Lead generation will do 3 things for you
- Generate short-term leads
- Generate long-term leads
- Create brand recognition
That said, lead generation should provide measurable ROI over a measurable period of time.
Research has shown that of financial leads, about 25% are short-term and 75% are long-term. Of course, we would like all of our leads to be short-term… they have a need right now and we have the solution, so they will close quickly. Yes, sometimes this will happen, but if you don’t pay attention to the other two aspects of lead generation, long-term and brand recognition, you are flushing money down the drain.
Another aspect of short-term leads is that these people are probably looking at other solutions as well. You will most likely not be the only person pursuing the business. If the prospect knows they have a problem, they aren’t just talking to you. Do you sign up with the first roofer you see on the internet when you need a new roof?
That’s why the most successful firms pay particular attention to their long-term leads. There are more of them, and if handled right your prospect will come directly to you when they have a problem vs. shopping around. Some advisors lament that the 2, 4, 6 month or even a year waiting period is too long. But remember, not all prospects wait a year… some it takes 2 months… some 4… some 6 and some a year. That means if you have an on-going lead generation system, you WILL have someone to work with continually.
How do you correctly handle long-term leads AND generate brand recognition to create the most effective lead generation? Drip Marketing. Send them helpful, value-driven and fun information continually. It is cheap and easy to do.