Make Money, E-commerce and Credit Card Processing Information

EEE

Online Lead Generation: Can it Work for My Business?

Business-to-business service providers have a wide range of tactics they can deploy to gain new clients or customers. Direct mail; cold calling; TV, radio or print advertising are all ways in which B2B services gain new customers. In the last 10 years, the Internet has become another strategy to boost business, through advertising, web site optimization and online lead generation.

What is Online Lead Generation?

Simply put, online lead generation automatically sends information on prospective clients and their service needs to your e-mail inbox or to a web site account. Internet services such as ProcureAPro.com provide your business with an account where you can upload your business profile, location, hours of operation, client testimonials, and licensing information. Potential customers fill out a form online with their requirements for what kind of service they need, that potential client is matched with B2B providers for that service in their local area (or nationally, if the situation warrants), and the client's information is e-mailed to the matched B2B providers.

What Kind of Information Do Potential Clients Provide?

When a potential client fills out a form to request B2B services, they provide their name, phone number, location, and type of service needed. Depending on what kind of B2B service the client needs, they may provide even more detail, such as when they need the work completed; their target audience (for marketing services); the size of their staff (for human resources and other business services); technical requirements; the size of their office space (for furniture and other facilities services); and more.

Can Online Lead Generation Work for My Business?

Mark Shulimson, manager of ProcureAPro.com says "We use a number of both automated and human quality assurance checks to ensure the quality of our requests." While receiving a lead from a potential client is a major part of the equation, salesmanship comes into play. How you approach the potential client when you contact them is a big factor in whether you can convert a lead into a customer. "Once you receive a request, actively following up with them is key. Don't be passive, don't let email do the work for you, pick up the phone and make your presentation in person", says Mr. Shulimson. "Give potential customers reasons to hire you and a sense of urgency. Why should this customer act now? 'I'm usually booked but have an opening in my schedule this week'." Be sure that the person who contacts potential clients knows your business, pricing structure, licenses, experience and availability.

What Will it Cost Me?

Fee structures for online lead generation service vary widely. Fees also vary depending on what kind of B2B service you provide. "However pricing is structured you need to look at the Return on Investment or ROI. At ProcureAPro, our vendors setup a monthly budget. Say for example $100 budget for lead generation. At the end of a specified time period answer the question I spent $100 did I receive $100 worth of value? Most of the time the answer is going to be yes!"

The bottom line is that online lead generation is a cost-effective tool that can help you gain more customers. Using online lead generation in combination with traditional marketing techniques can help you build a string and success B2B service business.

Kristen Steingrandt has been in web marketing since 1999, working on everything from affiliate programs to PPC to SEO.

For more information, contact ProcureAPro at http://www.procureapro.com, customersupport@respond.com, or call 1-866-638-5323.

ProcureAPro.com is powered by Respond, an online community with 2.5 million members.

RELATED ARTICLES

E-Currency Exchange: The First Bonanza of the 21st Century?
The 21st century has introduced the world to a new way of doing business. It's now a foregone conclusion that global commerce will be as revolutionized by it as Henry Ford's mass-production techniques were a defining characteristic of the 1900s.

Is Your Business Afraid of the Internet?
My Business is Afraid of the Internet

Tell Site Visitors What To Do
Your site visitors make all the choices when it comes to browsing the Web.

Drop-Shipping ? A Great Way of Making Money Online
Using the Internet to sell products and services to ever increasing number of net users is a good way to start your own business. If you are not taking advantage of this great opportunity you are just missing the boat! Consider this: e-commerce, contrary to popular believe, is thriving and increasing at a double digit growth rate. According to Jupiter Research, Online sales during this holiday season in United States are expected to reach $21.6 billion, a 19 percent increase over the same period last year. Jupiter also predicts in the report that 86 million U.S. residents will make holiday purchases online this year compared to 73 million last year, which is an 18 percent increase.

E-Commerce Is Back On The Fast Track
How much holiday shopping did you do on-line this year? If you are reading this, then chances are good that you made at least one purchase on-line. Over 54% of all Americans did it [1]. A much higher percentage (>80%) of Internet users did it.

Getting Started: Creating a Business Plan
You're excited. You have a great idea for a profitable online business. Maybe it is an original idea that has not been marketed online before. Maybe you have come up with a new spin on the ordinary. Whatever it is that has influenced you to start your online business, be sure that you have a plan before you begin. This is not the time to "pick it up as you go". These are some basic things that should be included in your business plan.

Expand Your Local Business Through the Internet
To obtain more local customers for your business, consider expanding your local business through the Internet. Here are some ways of doing so.

Six Components Of A Good E-Commerce Site
Businesses, which are still sitting on sidelines and not doing business on the Internet, should think seriously about their position! If you are one of them, chances are there, that you have to pay dearly for your indecision as you might lose significant market share to your more proactive competitors in a very short period of time.

The Secret Science Of Online Shopping
In theory you could create a retail web site with a limitless selection; an online store where every kind of merchandise known to man could be sold. Would people be interested in buying from such a huge enterprise?

How to Get Free Internet Merchant Accounts
This article will show small businesses how to get free internet merchant accounts. If your business is to grow and succeed, it is essential to accept online credit cards.

When Do You Ask For A Refund?
Have you ever asked to have your money refunded after buying something online? Do you do this often? What are the reasons you've asked for refunds? Savvy marketers will try to find out why without making you feel you should not have asked. This would be valuable information to them. Anyone selling on the internet should be willing to have a fair and prompt refund policy. To back up their products and claims without hesitation. It is especially important to do with online sales since the transaction is done without being able to "read" the salesperson and operation face to face.

Grow Your Business Using B2B Emarketplace ? Part II
Selecting the right emarketplace

The Art of Being Human
This isn't the first time I have written about the benefits of inserting a human voice or presence into your online communications. And I make no excuse for writing about this again.

Online Florists - Send Flowers Online When Youre In a Hurry
You did it again, didn't you? Forgot until the last minute that birthday, anniversary, graduation, promotion, or fill-in-the-blank-here. No fear, online florists are here. No longer do you have to work in that lunch time stop at the florist shop. Now customized flowers are just a hop, skip, and click away. With the added bonus of being in an international market, most of these online florists offer same day delivery to cover up even the most forgetful patrons.

How To Sell Websites Fast !
This article will explain in depth the steps needed to sell your website fast in today's marketplace.

Creating The Perfect Ecommerce Website
If you're thinking of jumping on the bandwagon and going into business with your own ecommerce website, you'd do well to look at a few examples before you start. Finding out what a good ecommerce website looks like will help you know what to include - and what to avoid - when you start to set up one of your own. Here are some of the things you'll find on the perfect ecommerce web site:

The Five Steps of E-Commerce
You set up a retail business, you advertise in your local newspaper, you get customers coming into your store, and you receive payment at the cash register. Create an online store, and...how do you get customers? How do you receive payment?

How Merchant Accounts Can Save You Money
We all know that accepting credit cards is the key to online sales. Unfortunately, most merchants are unaware that acquiring a merchant account can actually save them money. And in many cases, big money!

Merchant Account Insider Secrets - Accept Credit Cards Online
The process of learning how to accept payments on the Internet is similar to the course of figuring out how to launch a business. What at first seems puzzling and intimidating may be viewed as straightforward and easy to understand if one has the right guide or manual. The following serves as a brief primer for any business owner who needs to set up a system to accept credit cards online, and includes a necessary glimpse of the associated fees.

How To Stay Cutting Edge In Online Business
Let's face it, there's just way too much information out there for any one individual to try to keep abreast of. And yet, if we shut ourselves off from the world, we risk building our businesses in a vacuum and suffering on the bottom line. So how can we put structures in place that help keep us plugged in, with the minimal amount of energy and effort on our part? Here's a few tips.

home | site map