Before stating the importance of using the lead scoring for your business, it would be wise to know how this system really consists and how it works.
What is Lead Scoring?
Lead Scoring is a marketing technique aimed at noting prospects according to their ability to become customers. The scores obtained are the result of close collaboration between the company's marketing and commercial departments, which will have defined evaluation criteria beforehand. Thus, it becomes possible to prioritize leads according to their position in the purchasing process and to propose adequate marketing actions thereafter. To measure the importance of this system, it is therefore essential to understand its functioning.
How it works ?
Lead scoring is a relatively simple , but effective method. Its purpose being to prioritize prospects according to their intention to purchase, each of them will then be awarded a note. But how do you get to this result? Here are four main steps.
1. The definition of evaluation criteria
To find out the position of each lead in the purchasing process, it is essential to note the prospects according to criteria defined in advance by commercial and marketing managers. Two large families of criteria coexist:
Explicit scoring criteria
These include all the information related to:
- The function or role of the prospect
- The size or workforce of the company
- The capital of the company
- The business sector
- The type of products or services desired
- The budget allocated to the project
- The expected date of realization
Behavioral scoring criteria
These criteria assess the prospect's interactions with your business:
- The opening rate of your newsletters
- The number of digital guides downloaded from your site
- Comments on your blog
- Subscription to subjects on your social networks
- Registration for a conference organized by your company
- The subscription to a test offer
- Direct contact by phone, email or on one of your platforms
2. The attribution of the values of each criterion
After having determined the relevant criteria to assess the interest of your prospects, it is time to assign values. For example, if you make a lead scoring on 100 points, the main criteria could be worth 15 points each, and you would decrease the scores according to the degree of importance of other factors. The behavioral criteria must be carefully analyzed, because a lead having already contacted your business or subscribed to a test offer is generally more inclined to become a customer.
3. Identification of negative criteria
The negative criteria designate the actions carried out by prospects which do not correspond to your target. For example, a punctual visitor on your site or a competitor making a watch will probably not become your customers, because they have no real interest in your products or services.
4. Automated treatment of results
Once the procedures upstream have been carried out, it is time to add the scores to identify prospects to target in priority. If this task can be manual on a small scale, it is strongly advised to entrust this work to specialized software. You will gain effectiveness and time, while ensuring a precise analysis.
Read also: Marketing Automation: lead scoring for B2B and B2C
What does Lead Scring bring to the prospecting process?
A great time saver
Although the lead scoring requires a substantial preparation work, once set up, you will be assisted by your software to determine the prospects to be targeted in priority. The calculation is done quickly and will be renewed as other leads appear. This eliminates the loss of time devoted to prospects that are unlikely to become customers.
Prospecting efficiency
Prospects with the highest scores are those that have the best conversion rate . In other words, these are the leads really interested in your offers. Rich content adapted to their position in the purchasing process may be enough to encourage them to take action. This allows you to focus your marketing efforts on the most promising prospects.
One step ahead of your competitors
In a competitive market, knowing how to identify prospects likely to respond favorably to your offer gives you a considerable advantage. Lead Scoring allows you to focus on the most promising leads, helping you maximize your prospecting efforts.
An automation size ally
By integrating the lead scoring with automation tools, you can adapt your actions according to the interest of the Lead and its situation in the purchase phase. For example, for an undecided but interested prospect, you could invite him to subscribe to a free trial offer. For a prospect in the discovery phase, you could present him the advantages of your products and services.
Conclusion
Lead scoring is an essential method to optimize your prospecting efforts . By understanding and applying this technique, your business will be better equipped to identify and convert quality prospects, thus strengthening its position on the market. By investing in an effective lead scoring system, you not only save yourself time and efficiency, but also a more targeted and relevant prospecting strategy.
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