We have seen some fabulous results come out of responder or presales campaigns over the years. Given the expense of in-person events and the increase in the web as a method for contacts to gather information prior to a purchase, it no surpirse that responder initiatives are becoming a very popular method of generating lists for telemarketing or sales follow-up. There are a few key factors to consider when lauching a web response campaign, particularly surrounding the data you gather on a response form:
- Ask the right questions when collecting contact data. For example, if you’re hoping to email people, you’ll need to make sure to collect their email address. If you want to do telemarketing follow-up, ask for their phone number and, if possible, capture their preferred method of contact.
- Only ask for what you’re going to use. Keep it short. We’re all a bit lazy by nature. If it looks like too much to fill out just to download a brochure, people are inclined to skip it altogether. Limit the number of questions you ask as much as possible. If you’re not going to mail them something, don’t ask for a mailing address. Also, keep in mind that if a question is considered too personal, people aren’t going to answer it.
- Use what you get. While you should keep it short, there are definitely some great bits of information you can get at this stage. Make sure you’re making the most of what people provide. If you’ve asked for the company industry, for example, use that knowledge in your follow-up.
- Don’t force people to lie! Often times my clients compare the answers people provide on these registration forms with the actual results of calling and are disappointed to learn that people who said they were going to purchase in 6 months don’t actually have a plan to purchase. Closer examination reveals that