What is a "Qualified Lead"?
Take a moment and think: Have you ever sat down to unwind in the evening, grabbed a cold drink, and pulled out your phone to browse Instagram, Pinterest, or your favorite blogs? Have you ever signed up for a free ebook? Perhaps a free guide? Maybe a coupon? If any of that sounds familiar, you have more than likely been considered a Qualified Lead!
A Qualified Lead (QL) is someone a company has identified as a potential customer. Figuring out who is most likely to buy a specific product or service is key. If companies do not attempt to focus on who actually has the best chance of going from a lead to a sale, they are wasting valuable time and resources somewhere along the way.
A specific definition of a Qualified Lead is extremely important for a sales team, and they should revisit and reconsider it often. According to Hubspot, only 34% of companies with no formal definition were able to advance a lead to a first discussion more than half of the time. When the companies had clear definitions, that percentage increased to 63%!
Every company will define their Qualified Lead differently because each company caters to a unique type of customer. Therefore, individual marketing teams have to consider what criteria will truly give the insight they need. To define the target customer, they may consider:
The marketing team encounters the potential customer first. With a solid digital marketing strategy, companies will attract attention from a variety of audiences. Qualified Leads will distinguish themselves through engagement with anything the marketing team puts out there. This may include podcast subscriptions, watching YouTube videos, or engagement with social media posts and ads . Qualified Leads may sign up for email updates/newsletters as well.
Many marketing strategies are depending more and more on providing free content. What better way to show expertise on a topic? For instance, say you are searching for more tips and tricks on marketing and increasing website traffic. You find a company with a free webinar giving you tons of useful information on the topic. You realize the company offers a fairly priced package with an analysis of your marketing approach and advice to improve your overall strategy. Now that you’ve seen that they know what they’re doing, why not go for the complimentary consultation? You have just become a Qualified Lead for the company, all because they earned your interest and trust through free content.
Customers need to show a certain level of interest in what the company has to offer. If this is not the case, is it truly worth the company’s time? Cold calling and prospecting is still a thing in the marketing realm, but it’s much more time and resource efficient to utilize leads. A Qualified Lead is based on actual market research and shows that the potential customer has already taken a few steps in the right direction. Research shows that people have often already made 50% of the buying decision before even talking to the sales team.
There are different types of Qualified Leads. When the marketing team has identified someone as a Qualified lead, they are decently confident this could convert to a sale. This is a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL).
Once they hold up their end of the bargain, the marketing team hands the MQL over to the sales team. The sales team further evaluates the likelihood of the MQL becoming a paying customer. Sometimes the customer will express specific interest in taking the next step, giving the sales team even more reasons to proceed. Often the BANT system is utilized at this point:
If the sales team decides to proceed with the MQL, the MQL transitions to a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL).
This whole process seems straightforward, but nothing will work smoothly unless the company sales and marketing teams are on the same page. It benefits everyone to agree on the criteria for a Quality Lead. Not only does a company need to establish a definition in general, but marketing and sales need to decide on the definition together. Agreeing on QL criteria will optimize conversion rates and digital marketing strategies. How will any company know what’s working best if sales and marketing function as two completely separate entities?
Quality Leads are important and companies are out there using these QL’s to their advantage! Instead of cold-calling or pursuing just any “potential customer”, consider what your business can offer to entice the customer to come to you. How can you adjust your online/social media presence to attract people seeking certain information? What is in your toolbox that could bring your company Quality Leads? Optimize the time of your sales and marketing teams while still finding the customer that is the right fit!
-Off you go! Your horizon awaits.
What is ECommerce?
As businesses rapidly gravitate to the online space, you’ve likely heard the word “Ecommerce” thrown around, even in casual conversation.
In fact, if you’ve just Googled “What is ECommerce?” under the table on a first date so you can keep the conversation going, we’ve got your back.
Our friends at Shopify put it simply. “Ecommerce, also known as electronic commerce or internet commerce, refers to the buying and selling of goods or services using the internet, and the transfer of money and data to execute these transactions. Ecommerce is often used to refer to the sale of physical products online, but it can also describe any kind of commercial transaction that is facilitated through the internet.”
So, ECommerce is basically an online shop.
There are pretty important nuggets of wisdom you will want to know before you jump headfirst into an ECommerce business. For starters, you’ll want to know how to succeed.
There are a lot of moving parts to ensure any business’ success, but an ECommerce business has its unique needs.
The success of an ECommerce business is heavily reliant on a fully optimized website. After all, the website is the storefront, customer support, and cashier of an ECommerce setup. There are key elements that an ECommerce website must have that go beyond impressive product photos.
To succeed as an ECommerce business, your website needs to be:
Shopify is really the one-stop-shop (see what we did there?) for ECommerce entrepreneurs. Not only does Shopify check off every item listed above, but they make marketing your business effortless right from the app! You can also utilize other sales channels like Walmart Marketplace, eBay, Facebook, and Instagram with Shopify. If you’re wanting to test the waters, let us know here and we’ll sign you up for a free 14-day trial.
There are so many ways to market an ECommerce business. So many, in fact, that you may feel overwhelmed on where you should start. Marketing trends are always ebbing and flowing as algorithms change. At Woggle, we’re all about empowering you with resources and automation so you can keep it simple. ECommerce businesses don’t market themselves, but Shopify can do the heavy lifting for you. Here’s how.
Email marketing is still effective! Yes, even in the world of social media. It turns out that people still want to hear from businesses in their inbox. The proof is in the stats.
Shopify knows the proof is in the pudding (do people still say that?). That’s why they offer email marketing capabilities right in the app. ECommerce businesses can utilize pre-made templates to cut down on time. An added bonus is that you don’t have to hire a designer. Once you have customized your template, Shopify allows you to:
This Shopify marketing feature is one of our favorites. Chatbots are an amazing tool for an ECommerce business to have. They elevate the customer experience by making product recommendations, lending a hand with FAQs, and offering discount codes in real-time.
Are you convinced yet that business chat is the way forward? Like email marketing, Shopify allows customization to your chat and shows you how it is performing in analytics. You can also integrate your chat into Facebook Messenger and other messaging apps. Shopify works seamlessly across various platforms so you don’t have to.
ECommerce businesses rely on ads to get their products front and center. Knowing where to start or even how to start an ad campaign can be a headache. The tricky thing about ads for most ECommerce businesses is figuring out where to advertise. Shopify takes the guesswork out of ads by setting you up for success in their platform.
Being able to advertise, sell, offer customer support, and market from one platform is invaluable to ECommerce business owners. Shopify offers impressive perks when it comes to advertising your products.
Our Woggle team has seen Shopify in action and it’s transforming Ecommerce businesses by increasing their ROI, improving the customer experience, and helping their ads be seen by their ideal customer.
Remember, we can sign you up for a free 14 day trial with Shopify if you’re not ready to commit and want to take it for a test drive.
Woggle is a huge fan of making business simple, and we’re equally as passionate about seeing your business grow! Reach out today, together we'll get everything sorted!
-Off you go! Your horizon awaits.
We know that a lot of blogs and articles out there don’t answer the real questions. Sure, you know that a CRM helps business managers and owners in all sorts of ways. We wrote our own article explaining what CRMS do and how this technology can change your entire customer experience.
We’re not that company that dances around the questions that might help you make big decisions about technology. Today’s question…
Where does a CRM actually exist?
CRMs, like many other software solutions, come in different types, and the most significant factor is where the CRM exists and how users can access it. Thankfully, multiple options mean that you can choose a CRM based on where you want it to live and how you want your employees to use the system.
Not all customers are the same, and not all businesses treat their customers the same. Any CRM system should allow businesses customizable options to improve customer care.
A CRM system should:
□ Replace your Rolodex and other archaic versions of client tracking
□ Access and monitor customer data
□ Gain insight and actionable information on business performance
□ Assess customer behavior easily
□ Streamline workflows and processes through automation.
Ultimately, the goal is to increase Customer Lifetime Value by engaging the sales flywheel and supporting your teams.
A Desktop CRM system lives on one desktop. This situation could work for solopreneurs or freelancers who do everything themselves. These types of CRM systems only work on the one computer where the owner installs them.
For that reason, these CRM systems offer more affordability because of the restriction of use. Though, they may still offer the same range of features as other types of CRM systems.
Client or server systems live in a database stored on the business or the client’s server. This means, users can access it through any computer with the coordinating software where the computer also has server access.
With a CRM server option, you can expect:
□ Startup costs for the server purchase
□ Costs for server installation
□ Time spent setting up the server
□ Responsibility for IT security and server maintenance
□ Limited options for upgrading features or functions
A cloud-based CRM operates online, and the provider handles the CRM server allowing access to the data and system via the cloud.
With a cloud-based CRM, you can expect:
□ Monthly fees for the supplier maintaining the server and providing updates
□ Lower initial costs
□ Easy to start right away
□ Remotely control features and functions
The biggest benefit of cloud-based CRMs is that users can access the system from nearly anywhere and don’t necessarily need that extra techy stuff like a secure VPN.
In the end, finding the right CRM is a huge decision because of the time investment and cost. You don’t want to go around trying a bunch of different options, so you need to make a decision with the information available. That’s tough in an age where everything seems so easy to implement or change.
Ultimately, what are the best options? A CRM server might be expensive, but it’s probably best for companies worried about security and control over the CRM. Alternatively, a cloud-based server might be the right choice for bigger companies that have remote teams and need easy mobile access.
At Woggle Consulting we’re always on the lookout for solutions that fit our customers best.
-Off you go! Your horizon awaits.
What is a flywheel? Well, we read the articles and called a few engineers to get to the bottom of this new term in sales and marketing and this is what we’ve come up with:
Flywheel
noun
Someone realized that this technical, and confusing, term would be great for marketing and sales teams. Which brings us to our definition, tailored for the evolving business world:
The point of shifting from a funnel to a flywheel is purely for the sake of the customers.
Customers have power, and they’re tired of being wooed and schmoozed through the sales funnel process. At the end of the funnel, they don’t fall into a hot tub of customer care. They usually fall off the company’s radar except for the occasional dry sales email.
The flywheel provides a different experience. Consequently, when you tie together service, marketing, and sales, you create a robust company with a dedicated and collective focus on the customers.
As the flywheel spins, customers fall into a vortex where they can always:
We’ve established the basis of the flywheel, but there are a few key takeaways to cover about the retiring funnel and the new heavy-weight champ.
1. The Sales Funnel Isn’t Dead (yet)
First, there is still a process needed to connect with and attract new leads. Every lead is at some point cold, or luke-warm and they need nurturing. Over time, we expect the marketing flywheel to take a larger role in this process because companies that use the flywheel will gain a reputation for outstanding customer care.
2. The Flywheel is About More Than Marketing
The idea of the flywheel is to pull in and protect customers. However, it doesn’t directly address the notion of leads because, essentially, you’re treating everyone as customers from the start. It’s 2021, and we’re finally figuring out that we should treat our customers better than our warm leads.
Let’s say someone comes across a company marketing campaign, and they show an interest. Then the sales team reaches out alongside support to learn more about the customer. Finally, marketing, sales, and support work side-by-side instead of pushing customers off of one person’s desk and onto another.
3. The Difference is a Matter of Approach
Customers that are loyal and naturally raise awareness for your brand are engaged, delighted, and constantly attracted to your company. However, most companies think of that situation and put it off because it sounds like a lot of work.
The flywheel allows companies to use their resources with more tact to accomplish these goals efficiently. You’re not asking your three primary teams to run at top speed all the time. Actually, it’s the opposite because using collaboration and proactive work means that customers receive more support and care with less internal effort.
The flywheel isn’t a self-perpetuating machine that will breed customer loyalty with little effort. Companies do have to put the work in and help to avoid flywheel friction.
There is the possibility of friction when:
This last issue is the most common when companies transition to flywheel thinking. Marketing, sales, and service all play a role in keeping the flywheel turning. So, if any section of the flywheel is heavier than the others it will introduce friction and reduce the momentum. This means it won’t turn properly, and will eventually come to stop.
Here is a quick breakdown that can help teams understand their part in the flywheel:
Leverage technology to reduce friction, align your teams, and ensure that your customers (including leads) get the best every time they interact with your company or product. Ultimately, companies can use complete business applications suites such as Zoho to manage customer relationships, marketing campaigns, support contacts, and more.
-Off you go! Your horizon awaits.
Zoho is a CRM that has been around for over 15 years in the industry. As a start up themselves, they know what it is like to be at every stage of a growing business. The needs of their users is at the center of everything they do and create. For starters, they have a whopping 50% faster implementation. Also, their marketplace has over 900 apps to help you integrate with the ones you already have. Don't forget it has a scalable ecosystem with flexible contracts. Finally, one the highlights that puts them at the forefront is their rating in mobile functionality. Of which, they are rated the best!
Zoho is your hub for building better customer relationships with features like sales pipeline management, marketing automation, analytics, and so much more. Zoho CRM is big, so that with a little tailoring, it can fit any industry or business like a glove. You can think of Woggle Consulting like your software tailor. We listen to where it pinches here or is to loose there, and we work with it until it is the most comfortable thing for you and your team to use.
Zoho is omnichannel and remote-ready for your workforce. Nowadays, flexibility of where your employees work is at the forefront of every business owner's mind. You can keep your peace of mind on communication because Zoho integrates emails seamlessly. Speaking of communication- Zoho's web conferencing, phone, chat and social applications make it easier for your employees to get the job done. No matter what the world throws at them!
Security and privacy are at the heart of everything Zoho does. They've designed state-of-the-art and secure data centers, sophisticated network security protocols, and infrastructure to offer secure and uninterrupted services.
-Off you go! Your horizon awaits.
Is there any hope of tracking every lead while also giving all of your customers the support they need? Most business owners know that customer relationship management is a never-ending journey, but that doesn't mean you have to fumble all along the way. A CRM is a customer relationship management strategy or system.
CRMs don't have to be a fancy software solution, although the technology can certainly make things easier... sometimes. As a buzzword or buzz-acronym, when people say "CRM," they're usually referring to one of the current heavy-weight software options such as Salesforce, Zoho, or Hubspot.
But, in reality, a CRM could be any system or strategy that helps a company manage its clients and potential clients. If you're still living in the 1960s, then that might look like a Rolodex, but for our modern readers, it probably means a high-tech tool or at least a well-crafted spreadsheet.
Typically, CRM software or SaaS solutions will use a database and provide an engaging interface to see leads and customer needs clearly. It can help your staff perform better, and improve your customer’s experience from their first contact with your company. Okay, that sounds nice and all, but what do CRMs actually do?
Because of the big names in the CRM space, it’s easy to set really high expectations and still not be disappointed. But of course, not all software is created equal, and with that in mind, we’ll look at the different tiers.
A basic CRM will stand in place of that glorified Rolodex and offer only a little more than contact information tracking. Essentially, this could be an Excel workbook.
Now, a decent CRM system will do so much more. It’s that one small step which is also a huge leap.
Business owners should expect:
On a day-to-day level, it’s difficult to keep track of who talked to which customers or what information made it to your important leads. CRMs centralize all lead and customer interactions within one system so that any employee who speaks with the client has a complete overview of that person’s experience and expectations.
For some businesses, they get lucky and begin using a CRM before they actually open their doors. But that’s not usually the case.
Most businesses realize that they need a CRM when they have a long list of customers and a disaster of scattered data. Everyone talks about how great CRMs are, but realistically they’re a pain to set up, and it takes patience and careful planning to do it right.
We get it! You don’t have time to spend building a new system from scratch. Most cloud-based CRM systems can begin functioning well as soon as the company loads in their existing customer data. Of course, you might not have time for that either.
At Woggle Consulting, we can coordinate a CRM set up with your internal team, or better yet, we’ll do the whole thing for you!
So, you’re a little suspicious of needing another software, and probably one that comes with a subscription or ongoing costs. We know the struggle. Here are three simple and direct questions to help you decide if a CRM is right for your company.
1. Are you struggling to track and organize your customer data?
We live in a time where data could be the difference between success and failure. But most of us still use spreadsheets, sticky notes, and cluttered apps to track contact information and customer questions. This type of data collection isn’t just disorganized. It’s dangerous. If you’re scrambling to find information, then you’re going to start losing customers.
2. Do you have a flood of new business and can’t keep up?
There’s a shared nightmare among business owners … what if you’re too successful? Entrepreneurs hope for and fear success stories like Death Wish Coffee, who oversold their inventory to the point of almost killing the company. A key part of their bounce-back was careful management of internal procedures through software.
If you have a ton of new business or know that you could soon, it’s better to get organized first. A great CRM will gather vital data and prioritize new leads. They can build a foundation of positive customer relationships and produce long-lasting results.
3. Are you uncertain about how to grow your business?
Okay, maybe the leads aren’t flooding in yet, but you want to get to that point. A customizable CRM can help you automate tedious tasks so your sales team can focus on tasks that make a real difference. The trick is to create a system that doesn’t let anything slip through the cracks while automating as much as possible.
If any of these questions hit home, then it’s time to start looking for the right CRM solution for you. We would love to help you on this journey and can get you started with a free consultation. Schedule a chat with us today to learn more about what a CRM can do for you specifically.
-Off you go! Your horizon awaits.
