There\u2019s a number of steps that your leads need to work through before they can feel confident in moving forward with your product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These include buying into your unique value props, accepting the terms of engaging with your business, and gathering internal support for making the investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given all these steps, it\u2019s little surprise that your leads\u2019 journeys may last weeks, if not several months. In the case of B2B organizations, for example, leads can take as long as 12 months to close<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fortunately, there are tactical measures you can take to ensure your lead lifecycle is short and that it converts at high rates each step of the way. We\u2019ll review what these steps can look like, but before we do, let\u2019s align on the various stages that make up the cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Related: How B2B sales automation can help your reps close more deals, faster<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n A lead lifecycle is the end-to-end journey a lead takes at your organization\u2014from becoming a lead to converting into a customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though the lead lifecycle stages can vary depending on the industry you\u2019re in, the size of your organization, among other factors, it generally works as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. A new lead enters your pipeline. <\/strong>This can result from certain marketing activities, like a prospect filling out a form to access a gated piece of content, or sales-specific activities, like a lead requesting a demo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. A sales development rep attempts to reach the lead.<\/strong> Assuming the rep is able to connect, they\u2019ll use the time to try to get a better sense of whether the lead is the right fit for your product. If the lead is a good match and they\u2019re interested in continuing the conversation, they\u2019ll become a sales qualified lead (SQL).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. An account executive engages in business discovery with the lead. <\/strong>This might include walking the lead through a demo and discussing their specific use cases for your product. If this goes well, the AE turns the lead into an opportunity in your customer relationship management (CRM) platform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. The lead converts into a customer.<\/strong> This usually happens after multiple discussions\u2014 perhaps with several stakeholders at the lead\u2019s organization\u2014take place and go smoothly. These conversations can cover a range of topics, such as pricing and data security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Related: <\/em>How to improve your speed to lead<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n With these steps in mind, let\u2019s walk through 4 automations that can help optimize your lead lifecycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To boost the performance of the first stage in your lead lifecycle (i.e. a new lead entering your pipeline), you can engage with your former buyers when they get another job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Why is this effective? Because they want to make a positive first impression on their employer, and the tools that helped them be successful in their previous role (like yours) can help them carry out this ambition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s how automation can help your team identify previous buyers the moment they switch jobs via a business communications platform, like Slack<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLead lifecycle overview<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Reach former buyers at the most opportune moment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n