The SQL “Care Factor”

What is it, and how can you avoid it?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your corporation may have fallen victim to what SOMAmetrics calls “The Care Factor”.

• Does your Sales Team ignore incoming SQLs, at month-end?• Do they ignore SQLs at quarter-end?• Do SQLs grow stale because they aren’t contacted in a timely manner?• Is there a SQL contact lag-time of 15 days or greater?

Many corporations spend a significant portion of their marketing budget on demand generation. Often their SQLs aren’t managed well by Sales, which wastes resources and money:

What is “The Care Factor”?

During the first week of every month, and the first month of every quarter, Field Reps are very interested in following up on SQLs.

This enthusiasm seems wain at the end of every month, and the end of every quarter.

At these times, SQLs are left untouched, and turn stale. The Sales Reps have “stopped” caring about SQLs because they are focused on closing deals.

But that’s not the end of the story…

In addition to “The Care Factor”, many companies suffer from “The Hockey Stick Factor”.

This means a few deals close in the beginning of each quarter, while most deals are closed at quarters’ end.

“The Hockey Stick Factor” causes Field Sales to be super busy, working to pull in revenue at the end of each quarter, leaving them with no time to follow up on new leads.

What is the end of the story?

The combination of “The Care Factor” and “The Hockey Stick Factor” creates a vicious cycle that significantly impacts

pipeline and revenue growth.

How does “The Care Factor” impact revenue growth?• Stale SQLs require requalification, which wastes

limited Teleprospecting resources. Furthermore, requalification prevents a steady stream of new SQLs from going to Sales.

• This in turn impacts the number of SQLs that go into the Sales Funnel. Fewer SQLs in the Funnel translates to less revenue for your company.

• Delayed Funnel Growth has a direct impact on when deals will close.

• The delay in follow-up might give your prospects the impression that your company is not responsive to their needs. (Your Company Doesn’t’ Care?)

So what can you do to escape this vicious cycle?

Have each regional sales office assign a person to review all SQLs as they come in.

New SQLs should only be passed to the Sales Rep that has the bandwidth to work them.

If you must, create a commission sharing model to keep the peace amongst your team.

When SQLs are contacted in a timely manner, your company will seem more responsive, and the Sales Funnel will grow consistently and faster.

SOMAmetrics’ Solution to “The Care Factor” Challenge:

To find out more about “The Care Factor”, and how to avoid it, read the full article at http://www.somametrics.com/the-care-factor/

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About the Author

• Alicia Assefa has over 25 years of Telebusiness and Sales Management experience.

• Her experience at over 50 companies (including CA, Oracle Corporation, Informix Software, Granicus and Blaze Software, to name a few) has helped her to create a set of field tested best practices that massively ramp sales funnel and revenue.

• Alicia is the Chief Operating Officer at SOMAmetrics, a business consultancy practice that provides effective Inside Sales and Teleprospecting Services.

• If you would like to ask Alicia a question about Inside Sales or Teleprospecting email her atalicia@somametrics.com or visit www.somametrics.com