Lead Generation, Sales Lead Generation, TelemarketingIf you have ever used telemarketing in lead generation, know that there is a clear difference between a closed call and a close call. Closed call simply means you now have a lead on your hands (or even a highly probable sale). Close calls on the other hand are well, close. You succeeded but you also ran far too close to leading your lead generation campaign down the depths of complete, disastrous failure.

Why Close Calls Are Bad For Lead Generation

Make no mistake, no business process is free of risks but that does not entitle you to take as many risks as needlessly as possible! With lead generation, you still have to take as many measures to avoid all possible mistakes. On the other hand, you can learn something valuable from close calls that can perhaps improve your lead generation process. Just make sure you do not get addicted to them!

  • You cease taking qualified sales leads for granted – In the face of losing your leads completely, you would do well to realize that you should never take them for granted. Lead generation is a process that opens your business to many opportunities. Do not squander those opportunities and make the most out of everything, success or failure!
  • You make sure it never happens again – If not ever, it should at least be for a very long time. A narrow escape from losing your sales leads in any fashion should also call you to re-evaluate your lead generation process. Was there anything in your outbound telemarketing tactics that could be improved or adjusted to avoid a repeat incident? Do it right away!
  • You cease using bad luck as a scapegoat – Sure, it may as well have been bad luck that you allowed a bad set of numbers in your lead generation database. The good news though is something like this does not always happen so why use luck as an excuse? If it happens too frequently, there must be something you really are doing wrong.
  • You improve your emergency plan – Your lead generation campaign should not only learn how to avoid a repeat incident. It should prepare you for it so you can at least react faster and have the solution at the ready. For example, when a batch of bad telemarketing data has been discovered, have a team tackle it immediately!

If you get too close to failure for comfort, your natural instinct is to steer your lead generation campaign away from the danger as fast as possible. You managed to dodge it barely so do not try and tempt fate just so you could dodge it again. Your B2B telemarketing campaign can only gamble itself for so long.