TARGUSinfo Interactive Insights

In my last post, I said what we’re all thinking–Trust Comes with Transparency. 

Now what?

You’re now engaged in a partnership and you’ve reached a comfortable level of trust with your partner.   Is it time to take the next step and be more transparent?

If you wish to begin the transparent knowledge exchange,  taking the first step is sometimes easier said than done.

Not to worry, below is a checklist of the most helpful–if not the most rudimentary, questions to answer .

For the seller:

• Steps in your lead generation and distribution process?
• Sources and do you differentiate them?
• Data points collected?
• Pre-scrub practices?
• Clearly defined screening parameters?
• Detailed scrub practices?
• Verification practices?
• Return policies?

For the Buyer:

• Steps in the lead evaluation waterfall?
• Sources and do you differentiate them?
• Pre-scrub practices?
• Clearly defined screening parameters?
• Detailed scrub practices?
• Verification practices?
• How do you assign disposition to your leads?
• Are those dispositions standard and clearly defined?

Next step – what and how much are you willing to share?

Start thinking and stay tuned…

Andi

@Ask_Andi

A question posed in a recent LeadCritic.com post titled  “Scapegoat or Actually a Valid Return?“ is an ongoing contention between buyers and sellers.

Are buyers returning leads to sellers that are truly invalid?  The bigger question is – what are the parameters of a valid versus an invalid lead?

I agree with the author’s observation that lead return policies continue to be abused.  In my opinion, a valid lead is one that is contactable – i.e. can be reached by phone, direct mail or email depending on the desired contact channel.

Technically, isn’t every live person you reach on the other end of the telephone a contact and therefore a potential lead for your business?  I do not feel that a consumer’s lack of interest or the inability of a sales person to close a consumer warrants a buyer return for credit.

Truth is, many of the leads generated online are just noise and not viable leads – no matter who generates it, who sells it, who buys it.  So ultimately, who’s burden is it to bear?

I surmise that the starting point for both lead buyers and seller must be with contactability.  The rest should work itself out.

Andi

@Ask_Andi