“I need leads!” We hear this all the time from insurance agents, contractors, lenders, brokers, call centers and more. If you are an end service provider that needs to supplement (or replace) your internal lead generation efforts, there are several ways to go. However, for the good of the lead and your business alike, there are definitely right and wrong ways about getting your leads.
Here’s our two cents.
The Lead Generation Industry
If you weren’t already aware, there is an entire industry consisting of marketers that help generate leads for end service providers. These lead generation companies sell leads (typically in real-time) to lead buyers as soon as the lead is generated. As a lead buyer, you can specifically purchase web leads or even live calls which are routed directly to you or your sales team.
Things To Be Aware Of When Buying Leads
Don’t think about leads as a product - They are people! Every lead you purchase should be treated like a customer walking into a brick and mortar store. Reach out to them as soon as you can, be fully aware of the exact request they submitted and always, always, always protect their contact information.
Watch out for bulk lists - Buying lists of leads is a thing of the past. It’s generally bad for the customer and is typically a waste of time and money for the lead buyer. When you think of buying leads, always think about buying leads in real-time.
Proprietary vs generic leads - Are you working with a lead generation company that is building a marketing campaign branded to your business or are you working with a lead company that generates generically branded leads? While neither method is right or wrong, its best to be aware of origin of the leads you’re purchasing.
I Need Leads! Who’s Selling?
Lead generation companies (or lead sellers) come in all shapes and sizes. All it takes is getting in contact with one or more lead generators that work in your industry. You can explain your specific lead qualifications and ensure that you only buy leads that you can use.
We have been working with lead generation companies since 2001. If you're looking for lead buyers in a specific industry, we might be able to help. Fill out our client referral form to get started.
