Maximizing Speed to Lead with Automated Solutions

Speed to lead, or lead response time, has never been more important to your business. Prior to the pandemic, CSO Insights, the research division of Miller Heiman Group, reported more than 70 percent of B2B buyers fully define their needs before engaging with a sales representative, and almost 50 percent identify specific solutions before reaching out.

That was before the global pandemic. Those numbers have undoubtedly risen higher during the pandemic as buyers increasingly adopted digital-first buying journeys.

When buyers reach out, they are well along the path to purchase. If you delay, even the slightest, you run the risk of them seeking solutions elsewhere.

In the go-to-market (GTM) race for the customer, there are no prizes for second-place finishes.

Automate to increase speed to lead
If you’re manually processing leads, the single biggest thing you can do to quicken speed to lead is to automate your flows. Manual processes create bottlenecks, making both your leads and your reps wait until action can be taken.

That lead that came in while you were in a thirty-minute meeting? It sat still, stalled and unattended, just waiting for you to push it along your process. When best practices are a five-minute lead response time, you’re already 6x over, and the clock still ticks. You’ll be fortunate if the lead hasn’t already moved on with another solution provider.

Automating your lead management processes, both lead-to-account matching and lead routing, allows your revenue team to efficiently scale and drive your organization’s growth. Without automation, you’re already a step behind your competitors in the race for the customer.