When you’re in the market for leads, you may consider hiring a lead generation agency to help the process move quicker. Outsourcing to a lead generation agency can have a positively transformative impact on your company, and it helps to lighten the load on your team members.
Lead opportunities are something that oftentimes get ignored, because team members and leaders are swamped and focused on their day-to-day. It’s hard for businesses to simultaneously be looking forward to the future and doing the necessary outreach to gain potential clients and build relationships.
According to Adohm, a leader in marketing technology, “74% of companies that weren’t exceeding revenue goals did not know their visitor, lead, MQL, or sales opportunities.” So, it’s clear that there is a correlation between consistently picking up new leads and an increase in revenue.
But, once you decide your company could use the help of a lead generation agency, how do you pick one that’s right for your needs?
Quality vs. Quantity
One of the big factors you need to consider is what you are looking for when it comes to receiving leads. Do you want quantity or do you want quality? Both would be great, but that’s not always possible, especially if you are working in a niche market.
The number of leads you receive is important, however, if they do not match your demographic they are often dead-ended. Quality leads may only consist of a handful of opportunities, but chances are they will all lead to success.
You must be careful about hiring a pay-per-lead agency, because agents are only getting paid for simply sending a company a lead, so they tend to send many that fall flat or do not represent the client in your demographic.
A lot of lead generation agencies have monthly or annual contracts with their clients. This means that they put in the work to find quality leads for your business in order to secure a renewal of their services.
Choosing a lead generation agency with a contract will ensure that you are getting quality over quantity and are not wasting money on dead-end leads.
Vendors vs. Partnerships
Another thing to consider when hiring a lead generation agency is what kind of help you need. Are you looking for a vendor or a partner?
A vendor is typically associated with pay-per-lead firms. That’s because they always focus on the number of leads they are sending your company, instead of delivering value to your company.
A partner is associated with contract-based hires. These are the agents that you want on your side, as they will produce quality leads and help to generate revenue more consistently.
Budgets and Returns
When discussing budget and deliverables with a lead generation agency, it’s important to ask the right questions. This will ensure that you know what you are paying for.
Be sure to understand the full contract and all the clauses. Ask the company questions such as:
- How many leads should we expect a month?
- How will you generate those leads?
- What’s your process?
Simple questions like these will help you to determine if a lead generation agency is the right fit for your company. If you don’t like their answers, it’s better to go to another agency that may provide a more personalized service to help generate more revenue.
Do They Personalize Outreach and Follow-Up?
Learning about how the lead generation agency practices outreach is critical to taking your company to the next level.
Traditionally pay-per-lead agencies work off of a script, providing the same information to every potential lead. This may be helpful for the agents, as it saves them time and research, however it does not necessarily help your company.
A contract-based agency is more apt to do the research needed before reaching out to clients. They are also more apt to personalize calls and emails to secure valuable leads for your business.
“No-shows” are a big issue when it comes to potential leads. Many leads will say “yes” to a pay-per-lead agent in order to stop the incessant calls, but won’t actually dial-in for a scheduled meeting because their demographic doesn’t fit your company. So, the lead generation agent is still getting paid, but you are not getting results.
A better option is to use an agency with a flat fee because they focus on the value that their client, your company, is receiving from them.
Data and Insights
One of the bonus benefits of working with a contract hire is the attention to detail that they are willing to give to your business. Contracted lead generation agencies are more apt to look at company data, trends, and strategies in order to tailor the best outreach strategy for your company.
This is much different from a pay-per-lead agency where you are simply just paying for leads. A contracted hire will help you to pave the future for your company rather than just focusing on the “now.”