Feb 11, 2015 By Jeff Kalter

Ring in the Leads with 3 Click-to-Call Strategies

in Mobile, Sales

You probably know that B2B buyers are completing two-thirds of their buying journey before they call a sales person. This change in customer behavior has most B2B marketers laser focused on optimizing their websites and all forms of digital communications.

In the process, they may be missing a more recent change in buyer behavior. The rise of the inbound call. Why would inbound calls be increasing in a digital world?

It’s all driven by the smartphone.

Since the iPhone’s 2007 introduction, smartphone penetration has shot up to 72% of U.S. mobile subscribers. Smartphones are with people wherever they go. They’re convenient. Combined with new web technologies, such as ‘click to call,’ smartphones make it easy for buyers to take action.

Sixty-one percent of companies rate inbound calls as an excellent source of leads—a higher rating than they give to any other lead source. It’s not surprising given that inbound calls convert at a rate of ten times greater than clicks. That’s often because these calls come from prospects who are deep into the buying cycle and ready to talk.

Inbound calls are high-value leads.

So, B2B marketers need to develop strategies to drive, manage and measure the results of incoming calls.

1. Turning Clicks into Calls

A couple of decades ago when your buyer sat in the airport waiting for yet another delayed plane on a business trip, he or she might have read a newspaper. The prospect was out of touch and unable to do business.

Dead time like that just doesn’t exist anymore. Now, we’re always connected by our smartphones and able to do business anywhere, anytime.

So, wouldn’t you want to be just one click away when your buyer finally has a moment to address the problem your service solves?

When a user clicks an online button to call, click-to-call technology converts online mobile traffic into a telephone connection using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). You can use the technology on your website, in digital advertising and even in emails.

2. Click to Call Tracking

Click-to-call tracking enables you to provide information to agents, letting them know which web page or ad the caller clicked from. This information provides insights into the callers’ interests.

Also, you want to track where calls are coming from and the results you achieve so you can optimize your success and channel your marketing dollars to where they are most effective.

3. Managing a Flood of Inbound Calls

So, what’s holding you back from addressing this growing channel of sales-ready leads? It may sound like a huge job to assess new technology and set up an inside sales department to handle the calls. But, of course, you don’t have to do it all yourself.

There are professional B2B telemarketing companies that stay on top of the latest technologies and handle inbound calls day in and day out. Find one that can help you qualify leads and convert more sales, while maintaining the professionalism you expect.

About the Author:

Jeff Kalter is CEO of 3D2B, a global business-to-business telemarketing company that bridges the divide between marketing and sales. He leads customer acquisition programs for Fortune 500 companies, and is passionate about building strong business relationships through professional phone conversations. Follow him on Twitter: @jeffkalt