Getting the Most From Your Internet Leads: Part One

As a Virtual Staffing Consultant, I talk with small business owners, independent contractors, and entrepreneurs on a daily basis.  Lately, these conversations have revolved around a recurring theme: Many business builders are spending hundreds, thousands, and even tens of thousands of dollars every month on Internet lead generation services, but these leads are not being responded to quickly enough, romanced long enough, and managed near enough to produce the necessary return on the investment.  For these clients, the question becomes: How do I get the most from my Internet leads without losing my mind and all of my time?

In an increasingly virtual world, opportunities abound for generating volume Internet leads through lead generation companies and pay-per-click sites.  I’m going to assume that if you’re paying for leads, you’ve done your homework and know that you’ll be most successful with Internet consumers if you

1) respond rapidly,

2) follow up effectively, and

3) understand that they may not actually purchase anything for months, if not years.

That being the case, you could theoretically spend your entire day at your computer waiting for incoming leads so that you can respond within 2.5 seconds, and then follow up several times, only to determine that the consumer is not ready to buy until September 2010. 

eedless to say, if you are the rainmaker for your company or team, the highest and best use of your time is most likely NOT sitting in front of your computer or PDA poised and ready to personally respond to consumers with nothing but time on their hands!  This doesn’t mean, however, that no one should be responding or that rapid responses aren’t required.  So, back to the quandary at hand: How do I get the most from my Internet leads without losing my mind and all of my time?  Quite simply, hire someone to respond for you.

Before you start thinking you can’t afford help, let’s talk about a few options.  While hiring an in-house assistant to field your Internet leads may not be particularly cost effective, working with virtual assistant(s) can be.  The key is defining your needs and then locating the right VA(s) for the job. 

Stay tuned for Part Two of this article: VAs - The Right Help for Lead Management.

(Alysia Hazelton, LREA lives and works in Cape Canaveral, FL where she is a Virtual Staffing Consultant with Team Double-Clicksm- the leader in the virtual staffing industry.  She specializes in consulting real estate professionals, entrepreneurs and small business owners on how to utilize virtual assistants to manage and maximize business growth.  She can be reached directly at 888.827.9129, ext. 805 or by e-mail.  Click to receive your free report, 101 Ways To Work With A Virtual Assistant.)