Telemarketing 101

Let’s be clear from the start, lead scoring is not a function, it is a process. And without an automated scoring system it would be practically impossible to implement the process. Lead scoring simply put, is a method of assigning a numeric value, a score, to a contact ‘touch’ using weighted criteria. A scoring system will add to or subtract from the score every time a contact is re-touched. When the score reaches a pre-defined number and/or criteria, the contact is defined as a qualified lead and is passed off from marketing to sales. The contact can also be returned to marketing if sales determines that it needs further nurturing. The objective of scoring is to produce qualified leads that are prioritized for sales calls in order of sales potential.

A touch can be a telemarketing call, an email follow-up, a web page clicked, a web inquiry form, a webinar watched, an event attended, a white paper downloaded, etc. Let’s define these touches from various sources as marketing ‘channels’ so we are on the same page with terminology. A score is pre-assigned to each of these touches. In a real example, the BANT* info collected from a telemarketing call indicates the contact has the project authority but the timeframe is in the future. Having a project and being the decision maker yields a high score but the timeframe deducts from the score leaving a combined score of 40. On the other hand, if all we know about this contact is that he downloaded a white paper then this touch may only be scored a 10. A more complex criteria might score the white paper download a 15 if the download follows after the telemarketing call resulting in a combined score of 55. This would show interest in your client’s product for the contact’s project.

In our industry lead scoring is an enterprise system that integrates all the marketing channels into a multi-touch, multi-channel, closed loop process. On one side the lead scoring system interoperates with the client’s CRM and on the other side all of the client’s marketing channels interoperate with the lead scoring system.

*BANT – Budget / Authority / Need / Timeframe