04 May Lead generation: How it fits into every stage of your pipeline

Lead generation is a critical part of building any pipeline, but before we get into this you have to understand that not all leads are created equal. Some are much better quality than others. Take a look at our article on the subject (Not all ‘leads’ are created equal, so what is real lead generation and what isn’t?).

Because of the varying quality and temperature of leads (temperature meaning how engaged the prospect is) they enter your pipeline at different stages. 

For example – a webform inquiry isn’t the same as an emailed referral from a CEO. One of these is going to slot in way further down the pipeline than the other. Can you guess which one?*

The point is – you need to fill the pipeline at all levels continuously. You don’t want to just fill your marketing funnel at the top, you want to insert leads throughout the pipeline at different levels of qualification. 

You need the brand awareness stage of your pipeline, the nurture stage, the education stage and the sales stage. Slowly feeding those prospects content and insights is the next essential step. Consistency is key. 

At Linked Strategies, we use a combination of campaigns and intelligent email sequences that play on the psychology of executives to educate, inspire and intrigue them and, ultimately, bring them to a sales conversation. 

That leads to won deals, but it shouldn’t stop there. You still need to look at who you’re delivering for and how that will turn into referral and expansion deals. 

We encourage everyone to build this system out or work with a company like ours to make sure your pipeline is sophisticated enough to yield short, mid and long term wins. 

*An email referral from a CEO is much better quality lead than a webform inquiry so will slot in much further down your pipeline.