B2B Sales Leads

Original Post  - Oct 18, 2007

Having a website is supposed to increase your sales (if done properly). How do you know who is looking at your site and who is interested in your products?

One popular way is to put some type of login/registration requirement in place in order for people to see some type of information or content that they are looking for. This seems like an excellent idea from a sales or marketing standpoint, except now you’re dropping all pretenses of having a customer-centric website. Remember to think about what your customer wants. If they are searching for some information on your website (or came from a search engine) and have to register or login before they can get it, how many of them will just leave your site entirely (with a bad taste in their mouth) instead of giving you that information?

Instead, only collect personal information when it is in the customer’s best interest to do so. Offer a form or online chat where people can request more information that includes as little information as needed to help them. This is not the time to get their full contact information, date of birth, credit card, and what color their bath mats are. Name and email or phone are plenty. And guess what? You now have a sales lead that was willingly given to you - this customer is much more interested in your products and services. They are probably further down the sales funnel and therefore a much more valuable contact than just throwing up login requirements to get lots of names.