information in the social media sites - these "shares" are the new "word of mouth". Each person that shares your information once creates a virtual billboard for your content that lasts for years. Finally, visitors may opt-in, call you for more information, or just buy. The process is now reversed. Getting their contact information is now the last step in the process, not the first.
Many people get the terms "qualified leads" and "targeted leads" mixed up. Targeted leads in the current "pull" process are people that seek you out and find your website, and they didn't just find you by accident. They have had to go through a specific sequence of actions to find you. They either search on a keyword on the search engines, or your content (if listed*) is matched to users in the social media sites through "tags" so that they automatically see the information they are seeking. When they click on your content and go to your website, that is a targeted lead.
Qualifying leads is the last step in the sales process in both paradigms. On websites, this is initiated through online opt-in forms, assessments, evaluations, email contact forms, or a simple phone call from them to you, at which point, you have a qualified lead. In the case of the targeted lead in the traditional sales process, you have the contact information, but they are not necessarily qualified.
Although you can still purchase targeted lead lists and make cold calls, this approach is outdated, and you will offend people if there is even a small hint that the caller is reading a script. The newer generations don't like to talk on the phone, and will have to be sold first, before they will contact you - they qualify themselves. Your conversation is focused on them becoming customers, not on who you are, and what you do - they already know.
Social Media Advertising initiates the process that generates targeted leads and the new word of mouth. By the time people get around to having a conversation with you, they are already sold and are already qualified.
*Buzz Standard not only gets your content listed in the social media sites, but it also gets targeted leads to your website and our proprietary methods and technology is proven to get the initial and continued "shares" necessary to create the new word of mouth effect that keeps new targeted leads coming to your website for years to come.
Consultations for social media advertising, improved conversion processes, website development, blogging systems, business planning or book publishing are available to Internet Business Certification graduates. See the IBC website for details.
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