Lead Generation any good for you?

[HertsCCTV]

Evening Guys,

Just wanted to get a feeling if lead generation websites are any good for you?

We have been apart of 4 now and I will not list them here but lets just say have not had the best response from them if honest.

We have just come to our end of year and looking back we have spent just under 4k on advertisement in the following forms:

- Leaflets
- Web Marketing
- Local Papers
- Trade Mags
- Business Mags
- Lead Generation

Of which none of got us any business at all, all the adverts were done to the highest professionally standard using design companies to do them for us which again is another cost!

We spent a huge amount on our websites (not included in that 4k) and have found that our business is coming from referrals or direct from our website.

We are still looking for the right marketing channel to concentrate on!

But does anyone get good leads from these sites? is there a tier network that these generators work to for example the more money you are spending the better the lead etc...

 

[tony84]

Im a fairly new start up - 2-3 weeks in.
I spent a week researching lead companies and what to spend etc. I cant afford the more popular leads so decided to go after a cheaper alternative but still with a very reputable company.

Its only been a week and i havnt had anything back yet, im going to give it another week of buying in leads by which time i hope to have atleast a couple of Applications going through.

Currently i would say not worth the money, but i know companies who spend thousands a month and earn 10 times that.

Im also going down the route of getting 5,000 flyers printed.

 

[HertsCCTV]

I think it all depends on the market you are in but I know for security you just get complete time wasters looking for a quote to get information.

Example:

You send them the quote they ask for a break down quote detailing all equipment then they go out and search online then tell you your costs are too high "I can get a kit of ebay for half that".

Now we get the equipment cheaper than retail but when you add a mark up, labour costs (including 12 months labour, call outs into the 1 yrs warranty).

Why do they bother looking in the first place!

We did our market research by some mystery shopping to get an idea on what others were charging and we also make sure we come in cheaper than others not that much cheaper of course!

How do some people expect you to make a living!

 

[telemax]

Evening Guys,

Just wanted to get a feeling if lead generation websites are any good for you?

We have been apart of 4 now and I will not list them here but lets just say have not had the best response from them if honest.

We have just come to our end of year and looking back we have spent just under 4k on advertisement in the following forms:

- Leaflets
- Web Marketing
- Local Papers
- Trade Mags
- Business Mags
- Lead Generation

Of which none of got us any business at all, all the adverts were done to the highest professionally standard using design companies to do them for us which again is another cost!

We spent a huge amount on our websites (not included in that 4k) and have found that our business is coming from referrals or direct from our website.

We are still looking for the right marketing channel to concentrate on!

But does anyone get good leads from these sites? is there a tier network that these generators work to for example the more money you are spending the better the lead etc...

A certain CCTV company I know attends relevant trade shows, they take out the smallest stand possible and are incredibly proactive on the days of the show making sure they diligently follow up every lead. Probably get's 'em 20 bits of business for an outlay of 4k.

Alternatively, buy the attendance list for IFSEC or a similar trade show, or Convenience and Forecourt at the NEC and get dialling on the phone..

 

[davezzr]

I think it all depends on the market you are in but I know for security you just get complete time wasters looking for a quote to get information.

Example:

You send them the quote they ask for a break down quote detailing all equipment then they go out and search online then tell you your costs are too high "I can get a kit of ebay for half that".

Now we get the equipment cheaper than retail but when you add a mark up, labour costs (including 12 months labour, call outs into the 1 yrs warranty).

Why do they bother looking in the first place!

We did our market research by some mystery shopping to get an idea on what others were charging and we also make sure we come in cheaper than others not that much cheaper of course!

How do some people expect you to make a living!

Your not suposed to make a living and feed the kids,buyers want everything for nothing. Ive sold enough different things from double glazing to kitchens/bathrooms and find everyone wants to pay less and less but get more and more. BUYERS are LIERS plead poverty and will push for that bit more. how many times have your heard 'you couldnt just put a camera up there'

 

[Shay]

Im also going down the route of getting 5,000 flyers printed.

Best bit of advice i would give to those flyers, send out to a targetted audience to which you can then follow up. Firstly it gives you a reason to call them to follow it up and secondly you speak to your market. Sure its more involved than giving out 5000 flyers but I am assuming you want to be speaking to your customers instead of hoping they just react to your flyer.

If you yourself make the calls or get a company/freelancer like myself the key is to stagger your mailshots so the call is made when the flyer is still fresh in their mind.

@HertsCCTV......I think the key for you is to tweak and adjust what you are already doing. With that spend on your marketing you definitely need to be able to measure what is working and if its not, why its not, be it seasonal or just not the right amount of footfall. If its coming direct from your site which part is proving to be the key? It may be something you can highlight on other aspects of marketing.

If you feel that telemarketing is still a possibility why not embrace the idea of a telemarketer who will work closely with you. May well find that kind of a relationship offers you a better return than leads where fishing for quotes becomes impersonal.

Happy to have a chat with you even if you just want to pick my brains for advice regards telemarketing.

 

[tony84]

i appreciate the reply, but i dont have 15 people to call, let alone 5000.

1% response = 50 people. If i get a second appointment from half and only complete on half of those thats 12 policies.

Thats the plan anyway.

 

[Shay]

Who would you be giving your 5000 flyers too then? Random approach or targetted in anyway? Just thinking out loud as to how your 5000 flyers can be more effective for you.

 

[internetspaceships]

i appreciate the reply, but i dont have 15 people to call, let alone 5000.

1% response = 50 people. If i get a second appointment from half and only complete on half of those thats 12 policies.

Thats the plan anyway.

You're missing the point. Hook up with someone to give you referrals. That's the way the game you're in is played mate.

 

[tony84]

I was intending to just go posting around my local area and 1 or 2 other "nice" areas around where i live.

Ive spoken to a load of letting agents, accountants, solicitors etc. Theyre not interested - It sounds like im being negative but i have genuinely hammered the phones/emails over the last 2 weeks.

Anyway, were turnin this thread about me and its not. Appreciate the replies though.

Tony

 

[internetspaceships]

I was trying to be helpful mate keep banging away at it. You'll find one who will refer then more. It's about relationships. Use the marketing money to schmooz these people.

I was an IFA with my own firm for years until I sold it I never bought leads.

 

[S-Marketing]

As I have said a million (and 1) times on here. There is no point in advertising until you have got your marketing sorted.

You say you have had a designer to do leaflets and adverts for you but in my experience all most designers know about is how to put an advert together from a technical point of view, and how to make it look pretty.

If you had spent 4 grand on marketing rather than advertising you would have got a significant amount of work from it (I would actually guarantee it)

 

[internetspaceships]

Possibly. Let's take it back on topic shall we?

Oh and note that I XXXed out his real number so I wouldn't get told off by the powers that be

This port is nice but I'm not completely sozzled yet

Back on topic, seriously there is no need to buy leads for what you do Tony. You need to get face to face with the potential referrers and "click" with them.

Be relaxed, don't come over as desperate and it will work quite well for you.

 

[internetspaceships]

You know what Massey, for making you chuckle I could have at least got a thanks.....

 

[MASSEY]

Get some seo herts, i thought you said you were getting leads via your site but i don't think it ranks for anything.

 

[HertsCCTV]

Get some seo herts, i thought you said you were getting leads via your site but i don't think it ranks for anything.

Our website is fully seo

 

[MASSEY]

Our website is fully seo

It's not, all your site titles are pretty much the same. The only way someone will find your site is by googling your business name. Not when looking for an alarm fitter it cambridgeshire, or a cctv company in hertfordshire, your nowhere to be seen.

Edit you are there for cctv company hertfordshire. But that is your google places listing, your actual onsite seo is very bad.

 

[HertsCCTV]

Well that's funny if I type in CCTV Hertfordshire, CCTV Stevenage we come up

 

[MASSEY]

You come up for a handful of terms in google places, your onsite seo is very bad. Organically you are no where to be seen for the main terms like alarm fitters in area cctv installer in "area", all your webpage titles are the same which is bad seo. If you were to sort your onsite out you wouldnt need to be looking at lead generation tactics you would be making a mint already. You are not fully seo i can assure you that

 

[zanygame]

For my two pennies worth.
It is worth understanding how the modern consumer works.
If you want a set of curtains made now days, you don't trawl through your old receipts trying to find the nice little shop who did your last lot. You google curtain makers near swanstead. If you happen to find the original shop, you are chuffed, but basically its down to todays price and who's top of the page.
we have found that regular consistant local paper advertising helps, if you phrase it right you can influence what people type into the search engine,

Internetspaceships.
I don't know if this will help as you probably do all this already (your website looks good)
When we bought CCTV (and loads of other stuff) for our last centre, the things we looked for were. 1, price. websites that wont even give you sample prices were bypassed because we assumed they must be expensive and we didn't want a salesman wasting 40 minutes of my time discussing our needs and then quoting a price that was £1500 to high. Next, if you ring and a girly insists on taking your every detail.Name, address, email, MD's name Etc. then tells you a salesman will call you back, thats a no no. All you need from your customer is a name and a number, if there interested they will order. So; some sample prices and a person answering the phone who either knows their subject or quickly passes you onto someone who does.

One other thing that mattered, if someone says I'll get 'dave 'to call you straight back, it has to mean that. Lives are so busy these days that when you set aside an hour to source something, you want it sorted in that hour. So if someone hasn't rung you back within 10 minutes you are back on the internet searching for the next business.

Hope I'm not talking bol***ks.

 

[internetspaceships]

My website?

 

[zanygame]

Sorry Internet spaceships, I meant Hertz CCTV.
I got confused, you're the male escort right?

 

[Searcher]

Evening Guys,

Just wanted to get a feeling if lead generation websites are any good for you?

We have been apart of 4 now and I will not list them here but lets just say have not had the best response from them if honest.

We have just come to our end of year and looking back we have spent just under 4k on advertisement in the following forms:

- Leaflets
- Web Marketing
- Local Papers
- Trade Mags
- Business Mags
- Lead Generation

Of which none of got us any business at all, all the adverts were done to the highest professionally standard using design companies to do them for us which again is another cost!

We spent a huge amount on our websites (not included in that 4k) and have found that our business is coming from referrals or direct from our website.

We are still looking for the right marketing channel to concentrate on!

But does anyone get good leads from these sites? is there a tier network that these generators work to for example the more money you are spending the better the lead etc...

I'm involved with lead gen (not your sector though) and would like to ask a question which might help you focus your direction. What would you pay as commission for a completed sale ? In other words, do you have a figure in mind which you have apportioned to marketing ?

I find a lot of prospective clients really haven't thought this through beforehand and either throw money down the drain or choose the wrong route. I don't know what your systems sell for but let's say on average it's £1000. You could decide that your marketing cost per acquisition is 10%, £100. Once you have established this figure then re-look at your previous campaigns, they might not be bad.

 

[APC Nexday Overnite Ltd]

We use a great credit checking software, we also get a special deal as and APC depot. I won't say as to which one as it may get me in trouble.

They've recently got a new service I can search for businesses for instance in the printing industry, with a medium to good credit rating, which have been going for x years plus, in a specific town or postcode area, THEY'RE ALSO CHECKED ACROSS ALL THE TPS,CTPS, MPS STUFF!!!, i then get their telephone number, address etc I think this is really good as it's ok getting generated leads but to have a run down on their credit rating again I think that's fantastic - It's going to cost 12pence a lead and it's completely pay as you go if I get 100 leads in a year it will only cost me £12.
This must be brilliant surely? Can anyone verify but I think it's fantastic!!!!

 

[davezzr]

whats the point? i cant see any benefit in paying for a phone number and company address when the yellow pages gives you that for free.If on the other hand you were to cold call the yellow pages and get a positive responce and you then wanted to know if the company pays its bills then thats a good price at 12p...somehow i dont recon it works in reverse and certainly not for 12p.
dont think you will get in trouble for mentioning the company name here after all thats what this site is all about..sharing the wealth

 

[APC Nexday Overnite Ltd]

Every number ctps/tps checked as well...
The thought of it all in one place easy to view appeals to me, especially for 12p!

I'll pm it you if you want?

 

[davezzr]

Every number ctps/tps checked as well...
The thought of it all in one place easy to view appeals to me, especially for 12p!

I'll pm it you if you want?

you can PM me,it cant hurt