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Multi-channel Marketing! Simple put, communicate with your prospect in multiple ways - direct (phone, email, direct mail, events, networking); indirect (website, blog, PR, SEO/SEM) and partners (resellers, referrals, endorsers). There are two levels of multi-channel marketing in B2B lead generation, one is across the main major channels, direct, indirect and partner and the other is within each channel with utilizing multiple communication methods and, in the case of partners, lead sources. As an example, let's take the direct channel. If your lead generation program is only teleprospecting/telemarketing and the networking you do, you are failing to reach a large percentage of your audience. Studies continually show that people respond to B2B marketing differently. Some answer their phone regularly, but will never respond to emails. Others never pick up the phone, have effective screeners, but will read and respond to much of their email. This higher up in an organization you go, you'll find that executives like to network with their peers at events. Therefore, when you are working hard to deliver your finely tuned, very specific marketing message to the right target at the right time with a great unique value proposition and a fantastic call to action, all communicated in a relative manner to their industry and their role within the company - - DON'T WASTE IT BY NOT COMMUNICATING THROUGH MULTIPLE CHANNELS AND COMMUNICATION METHODS. As for indirect and partner channels, ensure that your message flows consistently throughout and is clear for all audiences. If this task seems just a bit too much to handle or manage with your current resources, there are many fine business marketing services and marketing consulting firms out there to help you along.

It is no mystery that we are subjected to a barrage - or more accurately, an assault - from various media all day, every day. If we don't watch TV, we have alerts flowing in from online news sources. We have radios in the shower and newspapers with breakfast. Try this to de-stress: Turn it ALL off for one day. Or half a day. News can become an addiction. Really. When Websense of San Diego conducted a survey of surfing habits in the workplace, a large majority of employees admitted they surfed for personal reasons. And fully one quarter admitted to having an obsession with the Internet. And guess what? News beats out porn. So even if your company is blocking porn, which it should, it's likely that one-fourth of the staff wastes time (and possibly emotional reserves) as they cruise for news. It can get worse when There is breaking news or a disaster, and the same news and images are looped over and over. Surfing can take an extra emotional toll. So turn the thing off for a while. Unless you're in a position to affect the news and therefore need to be totally informed at every moment, the world can live without your eyeballs for a few hours at least. Take a full-day sabbatical once in a while. Weekly if you dare. At least tune out for a few precious hours a day and focus on life as you know it in the world you can touch and feel. Honestly, it seems odd to not be 100% in touch. But it's also a relief. You can't do much about most events in the news. And relentlessly bad news can make you more stressful. Unplug however and whenever you can. Consider it a gift to yourself to let the world slide by. If the end of the world comes, someone will text message you, I promise.

The Most Interesting Stat in B2B Lead Management What is one of the most interesting stats in B2B lead generation? Of the prospects you connect with (conversation, in-bound lead, meeting, event, other direct response)… …15% are ready to engage with you regarding your solution to their need …70% are a confirmed fit for your solution, but not yet ready to engage with you …15% are not a good fit and are disqualified. We use these percentages which are an average from research from Miller Heiman, Sirius Decisions and our own findings at Apollo. Given that, on average, 70% of the prospects you spend soooooooo much time and money for the 1st contact are not yet ready to engage with you, it begs the question, "What is your lead nurturing or lead management strategy?". Are you using an e-marketing solution or an automated marketing solution? If your firm does not have the resources or expertise to execute an effective lead management strategy, do you know of a good partner that can help you with lead management/nurturing services? An outsourced marketing partner? The good news is that there are plenty of options and some very affordable and effective game plans that you can execute to nurture these leads over time to convert them into your pipeline. Some of our client campaigns find that after 4-6 months, as much as 50% of their pipeline is being produced by their B2B lead management strategy. Beats finding out they are engaged with a competitor after 6 months because you gave up on them. That's a sinking feeling. Apollo's central hub for up-to-date B2B marketing, lead generation and nurturing information and best practices: http://blog.apollosmg.com Apollo Sales & Marketing Group http://www.apollosmg.com