Lead Management – Pipeline https://pipelinecrm.com Pipeline - Supercharge your sales Mon, 30 Jun 2025 19:23:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://pipelinecrm.com/favicon.png Lead Management – Pipeline https://pipelinecrm.com 32 32 6 Best Lead Tracking Tools with Email Marketing Integrations https://pipelinecrm.com/blog/email-marketing-lead-tracking-integrations/ Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:30:53 +0000 https://pipelinecrm.com/?p=4889 Continue reading 6 Best Lead Tracking Tools with Email Marketing Integrations]]> Do you think email is outdated? It’s not—email marketing still delivers an average ROI of $36 for every $1 spent, outperforming every other channel.

 

But here’s what most businesses miss: sending emails is only half the battle. The real magic happens when you combine email marketing with lead tracking.

 

With the right lead tracking tool, you can:

.

  • See who opens, clicks, or ignores your emails.
  • Automatically follow up with warm leads.
  • Score prospects based on behavior.
  • Know exactly when and how to engage.

 

That’s why we’ve put together a list of the six best lead tracking tools with email integrations—so you can stop guessing and start converting.

 

6 Best Lead Tracking Tools With Email Marketing Integrations

 

Now that you know why you should get a lead tracking software with email integration, let’s help you choose the best one for your business:

 

1.    Pipeline CRM (Best Sales CRM)

 

Screenshot of Pipeline CRM’s lead management page highlighting deal tracking and sales pipeline features.

 

If you’re looking for a sales CRM that covers everything from lead tracking to follow-up emails, all without bouncing between tabs—Pipeline CRM is built for you.

 

This all-in-one platform helps you capture, track, and nurture leads at every stage of the sales cycle. You can automate drip campaigns, sync emails with Gmail or Outlook, and monitor every interaction in a centralized dashboard—so no lead falls through the cracks.

 

Pipeline CRM makes it easy to:

 

  • Map the stages of your sales and assign tasks.
  • Score and prioritize leads based on activity.
  • Get alerts when deals go cold or need attention.
  • Collaborate with your team in real-time.

 

Whether you’re working solo or managing a growing sales team, everything stays in one workflow—streamlined and organized. You can even customize tools to fit your sales process and automate repetitive tasks like follow-ups or project scheduling.

 

Key Features:

 

  • Lead management with task prioritization, sales stage mapping, and scoring.
  • Automated email drip campaigns tied to lead behavior.
  • Centralized dashboard for all lead and email data.
  • Sales stage mapping and pipeline automation.
  • Real-time alerts and team updates for better communication.
  • AI-powered analytics and performance insights.
  • Mobile CRM for reps on the move.
  • Role-based access for data control and security.

 

Pros:

 

  • Industry-specific CRM options tailored to your workflows.
  • Clean, intuitive interface with a minimal learning curve.

 

Pricing:

 

  • Start plan: $25/month per user.
  • Develop plan: $33/month per user.
  • Grow plan: $49/month per user.
  • Enterprise: custom.

 

Visit Pipeline CRM’s pricing page for more information.

 

Rating:

 

 

2.    HubSpot CRM (Best for Inbound Lead Management)

 

Screenshot of HubSpot's lead tracking dashboard showcasing contact engagement and lead stage management.

 

We can’t talk about marketing and lead tracking without mentioning HubSpot CRM. One of the leading names among marketing tools, it offers advanced lead tracking features and integrates with popular email marketing tools.

 

For those without an existing email marketing solution, HubSpot’s built-in tools allow you to design and send personalized emails directly from the CRM, streamlining your outreach efforts.​

 

Key Features:

 

  • Lead tracking across web activity, email engagement, and form submissions.
  • Automated email sequences triggered by user behavior.
  • Lead scoring to prioritize the hottest opportunities.
  • Detailed email analytics right inside the CRM.

 

Pros:

 

  • The free plan is powerful enough to get started with lead tracking and email automation.
  • Seamless integration with HubSpot’s marketing, sales, and service tools creates a centralized tech ecosystem for your business.

 

Cons:

 

  • Premium plans can be costly, potentially posing a challenge for startups and small businesses.
  • The extensive feature set may be overwhelming for users seeking a simple CRM solution.

 

Pricing:

 

The Sales Hub Professional features start at $90/month per user, and the Marketing Hub Professional starts at $800/month per user.

 

Rating:

 

 

3. Salesforce (Best for Managing Complex, Multi-Stage Sales Processes)

 

Homepage of Salesforce promoting its AI-powered CRM and unified customer data platform.

 

Salesforce is a powerful CRM platform built for teams managing high volumes of leads and multi-stage pipelines. It combines lead tracking with AI insights and email marketing integrations to support complex sales cycles.

 

Salesforce lets you capture leads from multiple channels, track interactions across email, web, and CRM touchpoints, and build automated workflows that adapt to each lead’s journey. Its AI assistant, Einstein, helps your team prioritize specific leads and tailor outreach at scale.

 

Salesforce integrates with Gmail and Outlook, and its Marketing Cloud product offers email automation, personalization, and analytics to keep communication on point.

 

Key Features:

 

  • End-to-end lead tracking with customizable sales pipelines.
  • Email marketing and automation via Marketing Cloud or Account Engagement.
  • AI-powered lead scoring and predictive engagement insights with Einstein.
  • Real-time activity tracking across web, email, and CRM systems.
  • Deep integration with thousands of third-party apps via AppExchange.

 

Pros:

 

  • Ideal for growing businesses that need in-depth customization and scalability.
  • Advanced email automation and analytics for smarter decision-making.
  • Massive ecosystem of integrations, tools, and extensions

 

Cons:

 

  • Requires extensive onboarding time due to its complexity.
  • Email marketing and automation features are add-ons that increase costs.

 

Pricing:

 

  • Starts at $25/month per user (Sales Cloud Essentials).
  • Email marketing via Marketing Cloud and Account Engagement is priced separately based on usage and contact volume.
  • Custom pricing for enterprise setups.

 

Ratings:

 

  • G2: 4/5 stars (23,000+ reviews).
  • Capterra: 4/5 stars (18,000+ reviews)

 

4. Zoho CRM (Best for Growing Businesses with Limited Teams)

 

Zoho CRM lead management software interface featuring sales pipeline and ROI-focused lead tools.

 

Zoho CRM is designed for small to mid-sized businesses looking for lead tracking and email marketing integrations without the complexity of enterprise-level systems. It enables businesses to capture leads from various channels, automate communications, and maintain organized workflows without extensive IT support.​

 

With Zoho CRM, you can capture leads from web forms, live chats, social media, and even business card scans. Once a lead is in the system, Zoho allows you to track every interaction and execute automated email campaigns based on lead engagement.​

 

Key Features:

 

  • Multi-channel lead capture and tracking.
  • Email automation with triggers based on user behavior.
  • Lead scoring and workflow automation for better prioritization.
  • Detailed analytics and real-time email insights.

 

Pros:

 

  • Mobile app for convenient lead management.
  • Intuitive interface with extensive customization options.
  • Advanced features at an affordable price point​.

 

Cons:

 

  • Some users report slower loading speeds.
  • Certain advanced functions require additional subscriptions, potentially increasing overall costs​.

 

Pricing:

 

  • Standard: $14/month per user.
  • Professional: $23/month per user.
  • Enterprise: $40/month per user.
  • Ultimate: $52/month per user​.

 

Rating:

 

 

5. Keap (Best for Small Businesses and Solopreneurs)

 

Keap’s website highlighting its lead management and tracking software with a focus on sales automation.

 

Keap, formerly known as Infusionsoft, is a CRM platform designed to streamline sales, marketing, and customer management for small businesses and solopreneurs. By integrating lead tracking, email marketing, automation, and e-commerce tools, Keap enables users to manage their customer journey from one platform.

 

Key Features:

 

  • Smart contact tagging and lead tracking with custom pipelines.
  • Automated email sequences and personalized campaigns.
  • Real-time email engagement tracking.
  • Automated scheduling, invoicing, and SMS tools for full-funnel control.

 

Pros:

 

  • Intuitive automation templates make it easy to set up workflows without technical expertise.
  • Its comprehensive feature set reduces the need for multiple software solutions.

 

Cons:

 

  • The starting price is higher than some competitors, which could be a consideration for startups.
  • Some users report a steeper learning curve due to the platform’s extensive features.

 

Pricing:

 

  • Lite Plan: $129/month.
  • Pro Plan: $199/month.​
  • Max Plan: $299/month.

 

Custom pricing is available for businesses with more than 500 contacts.

 

Ratings:

 

 

6. Engagebay (Best AI-Powered Lead Management Tool)

 

EngageBay homepage promoting its free lead management CRM with signup and email tracking tools.

 

EngageBay is an all-in-one CRM platform that uses AI to streamline marketing, sales, and customer support processes. It offers a suite of tools, including lead tracking, email marketing, automation, and customer service features, all accessible from a single dashboard.​

 

Key Features:

 

  • Capture leads, assign scores based on engagement, and monitor their journey through the sales funnel.
  • Design, automate, and track email campaigns with AI-powered tools.
  • Email integration with Gmail and Outlook.
  • Free live chat software to engage with customers in real time.

 

Pros:

 

  • The free pricing plan is generous, with basic features like email marketing and CRM.
  • Provides a wide range of features at competitive pricing.

 

Cons:

 

  • Users have reported occasional lags, particularly during bulk actions and campaign statistics generation.​
  • The platform’s email template options are somewhat restricted and may require customization to meet specific branding needs.​

 

Pricing:

 

  • Basic: $12.74/month per user.
  • Growth: $55.24/month per user.
  • Pro: $101.99/month per user.

 

Rating:

 

 

Now that you’ve seen the top tools out there, let’s talk about why combining lead tracking with email marketing integrations works so well—especially if your goal is to close more deals faster.

 

Whether you’re nurturing cold leads or capitalizing on warm ones, the real power of these platforms comes from how they work together. Here’s why using a unified system is a game-changer.

 

Why Lead Tracking Works Better With Email Marketing Integrations

 

Using separate tools for lead tracking and email campaigns often results in missed opportunities. Combining both in one platform is a faster, smarter way to boost your sales productivity.

 

Leads Don’t Follow Up on Themselves

 

A lead is only valuable if you act fast. But jumping between your lead tracking tool, sales CRM, and email platform slows everything down.

 

When your CRM software includes email marketing integrations, you can:

 

  • Trigger follow-ups right from your lead tracking dashboard
  • Automate drip campaigns based on behavior
  • Keep your pipeline moving without manual effort

 

Whether it’s a welcome email, a reminder, or a timely nudge, your platform handles the outreach — so you can focus on closing.

 

Track Every Click, Open, and Action

 

With integrated tools, you can see the full picture: who opened your email, what they clicked, and what they ignored.

 

This kind of insight:

 

  • Helps you score leads with more accuracy
  • Shows you who’s ready to buy (and who’s not)
  • Gives your team a real edge in pipeline management

 

A unified system makes it easy to spot and act on high-intent behavior.

 

Smarter Segmentation Equals Better Results

 

Not all leads are the same. Some need nurturing. Others are ready now.

 

With email marketing integrations, you can segment leads based on:

 

  • Opens and clicks
  • Interests and past behavior
  • Funnel stage

 

That powers sharper email personalization, more relevant messaging, and better conversion rates — all backed by your lead tracking data.

 

Automate the Tedious Things

 

Manually sending personalized emails doesn’t scale.

 

With email automation built into your lead tracking tool, you can:

 

  • Trigger drip campaigns for new signups
  • Re-engage cold leads automatically
  • Set sequences once and let them run

 

It’s not just convenient — it’s a big boost for sales productivity.

 

One Platform for a Streamlined Workflow

 

Switching between tools is inefficient and risks letting leads fall through the cracks.

 

With lead tracking and email marketing integrations in one platform:

 

  • Your lead data, email activity, and engagement metrics stay in sync
  • Your sales CRM becomes your single source of truth
  • You spend less time managing tools and more time closing deals

 

It’s a cleaner, more reliable way to stay organized and move leads through the funnel.

 

The Best Lead Tracking CRM with Email Marketing to Close More Deals

 

Choosing the right lead tracking software with email marketing integration can make the difference between a bloated contact list and a high-converting sales pipeline. While all six tools offer strong capabilities, the best option is the one that actually helps you work smarter—not harder.

 

If you’re tired of juggling disconnected tools or manually following up with leads, Pipeline CRM offers a clean, intuitive, sales-focused CRM that brings everything together.

 

Choose a CRM designed to help you track leads, send better emails, and close more deals—without the busy work. Try Pipeline CRM for free and experience a more productive, less stressful way to manage your leads and email outreach.

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Email Marketing 101 for Sales Teams https://pipelinecrm.com/blog/email-marketing-101-sales-teams/ Tue, 03 Sep 2024 09:51:27 +0000 https://pipelinecrm.com/?p=3661 Continue reading Email Marketing 101 for Sales Teams]]>

According to Forbes, there are 4.48 billion email users worldwide. It’s no wonder that 81% of companies still use email as part of their marketing strategy. Despite what sales and marketing gurus share on YouTube, Instagram, and other channels, email remains one of the most powerful ways to grow and nurture your business.


We know that not every sales team is fortunate enough to have a marketing team in their back pocket. So, if you’re part of a sales team that wears multiple hats and plays an active role in your own marketing efforts, this blog is for you!

Let’s start with some basics.


What is a Lifecycle Email?

 

Lifecycle emails are targeted emails sent to customers or prospects in a particular stage with your business. By keeping customers interested and engaged, you may see increases in account expansion, lifetime value and customer retention. These types of emails are highly personalized because they include the right message at the right time.


Ideal lifecycle emails cater to each customer or prospect’s unique needs and interests relative to their stage in the buyer’s journey or their relationship with your business.


What Are Email Drip Campaigns?


A drip campaign is a series of automated emails sent to a specific audience at predetermined intervals (e.g., after X days) or after specific actions have taken place (e.g., new contact entries, changes in deal stages, or the contact responses to the email). Drip campaigns support a wide array of sales activities, including (but not limited to) welcoming new customers, staying in contact with past customers, cross-selling, and upselling.


This type of email approach can save you the headaches of manual emailing while allowing your prospects to be educated at a comfortable pace until they are ready to move forward. 

 

Top 5 Marketing Emails


Top 5 Marketing Emails

 

Welcome or Thank You Emails

 

Thank you, and welcome emails are an effective way to make a good first impression. Thank them for signing up for your newsletter, making a recent purchase, or welcoming them to your business when they onboard as a new customer. Welcome emails are one of the most important emails in the customer onboarding journey – they see a whopping  81% open rate compared to average email open rates of 21%. These introductory emails are a fantastic tool to guide prospects or new customers to the next step in their journey with you. 

 

The Email Newsletter

 

Email newsletters are a part of lead nurturing. They provide essential insights for prospects and customers alike, nurturing them from curiosity to familiarity. While they do require some work, it’s worth it because nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases than non-nurtured leads. Email newsletter can also act as a continuous touchpoint for your engaged, loyal customers, keeping the relationship warm and ripe for expansion. The beauty of an email newsletter lies in its versatility across various stages of the customer lifecycle.

 

The Onboarding Email

 

It’s vital for customers to see immediate value and stay committed. A smooth and successful onboarding with your business plays a critical role in customer satisfaction, which can lead to greater lifetime spend, longer retention, greater loyalty, and even advocacy, or sharing their experiences with others (they do your job for you!). A series of onboarding emails should guide them through the initial experience with your services, making it delightfully easy and essential to their day-to-day life. This is also a great opportunity for an email drip campaign!

 

The Announcement Email

 

Regular touches are a great way to encourage customers to continue doing business with you. Once a customer is onboarded, nudging them toward more in-depth interactions is key. Announcement emails keep customers informed of your ever-evolving product or service offerings, providing a great opportunity to remind customers of the value you provide. Entice them with new offerings, tailored recommendations, or seasonal promotions.

 

The Request for Feedback Email

 

It’s no secret that feedback can help you improve the customer experience and develop your product and service offerings. Your email list can be an invaluable tool for tapping into your customer base to collect feedback right from the source. There are many services that provide email surveys to quickly and easily capture customer sentiment and feedback. Use it to get feedback on your customers’ experience with your products or service offerings, or to get ideas for what to offer next.

 

Choose Your Email Marketing Tool


Choose Your Email Marketing Tool

 

Many CRMs have built-in or native email tools. For instance, Pipeline CRM’s native email functionality automates sales and marketing efforts with Email Sync (Outlook and Google) and Email Drip Campaigns. Email Reporting provides access to insights so you can polish and refine your campaigns.

 

Furthermore, Pipeline CRM customers can also select their favorite email marketing platform from our growing list of marketing app integrations. Some of the popular marketing tool Pipeline CRM supports are:

 

  • ActiveCampaign is designed to help businesses of all sizes engage with their customers more effectively. An ActiveCampaign integration with Pipeline offers automatic data sync and automated email campaign functionality. Use ActiveCampaign to monitor and track campaign performance analytics.

  • Mailchimp streamlines email marketing efforts by creating lists of people in Pipeline and sending them to MailChimp with a single click. Simplify your email marketing with a MailChimp integration with Pipeline.

  • Customer.io is a customer engagement platform that creates personalized journeys across all channels. A Customer.io integration allows you to manage and tailor customer messages within one unified platform.

  • ActiveDEMAND enables its users to supercharge their marketing efforts through streamlined campaign management, campaign recipes and attribution reporting while integrating with many other marketing, business, and sales tools like Pipeline.

 

Email marketing is a powerful tool for driving sales because of its unique ability to reach a broad audience in a personalized manner. The low cost of email marketing compared to traditional marketing methods makes it a feasible strategy for businesses of all sizes, providing an attainable avenue for higher conversion rates and sales growth.

 

Additionally, its measurable nature allows for continuous optimization, so you can ensure your campaigns remain effective. Foster stronger relationships, build trust, and encourage repeat purchases by delivering targeted, relevant content directly to the inboxes of leads and customers alike. 

 

Slim down your workload with Pipeline CRM’s automated email campaigns while enjoying the time-saving benefits of a flexible CRM. Try this interactive demo, and when you’re ready to experience the complete functionality of Pipeline CRM, sign up here to test our tool for free for 14 days!

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SMS for Sales Outreach: How to Use SMS in Financial Services https://pipelinecrm.com/blog/sms-sales-outreach-financial-services/ Tue, 03 Sep 2024 08:00:44 +0000 https://pipelinecrm.com/?p=3653 Continue reading SMS for Sales Outreach: How to Use SMS in Financial Services]]>

A recent study found that 73% of consumers expected their financial institutions to “anticipate their needs,” but only 37% did. Clients hate high-pressure sales; it’s an immediate turn-off, and this approach creates negative outcomes and long-term relationship problems. 

 

Could an SMS sales strategy be the answer? 

 

Today, we’ll discuss text messaging and its integration with CRM for financial services. I’ll share important information on how to use SMS for sales outreach and maximize sales-qualified leads and deals.


Let’s dive in.

 

Why You Need SMS for Financial Services Sales Outreach

 

The death of email has been repeatedly predicted over the years. However, Statista has shown the direct opposite. “In 2022, the number of global e-mail users amounted to 4.26 billion and is set to grow to 4.73 billion in 2026.” 

 

Why You Need SMS for Financial Services Sales Outreach
Source: Statista.com

 

If email as a platform has grown, why do we need SMS as a marketing channel? Can’t we just stick with email, such as an email drip campaign, since more people are using it and the channel is growing?

 

When you look at the data, email seems to be the main way clients engage with brands. 

 

Channels customers worldwide use to engage with companies
Source: eMarketer.com

 

Text/SMS is seventh on the list. Doesn’t this mean that SMS doesn’t perform as well as email? It’s certainly a reasonable conclusion if we look at the charts above. However, if you look closely at the data, SMS tells us a different story. 

 

Leading reasons why US marketers starting using text message marketing

 

The research shows that SMS has higher levels of engagement from clients and higher click-through rates, as well as offers a two-way interaction with clients. The benefits of using SMS as a part of your sales outreach make even more sense when you realize that: 

 

 

What about your clients? What’s their preference? 

 

Preferred channel for receiving mobile messages from business according to US adults
Source: eMarketer.com

 

Your clients prefer to use apps already native to their devices—most don’t want to use an unfamiliar app. Since most of us carry our mobile phones, it’s easy to understand why the response rates are so high. So, should financial services focus on SMS for sales outreach? 

 

It’s not an either/or situation; it’s about leveraging SMS and email unique benefits. 

 

According to a recent report, email and SMS serve different purposes. Consumers rely on SMS for: 

 

  1. Incentives, offers, and deals (e.g., mortgage rates are at a 60-year low)
  2. Personal alerts (e.g., low balance, account updates, notifications, etc.)
  3. Personalization and staying in the loop (e.g., the IRS has just changed the rules again)
  4. Quick access to information (e.g., consumers don’t want to visit brand website/app for information)

 

On the other hand, email is used to: 

 

  1. Indoctrinate, segment, and win back clients CRM
  2. Educate, inform, and persuade clients with, for instance, meaningful content
  3. Offer incentives (e.g., irresistible offers, discounts, coupons, deals, etc.)
  4. Sell products and services
  5. Request feedback, action, or advice

 

Both email and SMS can be used to send broadcast messages and autoresponder sequences, which are great for generating leads, attracting clients, and closing deals. Therefore, you can and should use both to grow your financial service business.

 

Pro tip: If you’re struggling to increase your email performance, you may want to check out these 13 common mistakes in email marketing.

 

The Rules of Using SMS Services

 

Before we discuss the best practices for leveraging SMS services for sales outreach, we must cover the basics. 

 

In the United States, SMS is governed by five federal and industry watchdogs: 

 

  • Federal Communication Commission (FCC): This is an agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. 
  • Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC is an independent agency of the United States government that enforces civil antitrust law and promotes consumer protection. 
  • Mobile Marketing Association (MMA): A non-profit, globally recognized mobile trade association comprising over 800 member companies from nearly 50 countries.
  • CTIA — The Wireless Association: This is a trade association that represents the wireless communications industry in the United States.

 

If you’re going to use SMS for marketing, you’ll want to follow the rules and guidelines laid out by these organizations. Here’s a summary: 

 

  1. You need express, written consent to send SMS messages to prospects and clients. This means no old or rented lists. 
  2. Buying or obtaining a prospect’s phone number is not the same as requesting permission from them. 
  3. If you’re advertising (selling), you must provide full disclosure to individuals (e.g., describe your program, message frequency, terms, policies, stop/help, opt-out info, and carrier costs). One example would be opt-out mechanisms, e.g., text STOP to unsubscribe. 
  4. You can’t require an individual’s consent as a condition of purchasing anything.

 

These rules act as a guardrail to protect consumers from abuse or fraud. Sharing these details will make more sense once we go into the specific steps you can take to work with clients. 

 

Now, Here’s how you can use SMS for sales outreach. 

 

How to Use SMS Platform and CRM for Financial Services

 

How to Use SMS Platform and CRM for Financial Services

 

Step 1: Earn the Opt-in

 

The first step in any SMS campaign is earning the coveted opt-in from clients. There are three main ways you can do this.

 

  • Clients can text a keyword or number to your SMS platform directly (e.g., keywords: REWARDS or a shortcode: 1022). This serves as proof of their opt-in.
  • Clients fill out a form on your landing page to opt in (remember the above rules). Depending on your SMS provider, you may be responsible for storing opt-ins on your landing pages as proof of written consent.
  • Clients fill out a paper document and choose to opt in. As with the landing pages, you may need to store their opt-ins as proof of consent. This may vary based on your SMS providers. 

 

With each option, you have single, double, or soft opt-ins. Single opt-ins mean your client opts in with no confirmation. Double confirmation means you ask and then confirm that clients want to receive your messages. A soft opt-in means you offer your email list the chance to opt-in to your SMS list. 


That said, with SMS for sales outreach, you’re on the clock. Your opt-ins will expire automatically after a period of inactivity. 

 

  • Standard rate campaigns: These opt-ins, which don’t charge subscribers a fee outside of standard data and message rates, expire after 18 months.
  • Premium rate campaigns: These are campaigns your clients pay you to join, which expire after six months.

 

If you haven’t sent a message to your subscribers in that timeframe, your campaign is “inactive.” You’re no longer allowed to contact your subscribers or transfer them from one messaging provider to another. In some jurisdictions, there is no expiration date. 

 

Step 2: Define Your SMS Strategy

 

You can take several approaches to SMS sales outreach. You can use specific tactics or mix and match these as needed. 

 

  • Classic outreach: Direct messaging and conversation via text.
  • SMS autoresponders: Sending an automatic response to prospects.
  • Notify/update prospects via SMS: Sharing updates with prospects/clients about new products, services, etc.
  • Client updates re: changes: Keep clients in the loop about changes in laws, regulations, taxation, and compliance requirements.
  • Client/advisor check-ins: Sending clients updates on key milestones as they move through the sales pipeline.
  • Client support via SMS: Giving clients direct, 1:1 support via text when they call on you
  • Information gathering/requests: Request additional information and specifics from clients before, during, and after the sales process.
  • Request/offer feedback via SMS: Requesting testimonials, reviews, and general feedback in an intimate setting.

 

This defining process is essential because it shows you the content you’ll need. 

 

Step 3: Create SMS Message Templates

 

So, you’ve defined your text/SMS approach. Now, it’s time to create messages that you can use to simplify your sales outreach efforts. As a general rule, there are three types of SMS campaigns: promotional, transactional, and conversational campaigns. The templates below can be used with all three. 

 

Classic SMS Outreach Templates

 

  • [First Name], my name is [Salesperson], and I’m a [Title] at [Company]. Here’s what you can expect from me in the next # days.
  • You mentioned that you’re looking to accomplish [Goal]. Here’s what you can expect from me in the next # days.
  • We put together a plan to help you achieve [Goal] in ##% less time. Would you be available to chat? 
  • You mentioned using [Financial Product] to achieve [Goal]. Would you like a [better/cheaper/faster] option? 
  • A mutual friend, [Friend First Name], mentioned that you were trying to [Goal], and they recommended that I get in touch with you. How can I help? 

 

SMS Autoresponder Templates

 

  • Thanks for reaching out to [First Name]. My name is [Salesperson], and I’m a [Title] at [Company]. I’ll get back to you as soon as I’m back at my desk.
  • It means a lot that you’ve decided to trust us with [Goals]. Thank you for your trust. 
  • I just saw that you requested [Lead Magnet]. If you’re interested, I have a 30-, 60-, and 90-day plan that will supplement your download. Interested? 
  • Thanks for reaching out. Can you answer these six questions? It’ll help us lock in your best rate. 
  • Rate Drop Alert: You wanted us to let you know when the [Mortgage Rates] drop below [Rate] percent. 

 

Client Updates Re: Changes SMS Templates

 

  • You mentioned wanting to try before you buy, and I’d like to help you set that up. Are you free this [Date/Time]?
  • Have you seen the latest [IRS guidelines]? Many of our other clients are upset about it. Here’s why it’s a good thing. 
  • New [regulatory] changes on the horizon for [small business owners]. That means you.
  • Are you concerned about the [changes] updates coming this [Fall]? 
  • We just got word that [Company] is in trouble. This may affect your [Portfolio] negatively. We’re looking into this and will keep you posted. 

 

Client/Advisor Check-Ins SMS Templates

 

  • So [Company] is offering a new [Product] that can help you hit your milestones faster. Would you like me to send you more information about this? 
  • Have you seen the latest [IRS guidelines]? I’d like to go over these with you. Are you free on [Date]?
  • Did you see the new [regulatory] changes coming this fall? If you’re interested, I’ve got a checklist that will walk you through them. 
  • Your portfolio just suffered a hit from [Event]. I recommend these three options to help it bounce back. 
  • We just got word that [Company] is in trouble. The worst thing you can do is make [Bad decision]. 

 

Client/Advisor Check-in SMS Templates

 

  • Hi [First Name], my name is [Salesperson], and I’m a [Title] at [Company]. I wanted to introduce myself and offer my help. 
  • I saw that you were checking out the [Resource] on our website. I wanted to reach out and offer my help. Some details are complicated, but I’m here to help when you need me.  
  • We put together a plan to help you achieve [Goal] in ##% less time. Would you be available to chat? 
  • You mentioned using [Financial Product] to achieve [Goal]. Would you like a [better/cheaper/faster] option? 

 

Templates for Client Support via SMS

 

  • [Salesperson] here with [Company]. Can we send you messages about your account? Reply ‘Yes’ if you’d like to receive updates via SMS. 
  • [First Name], [Salesperson] here. How are things going with [Product/Service] so far? 
  • [First Name], have you had a chance to go through the onboarding materials I mentioned? 
  • [First Name], to help you with your questions, I’ll need to redirect your support request to [Department]. Is that okay? 
  • Thank you for your trust. We’ve enjoyed working with you, [First Name]. Is there anything else I can help you with?  

 

Request/Offer Feedback via SMS

 

  • [First Name], How do you feel about the direction [Compay] is headed?
  • So I’ve got a weird question to ask [First Name]. Did we make you happy? 
  • [First Name], what do you think we could have/should have done better? 
  • Other clients mentioned they want us to anticipate their needs. Do you feel we’re meeting your expectations there? 
  • [First Name], what can we do better? I’d like to make sure we’re taking care of you. 

 

These templates aren’t comprehensive. They’re intended to be a helpful starting point. Customize these templates or create your own—work to identify what works for your financial organization. 

 

Step 4: Follow-up With SMS Messaging

 

Remember the email stats we looked at earlier? As we’ve seen, email is becoming more popular, especially with younger generations. What does this mean? 

 

You continue to use email in your sales outreach campaigns. You focus your attention on building sales outreach campaigns that include the following five phases:

 

  1. Indoctrination: In this phase, you offer introductions, set expectations, list the benefits, earn micro-commitments, and create curiosity loops. 
  2. Engagement: This phase is all about selling. You create value via education and use this to move clients toward the outcomes they’re already interested in
  3. Ascension: For every offer you make, a percentage of your clients would buy more. Ascension is about maximizing the upsell. 
  4. Segmentation: This phase helps you determine which offer to make to your subscribers. It is all about making the right offer to the right client at the right time.  
  5. Re-engagement: This phase is all about your messages reaching your most loyal, most engaged subscribers/clients. It involves reconnecting with those interested and removing those with little to no engagement. 

 

This is why SMS sales outreach is so valuable. And combining your SMS and email campaigns means it’s easier for you to accomplish specific goals: 

 

  • Priming subscribers, prospects, and clients to expect value. 
  • Solving small problems for subscribers, prospects, and clients—and solving bigger and bigger problems for your clients.
  • Creating personalized education, service, and support specific to each client. 
  • Bringing disengaged subscribers and clients back into the fold. 

 

Why is it easier? We all carry our mobile devices with us. We check our phones constantly, and our response rates are much higher with mobile. 

 

This means we can (a.) lead with value, (b.) earn their attention, and (c.) drive traffic to your emails and landing pages.

 

Step 5: Analyze and Improve Your SMS Sales Strategy

 

You’ll need an SMS and CRM platform that can track the metrics that matter most. Which SMS metrics should you focus on for your financial services firm? Here are some options.

 

  • Opt-in and opt-out rates
  • Open rates (individual + aggregate)
  • Click-through rates (CTR)
  • Conversion rates
  • Response rates 

 

Imagine that you have a team of five to ten salespeople, each sending out 30 – 50 SMS messages daily. These are very low numbers, but they’re still a significant number of messages from which you can gather data. 

 

If you integrate your SMS effort with a CRM solution, like Pipeline CRM, you can easily analyze the conversion and response rates of your sales outreach messages. Not only that, our lead data management system also helps you segment the customer based on specific factors, allowing you to craft effective SMS outreach campaigns.

 

SMS and Integrated CRM Solution: A Must-Have for Financial Services Sales Outreach

 

SMS and Integrated CRM Solution - A Must-Have for Financial Services Sales Outreach

 

Most consumers expect their financial institutions to “anticipate their needs.” However, clients hate high-pressure sales; it’s an immediate turn-off, and this approach creates negative outcomes. 

 

An SMS sales strategy can be the bridge. It is the missing piece you need to close more deals. 

 

Your clients prefer to use apps already on their phones, but they’re also using email. It’s not either/or; it’s both. If you’re using a sales CRM for professional services, email, SMS, and CRM integration is an absolute must. It’s a simple way to keep the open, click-through, conversion, and response rates of your sales outreach effort high.

 

Check out other guides for improving sales outreach, such as follow-up email templates and cold prospecting email templates.

]]>
How to Call and SMS Leads Using Pipeline CRM https://pipelinecrm.com/blog/how-call-sms-leads/ Thu, 29 Aug 2024 21:11:44 +0000 https://pipelinecrm.com/?p=3619 Continue reading How to Call and SMS Leads Using Pipeline CRM]]> Do texting and calling leads still work in today’s sales environment? Absolutely.

 

Despite the rise of digital channels and consumer fatigue, phone calls and SMS remain effective sales tools in Customer Relationship Management (CRM). In fact, the increasing number of ad blockers and opt-outs can actually benefit businesses by helping to identify genuinely interested prospects.

 

This blog explores leveraging this opportunity by integrating phone and SMS capabilities into your CRM. We’ll delve into specific dialer CRM options, provide step-by-step setup guidance, and share best practices to optimize your call and text sales outreach campaigns for maximum impact.

 

How To Make Calls and Send SMS Messages via Pipeline CRM

 

Our SMS integration allows for seamless two-way communication with your customers. This means you can build and maintain relationships in real time directly from your Pipeline CRM dashboard. 

 

Once integrated with Pipeline CRM, you can send SMS messages from various points within the platform, such as contact, deal, or business card profiles. Simply click the “SMS” icon to start a conversation.

 

How To Make Calls and Send SMS Messages via Pipeline CRM 1

 

How To Make Calls and Send SMS Messages via Pipeline CRM 2

 

How To Make Calls and Send SMS Messages via Pipeline CRM 3

 

The SMS messenger window will open from the bottom. If you have any SMS history, it will be displayed in the message window. From there, you can send SMS messages to your customers. 

 

How To Make Calls and Send SMS Messages via Pipeline CRM 4

 

Once you’ve set up your call and SMS providers, you should see:

 

  • Options to create click-to-call and click-to-text buttons
  • Options to make and receive calls, track missed calls, listen to voicemails and call recordings
  • Options to generate an automated LeadCaller
  • Your recordings and voicemails
  • A list of calls as well as inbound and outbound CRM text messages
  • Depending on your provider, you can also monitor call quality, usage, and device status and set alerts

 

Which Phone Call App Works With Pipeline CRM?

 

Pipeline CRM has native phone dialer integrations that work with several caller apps, including Aircall, CallRail, and RingCentral.

 

Don’t see your phone/SMS provider on our phone integration list? With Zapier, you can connect more than 277 different phone/SMS providers to Pipeline CRM. 

 

6 Benefits of Phone and SMS CRM Integrations

 

Integrating phone and SMS capabilities into your CRM can significantly boost your win rate. Let’s explore how.

 

  • Increase prospect engagement: By engaging customers through various channels, you can boost conversation rates and improve sales outcomes. SMS, with an impressive 98% of open rate, is a valuable tool in this strategy.

 

  • Automate prospect follow-up: With phone, SMS, and email integrations, you can set meeting and appointment reminders, send market updates, and even send automated follow-up messages to prospects still on the fence. 

 

  • Boost your expansion rate: Multiple touchpoints lead to more data. The more data you accumulate, the better your up-sells, cross-sells, and add-ons will be. If a prospect hopes for the best in a losing position, your recommendations (based on past sales data and experience) can provide value to clients and increase sales revenue. 

 

  • Improve client retention: Multiple touchpoints mean your clients can reach out for support using the channel that works for them. With integration, your company can be hyper-responsive to client support requests.

 

  • Scale communication: Integrating and centralizing your sales outreach tactics, marketing communication, and customer support means you can more easily manage the growing volume of messages from your prospects, clients, and vendors. 

 

  • Segment prospects efficiently: Are you looking to pitch clients who have invested X in the last year? Maybe you’d like to connect your best sales reps with clients who spent $$$ with your firm last year. Your integrations pool and centralize this data, making it easy to filter, segment, and search. 

 

The more touchpoints you have, the easier it is to nurture, sell, and close new customers. The more data you have, the more precise your targeting and sales messages. 

 

Learn more about the benefits of adopting dialer integration into your sales CRM system.

 

When Should You Use SMS or Calls in Your CRM?

 

Contacting your prospects by phone may put them off, especially if they’re in a younger demographic (e.g., millennials). On the other hand, if you focus your attention exclusively on SMS messaging, you may not be able to get the kind of results you aim for.

 

So, when do you use these tools in your CRM? According to a recent report, email and SMS serve different purposes.

 

Consumers rely on SMS for: 

 

  • Incentives, offers, and deals (e.g., mortgage rates are at a 60-year low)
  • Personal alerts (e.g., low balance, account updates, notifications, etc.)
  • Personalization and staying in the loop (e.g., the IRS has just changed the rules again)
  • Branded messages: 98% of mobile users will read a branded or business-based SMS message
  • High engagement: 90% of SMS messages are read within 3 minutes!

 

What about phone calls? Consumers accept phone calls in the following situations: 

 

  • 61% of customers want to speak to a person during the purchase cycle
  • 75% believe that a phone call will produce the fastest response
  • Customers want to talk on the phone when they’re making a high-value purchase

 

On the other hand, email is used to: 

 

  • Indoctrinate, segment, and win back clients CRM
  • Educate, inform, and persuade clients 
  • Offer incentives (e.g., irresistible offers, discounts, coupons, deals, etc.)
  • Build, establish, and maintain community

 

This idea varies from industry to industry. If you want a clear answer for your organization, you must test these factors yourself. Let your data do the talking.

 

Increase Your Deal Win Rates With Call and Text CRM Integrations

 

Sending texts and having a sales call are easy ways to build meaningful relationships with prospects, customers, and vendors. With the right structure and a consistent action plan, you can maximize the deal wins, revenue, and value your CRM generates, one contact at a time. 

 

Try Pipeline’s dialer and sms integration CRM today. Get started with a 14-day free trial.

]]>
4 Creative Email Marketing Strategies for Logistics Business https://pipelinecrm.com/blog/email-strategies-logistics/ Thu, 08 Aug 2024 07:35:30 +0000 https://pipelinecrm.com/?p=3519 Continue reading 4 Creative Email Marketing Strategies for Logistics Business]]> How can we increase sales for logistics companies? One way is to create robust email marketing strategies.

 

In this blog, we’ll delve into four innovative email strategies tailored specifically for logistics and transportation companies. We’ll explore advanced techniques beyond standard practices like personalization and subject lines. Our focus will be on strategies like “email rebound” and “one goal, one link” to maximize impact.

 

To support these strategies, we’ll also discuss essential tools such as custom CRM for logistics companies and AI-powered email writing assistants.

 

Before diving into these strategies, let’s establish a solid foundation for logistics email marketing.

 

Email Marketing Benchmarks for Logistics and Transportation Companies

 

What is considered a good email marketing benchmark for the logistics and transportation industry?

 

Based on our research and data from Mailchimp’s study, the email benchmark for the logistics and transportation industry is as follows:

 

  • The average open rate is 33.25%
  • The average click-through rate is 2.56%
  • The unsubscribe rate is 0.24%
  • The hard bounce rate is 0.24%
  • The soft bounce rate is 0.78%

 

Want to know other email benchmarks for manufacturing, construction, and distribution companies? Download our free ebook to get all the details.

 

Email Marketing Benchmarks for Logistics - Pipeline CRM

 

Okay, what does this tell us? 

 

Your logistics and transportation customers are still reading your emails, so email marketing is still a viable marketing channel. This fact leads us to the next most obvious question. What’s the best email marketing strategy for logistics and transportation companies?

 

The Best Email Marketing Strategy for Logistics Companies

 

The best logistics email marketing strategy builds consistent relationships with customers over time. One vital role of high-performing email marketing is its content.

 

Generally, there are three approaches to writing good email marketing content: 

 

  • Entertainment: Content that’s specifically designed to amuse and delight your audience. 
  • Education: Systematic, step-by-step instruction that teaches customers how to achieve a specific outcome.
  • Edutainment: A combination of educational content and entertainment. 

 

The edutainment approach can work, but getting these customers to spend money is challenging since their primary interest is entertainment. It’s best to choose the right path from the start—in this case, the education. Here’s why.

 

Customers who seek knowledge are more likely to become loyal customers. By providing valuable insights, such as:

 

  • Case studies
  • Customer reviews
  • Free courses, apps, and templates
  • Quizzes, surveys, and polls
  • Webinars and workshops
  • Ebooks
  • Market updates

 

You position yourself as a trusted industry expert. These content formats naturally complement each other, creating a cohesive narrative that drives conversions. For instance, market updates can spark interest in case studies, ultimately leading to quote requests and long-term customer relationships.

 

In the next section, we’ll explore specific email campaign strategies to optimize your educational content.

 

Strategy 1: Broadcast to AR Sequences

 

An autoresponder (AR) sequence is an incredibly effective way to segment, qualify, and win customers. You create a list of emails and automatically send them out on a schedule. 

 

If you create compelling email messages, it’s easy to nurture, follow up with, and close new customers. However, if the emails are filled with meaningless content, your prospects will remove themselves from the conversation.

 

How do you consistently attract customers and boost revenue with AR sequences?

 

The answer lies in rigorous message testing. By sending out broadcast emails, your sales team can experiment with different content types and messaging to identify what truly resonates with your audience. Broadcast emails offer a low-risk environment to test various elements such as:

 

  • Timing and frequency
  • Subject lines, sender names, wording, and calls-to-action
  • Visuals
  • Landing pages
  • Personalization and offers
  • Customer segmentation

 

Once you’ve pinpointed the winning combinations, integrate these high-performing messages into your AR sequences. This strategic approach maximizes your return on investment by ensuring your automated communications deliver consistent results.

 

Using Email Broadcasts with Pipeline CRM for Logistics

 

To successfully implement this strategy, you’ll need:

  • A diverse range of content tailored to different customer segments.
  • Sales reps actively share content and provide feedback within your CRM.
  • Detailed performance metrics to identify top-performing content.
  • A well-structured content tagging system.

 

And follow this process:

 

  1. Create and Test Broadcast Emails: Develop a variety of broadcast messages aligned with your content library. Conduct statistically significant tests by sending emails at different times, ensuring equal sample sizes for each test group. Utilize BCC tracking within your CRM, like with Pipeline CRM, to gather comprehensive performance data.
  2. Identify Winning Messages: Analyze test results to determine the most effective content, timing, and messaging.
  3. Integrate into AR Sequences: Incorporate high-performing broadcast messages into your automated response sequences to optimize customer engagement and conversions.

 

By following these steps and leveraging the necessary resources, you can significantly enhance your email marketing efforts and drive revenue growth.

 

Need AI help to streamline your email marketing messages?

 

Check out Pipeline CRM’s built-in AI email writing feature. It empowers you to write and re-write a personalized email with just a few clicks. See the demo below and learn more about its extensive use in this AI email writing blog.

 

Creative Email Marketing Strategies for Logistics Business

 

Broadcast Email Templates to Re-Engage Cold Logistics

 

Hi [First name],

 

It’s been a while, and I’d love to touch base again.

 

Just wanted to see if you need our services again. Here are some of our quick wins that might be of interest to you: 

 

  • #1
  • #2
  • #3

 

Brands like [Brand 1] and [Brand 2] are already seeing improved delivery rates and lower overheads. In fact, one of our clients, [Brand 3], has seen [X%] faster delivery times and significant cost savings by optimizing just one part of their supply chain with us. 

 

If logistics is back on your priority list, let’s reconnect.

 

You could either book a quick call (hyperlink) or reply to this email.

 

Regards,

[Signature]

 

Strategy 2: Email Sales Phases

 

What’s the fastest way to build trust with prospects? You set expectations and then meet them. Successful email campaigns operate in phases, each with a specific goal or objective. Every email you send should fit into one of these five phases. 

 

  • Indoctrination: You introduce prospects to your company, set expectations, and make friends.
  • Engagement: You chat with prospects about their desires, goals, and interests. After you introduce them to a relevant product and service, you ask for the sale.
  • Ascension: You welcome new customers, and you invite them to purchase a relevant product or service from you again. 
  • Segmentation: In this phase, you determine what customers want to learn from you and what they want to buy next. 
  • Re-engagement: This phase is all about reigning a warm relationship that has gone cold—restoring the relationship. 

 

Sales is the natural byproduct of relationships. These goals keep your team’s focus on building strong relationships. Additionally, your prospects expect you to provide value in every interaction. This means every email you send should have compelling value for customers. 

 

Using Email Phases with Pipeline CRM for Logistics

 

Work to create one to two messages for each phase.

 

  • Indoctrination messages (e.g., welcome, expectations, or cadence messages) should answer the who, what, why, how often, and next steps questions. 
  • Engagement messages are focused on one thing: closing. The purpose of engagement emails is to make an offer. This is essential for logistics companies because customers often treat your industry as a commodity. An irresistible offer changes that—it’s simply too good for customers to pass up. For logistics, this could be as simple as sharing their quotes and letting them know when their quote is about to expire. 

 

Using Email Phases with Pipeline CRM for Logistics
Source

 

  • Ascension messages are intended for customers who purchased in the engagement phase. For every customer who made a purchase, there are still more customers who would buy more. For example, customers who purchased 3PL services may be interested in warehousing services. 
  • Segmentation messages are designed to get customers (or prospects) to raise their hands and express interest in a specific topic or service. Once that happens, prospects are placed in the engagement series relevant to their interest. 
  • Re-engagement messages help your logistics company to restore the relationship, re-engage, win back, and re-energize old or dying leads. 

 

Logistics Sales Email Templates for Proposal and Decision-Stage Follow-Ups

 

When you have sent a proposal and are waiting for the client’s decision, following up can be tricky. You don’t want to look too pushy, nor do you want the lead to go cold. So what’s the right balance? 

 

Here is a logistics email template to help you follow up and keep the deal moving without sounding intrusive.

 

Hi [First name],

 

I’m checking in to see if you have had a chance to review our proposal from our last discussion for [Project/Service] from [Date]. I understand you are likely busy, so we just wanted to make sure it’s not lost in the mix. 

 

Here’s a quick summary of the proposal we sent you: 

 

  • #1
  • #2
  • #3

 

If you have any questions or require further clarification, let’s schedule a quick call to discuss any concerns. 

 

Best regards,

[Signature]

 

Sending individual follow-up emails to each client manually takes a lot of time that you could be using to improve sales strategies. 

 

So what’s the solution? Automate your follow-up emails with Pipeline CRM

 

You can segment your email list according to demographics and deal stages, and set up advanced rules and conditions to choose who gets your emails. You can even run A/B tests so your follow-ups are highly relevant and help you close deals a lot faster. 

 

Strategy 3: Boost Conversions with ‘One Goal, One Link’ Technique (1G1L)


Let’s take a look at an example in an unrelated industry. It’s common for email marketing newsletters to look like this:

 

Strategy 3: Boost Conversions with ‘One Goal, One Link’ Technique (1G1L)
Source

 

Macy’s email marketing often falls victim to overcomplication. Overloaded with multiple links (31 to be exact) and unclear objectives, these emails fail to resonate with specific customer segments.

 

To enhance email effectiveness, adopt a 1G1L strategy: One Goal, One Link. By focusing on a single, clear objective and directing customers to a specific action, you significantly improve the chances of conversion.

 

The power of clarity cannot be overstated. When customers can quickly grasp your offer, they are more likely to engage and convert. This principle aligns with the core components of a strong value proposition: clarity, appeal, exclusivity, and credibility. A clear message is the foundation upon which these elements can be built.

 

By simplifying your email content and directing attention to a single call to action, you enhance cognitive fluency and increase the likelihood of customer action.

 

Using 1G1L with Pipeline CRM for Logistics

 

A robust CRM is essential for executing a successful 1G1L strategy. Unlike email service providers, CRMs offer a comprehensive view of customer interactions, enabling granular data analysis.

 

This rich data empowers you to:

 

  • Create highly targeted segments: Identify specific customer groups based on behavior and preferences.
  • Develop laser-focused offers: Tailor content and calls to action for maximum impact.
  • Measure campaign performance accurately: Pinpoint the effectiveness of each email and optimize future efforts.

 

By simplifying your email messaging and combining it with robust CRM data, you eliminate the guesswork often associated with complex marketing campaigns. This approach fosters accountability and empowers your team to make data-driven decisions.

 

High-Converting Quote Request Email Templates for Logistics Businesses

 

Now, when the lead you worked so hard to nurture finally asks for a quote, your reply has to sustain the warmth and interest you have built over the stages. So, just sending them some vague estimation won’t work. Your job is to make it easy for them to say yes. 

 

Add this template to your email marketing campaigns to guarantee a positive response: 

 

Subject: Your logistics quote is ready

 

Hi [First Name],

 

Thank you for reaching out to us and showing interest in our services. We would be delighted to help with your logistics needs.

 

Based on the details you shared, here is a quick overview of your quote:

 

  • Service: 
  • From: [Pickup Location]
  • To: [Delivery Location]
  • Estimated Transit Time: 
  • Estimated Cost: 

 

This quote includes real-time tracking, dedicated support, and flexible scheduling. 

 

If you have additional details about your requirement or need a more customized solution, please reply to this email or reach out to us at [abc@company.com]

 

Best regards,
[Signature]

 

Strategy 4: Rebound To Build Relationships

 

Strategy 4: Rebound To Build Relationships

 

Email metrics offer valuable insights, but they provide a limited view of customer engagement. Traditional metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates paint a partial picture. To gain a deeper understanding of customer behavior and optimize marketing efforts, a more holistic approach, like rebounding, is required.

 

Rebounding is the key to unlocking a wealth of data. By guiding prospects from email to website, social media, and beyond, you create a comprehensive customer journey. This interconnected approach allows you to:

 

  • Measure engagement at every touchpoint: Track interactions, preferences, and buying signals across different platforms.
  • Build stronger customer relationships: Foster deeper connections through personalized and relevant content.
  • Optimize marketing spend: Allocate resources effectively by identifying high-performing channels and campaigns.

 

Consider this example: A prospect engages with an email case study, visits the website, shares content on social media, and ultimately becomes a customer. This journey generates a wealth of data that can be analyzed to refine future marketing strategies.

 

By embracing a rebounding approach, businesses can transform data into actionable insights, driving increased customer acquisition and retention.

 

Using Rebounding with Pipeline CRM for Logistics


“How to increase sales for logistics companies.” 


It’s a common question logistics companies ask Google. Rebounding via CRM retargeting is a straightforward way for logistics companies to increase sales. You take your first-party data—specific lead segments or your email list as a whole—and connect it to your customers on other platforms (e.g., Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, etc.). 

 

With CRM retargeting, the sky’s the limit. You can use it to: 

 

  • Sort subscribers into segments (groups based on attributes) or cohorts (groups based on behavior) and sell to those groups specifically on third-party platforms. 
  • Precisely target offers—upselling, downselling, or cross-selling to ultra-relevant groups. 
  • Presell exclusive offers or incentives to specific segments or cohorts (e.g., medium-sized ecommerce retailers who need warehousing support) via your marketing channels (e.g., email, social, paid ads, organic search, etc.).
  • Create content that’s tailor-made for specific segments or cohorts. 

 

Here’s the best part about CRM retargeting. It’s a cookie-less, more precise, and privacy-friendly option that allows logistics and transportation companies to work with prospects who are already on their list.


It’s also important to give each marketing channel and platform its own content. It’s common for people to take the easy way out: They create content once and then share the same content on all their social media profiles. You’re training your subscribers and customers to ignore your content.


If they follow you on Facebook, they won’t follow you on Instagram or LinkedIn because you share the same content everywhere. They don’t want to see the same content in their inbox repeatedly.


This frustration doesn’t mean you can’t discuss the same topic. You absolutely can just change the angle.

 

Let’s say you decided to share a 3PL whitepaper on LinkedIn. You can also:

 

 

The topic is the same, but the content varies depending on the channel and platform. This approach gives subscribers/followers a compelling reason to follow you across all marketing channels. 

 

Check-In Email Templates to Rebuild Logistics Client Relationships

 

Here is a check-in template to help you out:

 

Subject Line: A quick update from our team

 

Hi [First Name],

 

I wanted to check in and see how things are going at your end. In case you have had any issues with our services that made you reconsider, please let mr know. I would love to resolve any issues.

 

I would also like to share a few updates:

 

  • #1
  • #2
  • #3

 

If you are open to a quick chat, I would love to hear how things are going on your side, too.

 

Let me know what works best.

 

[Signature]

 

Strategy 5: Geo-Targeted Email Campaigns to Personalize Logistics Outreach

 

If you are reaching out to customers or businesses in different regions, sending the same email to everyone just doesn’t work. Shipping challenges in Chicago won’t be the same as those in Nebraska, and your emails must reflect that to convince the prospect. 

 

That’s why you should optimize your email campaigns with geo-targeting so that customers only get emails relevant to their specific region and its logistics challenges. 

 

Follow these steps to run highly targeted email marketing campaigns: 

 

  • Segment your customer list by location and send updates on new service lanes, route expansions, or local partnerships
  • Highlight region-specific case studies to build trust and credibility
  • Offer time-bound discounts or perks tailored to high-demand delivery zones
  • Send regional alerts for delivery disruptions or delays 
  • Promote local warehousing or fulfillment solutions to businesses in high-density areas
  • Share localized insights or reports on shipping trends, fuel costs, or route efficiencies in their area

 

Using Lead Segmentation and Location-Based Customization with Pipeline CRM

 

Let’s say you’re sending logistics emails to prospects in Miami. Here is how it could look: 

 

Subject: Faster and Reliable Logistics Solutions Now Available in Miami!

 

Hi [First name],

 

Are you shipping in or out of Miami? We know how critical timely deliveries are!

 

That’s why we are excited to offer exclusive logistics solutions tailored for Miami businesses, including:

 

  • #1
  • #2
  • #3

 

Limited-time offer: Sign up and get 10% off your first shipment.

 

Interested in learning more and getting a custom quote? Reply to this email or give us a call at [abc@company.com]!

 

Regards,
[Signature]

 

But the problem is, you won’t do this for one location. That means multiple customer segments with overlapping elements. 

 

How do you make sense of all this? Leverage Pipeline CRM’s lead management, and let us help you with:

 

  • Organizing leads by region, demographics, and more
  • Tracking every interaction with detailed records
  • Using historical data and profiles for context
  • Sending emails that feel personal and value-driven, drafted using our AI email assistant

 

Email Marketing Is the Future of Logistics

 

Contrary to popular opinion, email marketing for logistics and transportation companies is growing. And if you haven’t optimized your email marketing strategies, it’s time to level it up. 

 

The best email marketing strategy builds consistent relationships with customers over time. Focus on content that leads to revenue. Orient your team around the primary goal—more revenue—and you’ll find identifying the right email marketing strategy is simple. 

 

If you’re looking for a CRM that supports seamless integration with Gmail, Outlook, and email marketing apps like Mailchimp, Pipeline CRM is a great option. Plus, we offer a built-in email drip campaign and AI email writing assistance features, empowering you to do more to increase your logistics email marketing performance and, ultimately, the sales funnel.

 

Check out Pipeline CRM’s email solutions; and when you’re ready to try it for free, sign up here.

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13 Reasons for Low Email Marketing Response Rates in Sales https://pipelinecrm.com/blog/reasons-low-email-marketing-response-rate/ Sun, 26 May 2024 11:16:51 +0000 https://pipelinecrm.com/?p=3388 Continue reading 13 Reasons for Low Email Marketing Response Rates in Sales]]> What defines the success of your email marketing?

 

You may say open rates and click-through rates (CTR). While those two are important metrics, a low email response rate can be a significant red flag. Ultimately, email response rates offer the most direct measure of your campaign’s success, as they reflect the engagement and action taken by your recipients in response to your email.

 

Unfortunately, outbound email campaigns often fail to generate the desired response rate. To solve this issue, you must first identify the root causes of low email reply rates and address them with the right strategies. 

 

We’ll examine some common reasons for low email response rates in sales and discuss how to address them, including leveraging sales CRM software. 

 

What Is an Email Response Rate?

 

Email response rate is the percentage of email replies you receive compared to the total number of emails you send. For example, you sent 200 emails and received 20 replies. Your response rate for that email campaign is 10%. 

 

Analyzing your email response rate is like taking the pulse of your email marketing efforts. High response rates indicate that your campaigns resonate with your audience, potentially leading to a pool of promising leads and, ultimately, more sales. Conversely, having low email response rates means your targets are not interested in what you’re offering. You need to tweak the emails (messaging, link attached, or sequences) to improve their effectiveness.

 

Related: Learn how to leverage email drip campaigns for your cold sales outreach.

 

13 Reasons for Low Email Response Rates in Sales

 

Here are some common reasons for low response rates for cold sales emails. 

 

Content-Related Reasons for Low Email Reply Rates

 

1. Ineffective subject lines

 

A captivating subject line is the key to unlocking your email’s potential. Uninteresting or vague lines won’t nudge the recipient to open the email, leading to low response rates.

 

To create winning subject lines, you need to keep them short and clear and tease any incentives you may offer. Additionally, analyze data on recipient interests, past behavior, and purchase history. Use these insights to create subject lines that are highly relevant and pique their curiosity.

 

The most efficient way to run a sales email campaign is to combine your CRM data with a drip email solution. Leverage the Pipeline CRM’s automatic email solution to easily connect the dots of your lead’s information and challenges and create a compelling email subject line and messaging accordingly. Additionally, take advantage of our built-in AI email assistant to help accelerate the process and eliminate the creative burden.

 

The most efficient way to run a sales email campaign is to combine your CRM data with a drip email solution.

 

2. Confusing, misplaced, or uninteresting CTAs 

 

CTAs are crucial for improving response rates. They direct customers to take the desired action, like downloading your e-book, visiting your product page, or redeeming an offer. 

 

The reader won’t click on the CTA button if it doesn’t communicate the exact action you want them to take. It must be strategically placed to get noticed easily like below.

 

CTAs are crucial for improving response rates

 

If the recipient has to go through a long copy before reaching the CTA, they may close the email before finding it. So, structure the email so that you will place the CTA in the middle before delving deeper into the topic. 

 

Additionally, companies often make the mistake of adding several CTAs in one email to increase email response. However, this may just confuse the reader and stop them from clicking entirely.

 

If your CTA checks the above boxes but isn’t exciting enough, it still won’t get you a response. Therefore, it is recommended to design up to two CTAs per email that communicate the direct value you offer and use action-driven words that create urgency. 

 

3. Lengthy email copy

 

Readers often don’t engage with lengthy email copies. The key here is to offer value without cramming too much information while writing sales emails

 

Here’s what you should do:

 

  • Ensure the layout is simple to optimize email rendering in devices. 
  • Break down the copy into several small paragraphs and use bullets wherever applicable. 

 

This makes your email easily skimmable and ideal for busy readers.

 

4. Lack of personalization

 

A McKinsey report found that 71% of consumers expect personalized interactions with businesses, and 76% get frustrated without it. The same rule applies to cold email campaigns too. The lack of personalization won’t resonate with the reader. As a result, they won’t engage with it or click on the CTA, lowering the response rate.

 

The solution?

 

  • Analyze your customer preferences, needs, challenges, and desires. 
  • Track engaging content types. 
  • Analyze historical data on your sales CRM software to see what they clicked and downloaded from your earlier campaigns. 
  • Incorporate the findings in your email copy. 

 

5. No sense of urgency

 

Using words like “limited-time deal,” “hurry,” or “offer ends today” creates a sense of urgency, which pushes the recipient to open the email. Consequently, this improves your chance of getting a response significantly. 

 

Creating a sense of urgency using words like “limited-time deal,” “hurry,” or “offer ends today” pushes the recipient to open the email

 

6. Inconsistent “from” name 

 

Inconsistent “from” names compromise your campaigns’ credibility. Frequent changes to this small aspect may even drive your emails to the spam folder.    

 

So, use a credible “from” name for all your emails. It should be on-brand and let the customer recognize you at once. 

 

Targeting-Related Reasons for Low Email Reply Rates

 

7. Not filtering bounced email addresses

 

Blasting emails to addresses that consistently bounce hurts your bottom line in two ways. First, the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) might flag you as spam, throttling delivery to all your contacts. Second, you’re wasting resources on inactive addresses when you could be nurturing valuable leads.

 

Leverage sales CRM software, like Pipeline CRM, to remove inactive and bounced contacts. You can also create targeted and personalized campaigns to re-engage cold prospects.

 

8. Unsegmented email list

 

Another cause of generic email marketing is an unsegmented email list. Your customers will only engage when the email content speaks to their specific needs and pain points.

 

To send targeted cold sales emails, categorize your email contacts based on demographics, location, industry, buying history, and recent activities. This way, individual subscribers get emails relevant to their buyer journey. It differentiates your campaigns from common emails and improves email reply rates. 

 

Unmaintained email lists also result in a lower response rate, as your subscriber’s preferences may have changed. Use sales CRM software to manage your email list based on real-time data and remove unwanted contacts. 

 

For example, you can apply advanced rules and conditions (e.g., high-quality leads or leads that have intensively contacted you recently) to ensure the right message reaches the right audience.

 

Technical-Related Reasons for Low Email Reply Rates

 

9. Bad timing 

 

You wrote a stellar email copy with attractive offers and rewards, but unfortunately, it reached the recipient’s inbox at the wrong time. What happens next? Well, it may just get buried in other marketing emails.   

 

In short, for desired results through outbound emails, timing matters. 

 

Put yourself in the recipient’s shoes. Most people don’t check their emails during the weekends. However, people take time to catch up with their correspondence on Monday morning, and some scroll through emails while commuting to work. So treat the early morning until 10 am as a good time for sending cold emails. Avoid sending emails after business hours since people may not check their inboxes. 

 

For more efficient targeting, examine customer data to get acquainted with the daily habits of your subscribers. Run A/B tests for different time slots and see which gets the best response rate. 

 

10. Lack of incentives for the recipient 

 

Recipients may not be motivated to respond if your email doesn’t communicate what’s in it for them. 

 

So, offer rewards and value that resonate with your customers. Tap into the latest customer insights before creating email campaigns and design rewards accordingly. It could be free upgrades, vouchers, free ebooks, exclusive entry to webinars and events, etc. 

 

11. Not adhering to CAN-SPAM standards

 

CAN-SPAM standards establish strict requirements for commercial messages and offer recipients the option to stop receiving them. Email campaigns not adhering to these standards have a high chance of ending up in the spam folder. Your recipients won’t even see them in their primary inbox. 

 

Here are some best practices to ensure optimal email deliverability: 

 

  • Communicate that your email is a promotion
  • The emails must include a valid physical postal address
  • The recipients must have a clear unsubscribe button

 

12. Not using double opt-in 

 

Double opt-in confirms a subscriber wants to receive emails. That way, your efforts will be focused on high-quality leads, leading to better response rates. It also reduces the chances of spam reports, improves an email campaign’s success, and boosts deliverability. 

 

13. Lack of mobile optimization

 

Do you always open your laptop to check emails? No, because smartphones, among their many other conveniences, let you check your inbox on the go. In fact, mobiles generate approximately 50% of global web traffic. 

 

Subscribers won’t bother engaging with cold sales emails that aren’t optimal for mobile views. Here are some steps to avoid that: 

 

  • Use compact images in JPEG format, as PNG images don’t load on some devices. 
  • Use A/B testing to ensure the layout is consistent across devices.

 

Reduce Low Email Response Rates with Pipeline’s Sales CRM Software

 

Implement our strategies and monitor the email KPIs to reduce your low email reply rates. Compare the open rate with the response rate to calculate email marketing efficacy and tweak your approach accordingly. 

 

The most important element in improving email response is making customer data analysis and email sending as efficient as possible. For that, you need reliable sales CRM software. 

 

Enter Pipeline CRM. 

 

As one of the best sales pipeline management software available today, it offers: 

 

 

Your email list is efficiently managed, campaigns are delivered on time, and email copy hits the bullseye every time. The result? Subscribers get emails that excite them, the response rate improves, and so does conversion and marketing ROI. 

 

Sign up for a free trial to keep low email response rates at bay. 

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Lead Generation Tools for Marketing Agencies https://pipelinecrm.com/blog/marketing-agencies-lead-gen-tools/ Sun, 26 May 2024 10:52:44 +0000 https://pipelinecrm.com/?p=3380 Continue reading Lead Generation Tools for Marketing Agencies]]> It’s the industry’s dirty secret. The biggest problem marketing agencies face is the same problem they’re trying to solve for clients. Can you guess what it is? 

 

It’s marketing. Agencies filled with exceptional marketers are struggling to generate leads for their own businesses.

 

If your marketing agencies also experience the same problems, stick around. This blog will tell you about the five lead generation tools for marketing agencies, including the best agency CRM software and its robust sales automation tools. We’ll analyze each tool based on its top features, pricing, and reviews.

 

Why Do Marketing Agencies Need Lead Generation Tools?

 

Why do some marketing agencies struggle to keep their sales pipelines full of leads?

 

Agency Analytics found that modern agencies struggle to stand out in a saturated market, where larger agencies take the lion’s share of leads and new business. 

 

“The biggest challenge we are facing as an agency is consistently attracting the volume of qualified leads for our own client acquisition that we want.”

 

– Larry Weideman, SEO Manager, Magnyfi

 

HubSpot’s Marketing Agency Growth report confirms this: 60% of agencies struggle to generate leads. They’re unable to generate the quantity or quality of leads they need. 

 

60% of agencies struggle to generate leads. They're unable to generate the quantity or quality of leads they need

 

And it gets worse. Most marketing agencies struggle to remove bad clients (28%) and keep existing clients (16%). This is an unpleasant reality. 

 

5 Best Marketing Agency Tools for Generating Leads

 

Marketing agencies need a specific set of tools to generate a consistent volume of high-quality leads. Notice that the tools in this list are focused on lead generation, not on the other aspects of agency business (e.g., project management, design and development, etc.). Agencies tend to have one or two of these tools; it’s rare for them to have all of them. 

 

  • Pipeline CRM: The best agency CRM software for lead generation
  • Bidsketch: Proposal software to easily create and manage proposals
  • Copilot: Client portal software to streamline administration work
  • Pitch: Presentation software to free up time for creating sales pitch decks from scratch
  • Verk: AI digital workforce software to conveniently mine leads from trusted sources

 

1. Pipeline CRM: The Best CRM for Marketing Agencies

 

1. Pipeline CRM- The Best CRM Tool for Marketing Agencies

 

 

What’s the best CRM software for agencies? We may be biased, but we’ll say it’s Pipeline CRM.

 

At first, you may be tempted to assume that a CRM is a CRM—they’re all the same. That’s a mistake. The best CRM for agencies should help you generate leads, cultivate relationships, and win new clients.

 

If you want to solve your lead problem, you need an operational CRM, one that’s built to drive sales revenue. Agency CRM software can automate tasks, improve agency workflows, track deals from RFP to kick-off, and more. That’s where Pipeline CRM comes in. Pipeline’s Agency CRM software does all this, providing your team with the important reminders, tools, and support needed to close deals. It’s made by salespeople, for salespeople. 

 

Why You Need Pipeline CRM for Lead Generation for a Marketing Agency

 

One thing marketing agencies struggle with is follow-up. It’s a difficult thing to maintain a consistent relationship with prospects over the course of three to nine months. Even if you know that you need to follow up, what do you say? These are details that need to be addressed ahead of time. 

 

With agency CRM software from Pipeline CRM, you can create your own document library and provide your account executives with instructions on when and how to use the content and templates in it. This could include questionnaires, case studies, review profiles, samples, and references.

 

Not only that, Pipeline CRM empowers you to manage and nurture leads seamlessly. Capture prospects’ interests, needs, and behaviors through our customizable contact management. Then, leverage Pipeline’s Drip Email Campaign solution to send targeted messages that resonate. Automate and track the entire lead nurturing process—all within a single, powerful agency CRM software.

 

Here are some of the key features of Pipeline CRM:

 

  • Multiple sales pipelines: this allows you to manage several pipelines simultaneously while tailoring each pipeline to match your client’s needs.
  • AI email assistant: write and rewrite emails with a single click to save time and effort.
  • Custom deals: attach multiple contacts to one deal, tailor each deal stage names, and establish user permissions.
  • Automatic task assignment: automatically assign tasks and update leads as they move through the sales pipeline.
  • Rich integration options: from email campaign integration with Mailchimp to accounting integration with QuickBooks and more, Pipeline has it all.

 

Pipeline CRM Pricing

 

  • Start plan: $29 per user per month
  • Develop plan: $39 per user per month
  • Grow plan: $59 per user per month 

 

Reviews

 

 

2. Bidsketch: Proposal Software for Marketing Agencies

 

2. Bidsketch- Proposal Software for marketing agencies

 

Creating proposals can be discouraging and time-consuming.  Your prospects reach out to you and ask you to bid for their projects. Most of the time, this is an unfair request. You know that your prospect probably already has a preferred candidate in mind. They’re simply looking for a price they can use as leverage to get more deliverables or lower the cost. It can be an exhausting experience to respond to RFP after RFP (request for proposal).

 

Why you need Bidsketch

 

Bidsketch makes the proposal creation process simple. Here are some of their top features:

 

  • Real-time email notification: receive an instant email notification whenever the client opens the proposals, helping you close the sale as soon as possible or plan a follow-up action.
  • Built-in electronic signatures: there is no need for third-party tools like DocuSign to get essential signatures.
  • Customizable proposals: easily add content and fees and change the proposal designs to match your brand’s style.
  • Capture revenue instantly: get deposits secured immediately upon client sign-off with approval messages.
  • Welcome and guide new clients: these messages appear instantly after signing, providing clear instructions for the next steps.

 

Pricing

 

  • Starter: $15 per month – single user, limited features
  • Solo: $29 per month – single user 
  • Team: $79 per month – up to 3 users
  • Business: $149 per month – up to 8 users

 

Reviews

 

 

3. Copilot: Client Portal Software

 

3. Copilot- Client Portal Software for marketing agencies

 

Handling the various facets of client administration can take a lot of work. Let’s say that your client, via someone in legal, requests a copy of version three of your statement of work. Can you find that specific file? Is this the file that you’ve sent, or is it the one with their signature? Is it the initial draft or the version with their requested changes? 

 

Your client made several requests via email to Steven, your account manager. If Steven deletes the emails your client sent to him, do you have a record of the messages sent from your client? You should. 

 

Why you need Copilot

 

Copilot provides marketing agencies with the tools to onboard clients, deliver services, and accept payments. It’s a client portal that integrates with the tools you’re already using. Some of Copilot’s top features are: 

 

  • Messaging portal: allows you to communicate privately and securely with clients. 
  • Easy billing: create invoices, subscriptions, and other payment options for clients. 
  • Contracts organization: manage all of your contracts in a centralized location. 
  • Create and record forms: streamline data collection and inbound communication from clients. 
  • Advanced file sharing: share, organize, and manage data securely with internal and external teams.
  • Help desk: provide clients with ongoing support via your very own help desk/support portal

 

Pricing

 

  • Starter: $29/mo. (Per user)
  • Professional: $69/mo. (Per user)
  • Advanced: $119/mo. (Per user)
  • Supersonic: Contact for a quote 

 

Reviews

 

 

4. Pitch: Presentation Software

 

4. Pitch- Presentation Software tool for marketing agencies

 

Marketing agency clients have a reasonable request. They want you to pitch them. Here’s the unreasonable part of their request: their expectations from the pitch tend to be fuzzy, implicit, or unrealistic. 

You can flush out these poor expectations by making them explicit and discussing them with your prospects. Do some digging and take the time to find out why this specific objection is important to your prospect. This helps you identify (a.) which objections are flexible and which objections are rigid, (b.) why these objections are important to your prospects, and (c.) how to integrate their adjusted expectations into your pitch.

 

Why you need Pitch

 

Pitch comes pre-loaded templates perfect for with marketing agencies. This includes templates for presentations, pitch decks, sales decks, team meetings, and board decks. 

 

With these fully customizable, pre-formatted templates, you can quickly create, format, and structure your pitch deck, slides, or presentation in a short period of time. Use their content library to find assets and creative content that’s agency-specific and ready to go.

 

Pricing

 

  • Free: forever free
  • Pro: $25 per month – up to 2 users
  • Business: $100 per month – up to 5 users

 

Reviews

 

 

5. Verk AI: Digital Workforce Software

 

5. Verk AI- Digital Workforce Software tool for marketing agencies

 

What’s the biggest expense for agencies? 

 

It’s people. When you win new clients, your headcount (and expenses) skyrocket—salaries, benefits, bonuses, licenses, accounts, taxes, etc. It’s a balancing act that’s difficult for many agencies to manage. When you hire new employees, you must undergo a lengthy onboarding process before they’re profitable.

 

Then there’s the cost of a mis-hire. 

 

According to Bradford Smart, Ph.D., a mis-hire costs six to 27 times an employee’s salary. If they can’t perform, they’re using your agency as a stepping stone to a preferred opportunity, or they’re unable to maintain the pace you need, it will be expensive. It’s no surprise why AI is so appealing. 

 

Why do you need Verk?

 

Verk provides marketing agencies with human-like, AI-powered digital workers. You can get an AI Sales Rep, AI Graphic Designer, AI Market Researcher, AI Marketer, etc. With Verk, you can get 24/7 support in a specific area of your agency at a fraction of the cost. Here are some of the use cases: 

 

  • AI Sales employees that prospect and mine leads from a database of 275M+ verified contacts. Your digital sales rep verifies and cleans up prospect data, sends outreach emails, and pitches for new businesses 24/7.
  • AI Designers that create personalized and compelling graphics for your brand.
  • AI Market Researchers to conduct market research on various topics for your agency.
  • Combine Verk with Agency CRM Software like Pipeline to generate a steady flow of leads all year long.

 

Pricing

 

Verk AI Assistants start at $350 per month. It offers the following solutions: 

 

  • AI-Data Analyst
  • AI-Influencer Marketer
  • AI-SEO Analyst
  • AI-Product Designer
  • AI-Performance Marketer

 

Reviews

 

 

Pipeline CRM Is the Best Lead-Generation CRM Software for Agencies

 

Lead generation is one of the main issues faced by many marketing agencies. Smaller agencies struggle to stand out in a saturated market, while larger agencies take the lion’s share of leads and new business. With the right approach, you can attract new leads, nurture relationships, and win new clients. 

 

But it starts with the right toolset. When you find one, your marketing agency can generate the quality and volume of leads you need to grow consistently year over year.

 

Adopt Pipeline CRM to help generate and nurture high-quality leads. Our seamless Gravity Forms integration, for instance, will automatically send user-submitted data from the form as leads in Pipeline CRM. Our robust sales pipeline allows you to monitor the status of each deal. This way, your salespeople have the information they need to prioritize their activity and reduce dry spells.

 

Sign up today and enjoy a 14-day free trial of Pipeline CRM!

 

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5 Lead Management Solutions for Financial Advisors https://pipelinecrm.com/blog/lead-management-solutions-financial-advisors/ Wed, 17 Apr 2024 09:53:29 +0000 https://pipelinecrm.com/?p=3259 Continue reading 5 Lead Management Solutions for Financial Advisors]]> As a financial advisor, you must focus on serving and communicating with clients. 

 

However, it’s challenging to do this manually. Especially when you’re covering all sorts of tasks: 

 

  • Bespoke financial planning: personalized financial advice that’s oriented around five specific focus areas. (1.) where they are now, (2.) what they have to work with, (3.) what they need, (4.) where they want to go, and (5.) who they need to get there. 
  • Wealth building: helping clients or prospective clients increase their wealth consistently over time. If they’re like most people, they expect you to beat the market, producing above-average returns. 
  • Wealth preservation: clients want you to follow rule one—don’t lose money. They expect you to have the depth of knowledge needed to manage and grow an investment portfolio while also minimizing risk. 
  • Tax planning and optimization: if you let them, the tax office will take as much as they can from your clients. Your clients want to see that you have lots of options available to minimize their tax basis legally. 
  • Estate planning: what happens when it’s time for your clients to transfer their wealth to their family members? Your clients want to maximize contributions to family and minimize contributions to the government. 
  • Comprehensive financial services: clients may need detailed and personalized advice across a variety of services, including—insurance, retirement, charitable and philanthropic endeavors, and family governance. 

 

While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to nurturing current clients and prospecting new ones, you can lean on lead management tools. Here’s a short list of the key lead management solutions to help generate, nurture, and close leads. 

 

  • CRM software
  • Landing page builder
  • Email marketing tool
  • Social media tool
  • Webinar tool

 

1. Pipeline: Best CRM Software for Professional Services — Financial Advisors

 

Pipeline - Best CRM Software for Professional Services — Financial Advisors

 

Pipeline CRM is designed with financial advisors in mind. The tool enables account customization, such as adding unique properties to contacts, changing deal step names, creating multiple sales pipelines, and automating admin.


Features

 

  • Custom deal stages to match the unique workflow of your financial services practice 
  • Complete A to Z sales pipeline management software
  • Commissions, payouts, and incentive tracking for the unique mix of financial products you offer in your practice
  • Create, track, and manage your email (broadcast and autoresponder) campaigns via your account
  • Seamless integration with the applications and tools you’re already using in your practice
  • Automation to automate next steps, activities, reminders, updates, etc.
  • A complete record of the relationship lifecycle
  • Smart agendas automatically build themselves as your team works, so everyone in your firm knows what needs to be done for each client or deal
  • SuperShare sends data to clients privately and securely
  • Open-source APIs to integrate with anything and everything you’re already using
  • Native integration with tools like Zapier to customize integrations without developer or IT assistance

 

Why CRM Software for Professional Services is a Must

 

Use your CRM software to collect everything—all the data and resources your customers need to make informed decisions. Use this tool to feed relevant information back to clients when it’s contextually appropriate.

 

With CRM software, you get: 

 

  • A centralized location for client data
  • An ongoing record of the relationship, including client interactions, research, reports, and results
  • Conversion data—why clients avoid or choose your financial services 
  • Clear guidance from clients on their desires, goals, fears, frustrations, and expectations
  • Actionable intel when mistakes are made, i.e., your client is angry that they can’t transfer assets without losing a considerable amount to taxes
  • Sales, task, and workflow automation, focusing your advisors on high conversion activities (e.g., meetings, webinars, events, etc.)
  • The Intel you need to increase leads, sales, and commissions year-over-year. Know which parts of your marketing are working and why

 

Customer Reviews

 

 

Pricing

 

  • Start plan: $29 per user per month
  • Develop plan: $39 per user per month
  • Grow plan: $59 per user per month

 

2. Marcom Robot Page Pro: Best Landing Page Builder for Financial Services

 

Marcom Robot Page Pro- Best Landing Page Builder for Financial Services

 

Do you really need a landing page builder? Absolutely. If you’re looking to maximize lead quality for your financial services firm, you’ll need a landing page builder that provides you with answers to the questions you need. 

 

What sort of questions?

 

  • Who’s your ideal client? 
  • What channel produces the highest quality leads? The most profit?  
  • Which channel generates the greatest volume of leads at the lowest cost per acquisition (CPA)? 
  • Paid advertising or organic search: which one produces the most profit?
  • Where do our most unpleasant clients, the people we want to avoid, come from? 
  • Which offers increase sales, commissions, and conversions? 
  • What do your clients need to know to accept your offer? 
  • Which RICE (reward, ideology, coercion, ego) motivator is most effective? 
  • Which financial products lead to more upselling, downselling, or cross-selling opportunities? 
  • Which offers repel clients? 

 

To add, it eliminates bureaucracy and dependence on IT when you have a landing page builder.

 

Features

 

 

  • Create landing pages on domains you control to maintain ad scent, improve trust, and boost conversion rates
  • Use heatmaps to see which images, headlines, content, and offers make the biggest impact on prospects
  • Use page load optimization to test your landing page load speeds and performance before increasing ad spend
  • Add essential scripts—Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Adobe Analytics, and other scripts to landing pages without developer or IT assistance
  • Launch A/B split tests in a few clicks. Monitor the page and offer performance in real-time so you can identify winning patterns
  • Team collaborations on landing pages that are governed by user rights, roles, and permissions

 

Why You Need Landing Page Builders

 

  • Sales and marketing speed: your team can conceive and create offers in minutes. Address changes in the market instantly. Create and promote offers that capitalize on major and minor shifts in the market or generational trends (i.e., retirees, divorces, recessions, etc.)
  • Build professional, highly effective landing pages without coding knowledge
  • Instantly verify lead data (i.e., email addresses) via contact validation and lead enrichment
  • Immediate integration with the essential tools you’re already using via direct integration or third-party platforms like Zapier
  • Centralized data management: your CRM, email, landing page, social media, lead nurturing, and presentation tools all share and sync your data. This eliminates double-entry and data-entry mistakes
  • Test, optimize, and update offers based on results from previous experiments 

 

Customer Reviews

 

 

Pricing

 

  • Free forever plan
  • Essential: $29 per month
  • Standard: $69 per month
  • Professional: $99 per month

 

3. Mailchimp: Best Email Marketing Sales Automation Tool for Independent Financial Advisors

 

Mailchimp- Best Email Marketing Sales Automation Tool for Independent Financial Advisors

 

Financial services are built on relationships. 

 

With Mailchimp, you’re able to build strong, stable, and profitable relationships with your clients at scale. You can create a two-way conversation with prospects who are interested but not yet ready to buy. You can warm these prospects up, nurturing each lead so you’re ready to close when they’re ready to buy. 

 

Features

 

  • SMS marketing enables you to reach your prospects on every device
  • Website and landing page builders: design a website easily
  • Email builder: create impactful emails
  • Customer journey builder: automate your campaigns
  • Dynamic content: automatically personalize emails
  • Generative AI: instantly create unique copy
  • Email templates: design emails in less time
  • Predictive demographics: Build personalized campaigns
  • Tags and customer profiles: sort your audience
  • Retargeting ads: instantly retarget visitors
  • Transactional emails: respond to customer interactions
  • Webhooks: automate using your tools
  • Send time optimization: know when to send your emails

 

Why You Need Email Marketing Sales Automation

 

Do you remember the 3% rule

 

The 3% rule states that 97% of your prospective clients are not ready to buy. 

 

Here’s how this breaks down for clients who are in the market for your financial services 

 

  • 3% of these clients are active buyers: your financial advisors should spend most of their time with these prospects. These prospects are interested and ready to move forward. Direct, 1-on-1 engagement with these clients is essential. 
  • 7% of these clients want to make a change: they’re not quite ready to move forward with your firm. Maybe they’re still in the research phase; they could be working to cut ties with their previous firm. Your financial advisors should nurture these leads; this means automated and semi-automated follow-up until these prospects earn their place on the 3% list. 
  • 30% of these clients have a need, but they’re not ready to act: these prospects need long-term nurturing. They need consistent content that’s value-driven; as we’ve seen, value is created when problems are resolved. This isn’t the time for sales pitches; your primary focus should be education. 
  • 60% who don’t have a need or are not interested: these prospects should be added to your do-not-disturb list if they show infrequent engagement or removed from your list if they’re completely disinterested. This list includes mismatched clients or disgruntled clients, competitors, suppliers, and pundits.   

 

Your email sales automation tools should be focused on the 40% of prospects (3%, 7%, 30%) who are interested in the services you have to offer. With email sales automation tools, you can gauge your prospect’s interest level message by message. 

 

Customer Reviews

 

 

Pricing

 

  • Free forever plan
  • Essentials: $13 per month
  • Standard: $20 per month
  • Premium: $350 per month

 

4. Sendible: Scalable Social Media Management for Financial Services

 

Sendible- Scalable Social Media Management for Financial Services

 

Clients want communication on their terms. 

 

This means you’re expected to meet prospects, clients—everyone else where they are. 

 

With Sendible, you can manage scalable social media campaigns in a way that makes sense to your clients. 

 

 

The better your reputation, the cheaper (and easier) it is to generate leads. 

 

Features

 

  • Plan and schedule multi-image posts, Stories, Reels, and regular videos to Facebook Pages and Groups
  • Add alt text to images to improve accessibility
  • Geotag locations and add first comments with hashtags to increase discoverability
  • Monitor and respond to comments and get insights into your best posts
    Schedule engaging updates to personal profiles and company pages with hashtags and mentions to further your reach
  • Plan ahead and schedule tweets with links, photos, and videos, complete with hashtags, to increase your impressions.
  • Improve discoverability by sharing/posting content at the best time
  • Draft or directly schedule videos to your YouTube channel as well as YouTube Shorts
  • Schedule regular updates on what’s new with the best CTA to generate more interest for the brands you represent
  • Automatically schedule and publish videos to TikTok Business and Personal accounts
  • Respond to comments on your videos and get quick insights into audience behavior with average view duration, new views, and new subscribers

 

Why You Need Social Media Management

 

Whether you’re an independent offering financial services, a small boutique, or a large conglomerate, social media is an integral part of generating leads. Take a look at how social media impacts your lead-generation strategies. 

 

  • Responding positively to negative reviews limits the damage done to your online reputation
  • Negative responses to negative reviews amplify the damage 
  • Reviews, testimonials, and feedback can be used to amplify leads generated
  • Support teams responding favorably to unhappy customers improve the revenue your company will earn 
  • Negative sentiment increases your cost per acquisition (CPA), decreasing the leads you generate
  • Positive sentiment decreases CPA, reducing the overall cost of your marketing and increasing the number of leads you’re able to generate over time
  • Carefully curated content can generate leads for your financial services firm, but it can also help you close the sale

 

Customer Reviews

 

 

Pricing

 

  • Creator: $29 per month
  • Traction: $89 per month
  • White label: $399 per month
  • White label+: $750 per month

 

5. WebinarKit: Best Webinar Tool for Small-to-Medium Financial Service Providers

 

WebinarKit- Best Webinar Tool for Small-to-Medium Financial Service Providers

 

As a financial advisor, hosting webinars is a great way to share value. You put your knowledge, experience, and expertise to work. It’s your chance to show prospects how to solve the issues, keeping them up at night. 

 

  • Will my nest egg be safe? 
  • I recently started investing; is it too late to reach my financial goals? 
  • Can my investments outpace inflation? 
  • What will happen to my business, investments, and cash reserves if the economy goes belly up? 
  • How can I transfer my wealth without losing most of it to taxes? 
  • How do I go about earning above-average returns on my investment year-over-year? 
  • How do I adjust to market volatility? 
  • How can I prepare for unforeseen events like job loss, illness, or divorce? 
  • How can I avoid being misled by financial advisors? 
  • I’m losing my hard-earned money. How can I stop the bleeding and ensure I have enough for retirement? 

 

With WebinarKit, you have an on-demand platform you can use to attract, manage, and close leads. The best part about each of these tools? WebinarKit integrates with every other lead management tool I’ve mentioned so far. 

 

Features

 

  • One-click registrations
  • Webinar funnel builder
  • Customize each part of the webinar funnel
  • Unlimited webinars, attendees, and registrants 
  • Create automated, evergreen, just-in-time webinars
  • All pages hosted on WebinarKit’s servers
  • Browser based in HD quality
  • Schedule your webinar for a specific time and date
  • Password protect events
  • Advanced remarketing segmentation
  • Run multi-day events with a webinar series
  • Lifetime pricing via a one-time payment

 

Why You Need a Webinar Tool for Lead Management

 

  • Lead generation: you can use webinars to trade education for contact information
  • Lead qualification: you can use a variety of methods to qualify leads during the webinar, including (name, engagement, questions asked, and interest
  • Nurture leads: you can segment and follow up with prospects after the webinar. A separate bucket for those who are interested in your offer and the leads that need to be nurtured
  • Webinar analytics: WebinarKit is web-based; this means it’s easier to track attendees, monitor engagement, and refine your product offers 

 

Customer Reviews

 

 

Pricing

 

  • $49 per month
  • $197 annually
  • $397 One-time/lifetime payment

 

Show Clients the Value of Your Professional Services

 

As we’ve seen, lead management is all about showing clients the value of your professional service. Educate your clients; focus your attention on providing them with the knowledge, data, and support they need to make informed decisions. This is challenging to do manually, so use these lead management tools to meet and exceed expectations. 

 

Sign up for Pipeline CRM and get a 14-day free trial.

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10 Ways to Generate More Quality Leads for Your Logistics Pipeline https://pipelinecrm.com/blog/lead-generation-tips-logistics/ Mon, 01 Apr 2024 11:31:20 +0000 https://pipelinecrm.com/?p=3218 Continue reading 10 Ways to Generate More Quality Leads for Your Logistics Pipeline]]> Establishing a continuous flow of quality leads is a common challenge faced by small- and large-scale logistics companies. In fact, most sales teams rely on long-term accounts and word-of-mouth to maintain revenue, which is not a sustainable approach. 

 

Other notable reasons why logistics companies struggle with lead generation include: 

 

  • Inefficient internal sales processes
  • Lack of strategic agility
  • Poorly curated value proposition 
  • Lack of technological adoption

 

Methods to Help Boost Lead Generation for Logistics Companies:

 

 

1. Create a Formal Sales Process

 

The first step in elevating your lead generation process is to build a definite sales process. This way, your entire team will be focused in a unified direction and have a well-defined framework to follow. Break down your sales pipeline into basic parts:

 

  • Lead generation channels: decide on the channels you will be using to generate leads. This could be a mix of email, content, social media marketing, cold calling, industry trade events, etc.
  • Lead evaluation: not every lead is worth pursuing. You need a proper scoring system in place before your sales team takes them up. The best way here is to opt for reliable logistics CRM software with lead management features.
  • Evaluation of client needs: constantly assess customer data to stay on top of changing customer needs. Train your reps to understand a lead’s challenge and offer solutions accordingly.
  • Proposal: make a formal presentation describing the services you offer, showcase your USPs, and take questions. It should build a strong base for deal negotiation. 
  • Deal closing: this is where you prepare contracts with the agreed-upon terms, close the deal, and offer your client a smooth onboarding.  

 

2. Identify and Target Key Accounts

 

To ensure quality lead generation, you need to identify companies who will genuinely be interested in your services. This way, your sales team won’t waste time running after cold leads with a low chance of conversion. To do this, you must first create an ideal buyer persona/s. Assess customer data and market trends to lay down the attributes of your ideal customer. Then, compare your leads to the outlined traits in your personas. 

 

Make a list of companies that fit the image closely, identify their decision makers, and acquire their contact information. It’ll serve as the foundation of your outreach efforts.

 

3. Focus on Inbound Marketing 

 

Inbound marketing is a self-sustaining resource for generating a steady flow of quality leads into your sales funnel. As it brings prospects already interested in your product, the chances of conversions are much higher than outbound leads. 

 

Your website is your best source to pull inbound leads into your pipeline. It has to be user-friendly and SEO-optimized to maintain consistent traffic. Ensure your website content has relevant keywords and target your audience’s specific challenges.

 

Add clear CTAs on relevant landing pages to encourage visitors to inquire about your services. You must also ensure your website has a responsive design. 

 

Showcase client testimonials and promote them on your social media pages. Improve your content marketing with valuable and informative blogs, white papers, and e-books. It builds your authority in the logistics industry and boosts inbound lead generation. 

 

4. Automate Your Outreach 

 

You can’t spend hours creating emails for individual leads manually and expect a decent response rate. It’s time-consuming and leaves a lot of room for error. 

 

Worst part? Among all the chaos, your recipient may not even receive the communication on time. To scale your lead generation, you need efficient and agile campaigning methods — which you can enable with automation. Reports show that with sales and marketing automation:

 

  • Lead conversion rate increases by 107%
  • Average deal size increases by 40% 
  • Companies reach 17% better sales forecasting accuracy

 

With reliable logistics CRM software, you can automate your sales workflows and engage your audience across multiple channels with personalized outreach programs. 

 

You can create engaging emails in seconds with the AI email assistant and automate your email marketing, freeing up your team’s time to focus on strategies and improvements. 

 

Related: How To Write Sales Emails With AI In Sales CRM Software

 

5. Use AI-Powered Lead Generation Platforms

 

Businesses are becoming increasingly tech-reliant in the logistics industry. If you are not one of them, you may just fail to source and manage leads properly. Opt for logistics pipeline software with features to find and target the right prospects in seconds. These platforms will collect intent data and let you create an ideal customer persona, identify sales triggers, build prospect lists, and prioritize leads. 

 

Make sure your chosen platform integrates with your logistics CRM software

 

It should also be scalable and easy to use. 

 

6. Participate in Trade Shows and Industry Events 

 

Build strategic partnerships with other businesses in the logistics ecosystem to expand your reach. Research shows 68% effectiveness in B2B demand generation. So, the best way to network with industry peers is to attend trade shows and corporate events. 

 

Here, you can meet potential clients, increase brand awareness, and even drive leads. Even if you can’t convert leads during the event, you can acquire qualified contacts for the top of the sales funnel and nurture them with follow-up communication. 

 

7. Cold Call High-Quality Leads

 

Use your key accounts list and run cold calls. Create a concise, engaging cold calling script that focuses on the value you can provide. Make sure you add your USPs to the script. Talk about the common pain points. Then, establish your services as the solution. For example, if you offer end-to-end logistics services, you can talk about how frustrating and expensive it is for businesses to handle multiple vendors. Then, tell them how you can offer every logistics service they need at affordable prices. 

 

The right CRM for logistics will help you keep all deal details in a centralized dashboard while your preferred dialer for further convenience. You can access their contact while running cold calls without jumping in and out of applications. 

 

Related: 6 Advantages Of Using Dialer Integration In CRM Software

 

8. Refine Sales Prospecting

 

Nurturing logistics leads are complex. As there is no tangible product for you to showcase, you may need to nurture the prospect across multiple touchpoints. 

 

Categorizing leads based on the touchpoints they are currently in helps you take the best route to nurture them. Logistics CRM software like Pipeline offers an advanced lead management feature where get lists like Leads No One Has Contacted in 7 Days, Deals Expected to Close This Week, or Deals Closing With No Next Task Set. Based on these criteria, you can refine and personalize your sales prospecting for each lead. 

 

9. Create Case Studies

 

Want to convince your audience that your logistics services can drive the promised results? Create case studies to support your pitch. They act as social proof and offer detailed insight into how you solved problems for your existing clients. 

 

Case studies also build niche expertise and boost credibility. 

 

Start by explaining the customer’s goal. Describe the logistics roadblocks and challenges they were facing. Detail how you helped them overcome the problem. Don’t forget to add tangible results you helped your client achieve and quotes about their experience with your supply chain services. 

 

10. Analyze and Improve

 

No matter how thorough your sales strategy is, it won’t create sustainable lead generation sources without constant improvements. By analyzing your sales pipeline, relevant KPIs, and your sales team’s performance, you can pinpoint gaps in your setup. 

 

Choose a logistics pipeline software that offers accurate analytics. Pipeline offers a reporting feature that shows real-time updates on your lead’s progress and your team’s performance across time. You can even create custom data points and generate comparison charts to see which sources bring you the best leads. 

 

Takeaway

 

For a logistics company, providing top-tier service to existing clients is a primary focus. However, ongoing lead generation deserves attention if you want to scale your operation. 

 

Still, overwhelmed? Here’s a TL;DR version of actionable steps logistics companies can use to boost lead generation;

 

  • Create a mix of inbound and outbound lead acquisition strategy
  • Build strategic partnerships with industry
  • Optimize your website
  • Create case studies and collect testimonials as social proof

 

actionable steps logistics companies can use to boost lead generation

 

Finally, opt for reliable and custom CRM software with advanced lead management, automation, and reporting features. Pipeline offers a logistics CRM with all necessary logistics sales tools to generate and convert leads. 

 

Elevate your logistics company from a local go-to service provider to a growing enterprise. Start with a 14-day free trial!

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How to Write a Lead Generating Cold Calling Script for Financial Advisors https://pipelinecrm.com/blog/cold-calling-script-lead-generation/ Mon, 01 Apr 2024 09:36:39 +0000 https://pipelinecrm.com/?p=3212 Continue reading How to Write a Lead Generating Cold Calling Script for Financial Advisors]]> Are you a financial advisor looking to get more leads into your pipeline? Add cold calling to your sales outreach strategy. Reports show that cold calling is still among the top five outreach methods in terms of effectiveness. You can get up to 82% of buyers to accept a meeting by starting a series of communication with sales cold calls.

 

Sounds good, right? But calling might not be the issue–it’s what you say to the prospect next. We’ve seen that a carefully mapped-out cold calling script can: 

 

  • Integrate a structured direction into the conversation
  • Help overcome objections
  • Eliminate awkward pauses and misinformation
  • Boost your sales team’s confidence 

 

So, in today’s article, we describe the steps to create such a cold calling script and talk about how a CRM for professionals like financial advisors can streamline the process.

 

What is Cold Calling?

 

Cold calling is an outbound sales tactic companies use to contact a potential customer who hasn’t shown explicit interest in the company’s services. (This potential customer also has no prior communication with the company.)

 

In the old(er) days, companies used cold calling as a part of business-to-customer telemarketing to sell their products to a broader audience. They were overly pushy and intrusive and painted a negative brand image.

 

Today, however, cold calling has become much more targeted and organized. Businesses, including financial firms, invest in a CRM for lead generation to analyze customer insights, create cold calling prospect lists, and segment them according to targeted demographics. Once all the data is gathered, they create cold calling scripts customized to each prospect segment on the list. 

 

Why Should Financial Advisors Use Cold Calling Scripts?

 

As a financial advisor, you may wonder, “I am good at my job, why would I need a script? I can just present my expertise and convince people.” 

 

It’s not that easy–especially since the prospect didn’t request the call. 

 

A cold calling script properly prepares you to handle questions, removes ambiguity from the conversation, and improves your chances of capturing the customer’s interest. 

 

What other benefits do financial advisors get from using a cold script? 

 

1. Keeps Sales Calls Consistent 

 

To pique a customer’s interest in your product, you must:

 

  • Portray a sharp presence of mind 
  • Control the narrative
  • Convey exactly how your product can solve the prospect’s specific challenges

 

If your sales reps don’t have a script to follow, handling all these elements while maintaining a smooth conversation flow in every call becomes difficult. It may lead to inconsistent messaging and false promises, reducing your credibility as a service provider.

 

A structured cold-calling script ensures all your sales reps follow a structured format. It lists key points they must communicate and maps out the potential path of the conversation. This keeps all cold calls consistent, reinforces your expertise as a financial advisor, and boosts brand recognition. 

 

2. Boosts Sales Rep Confidence

 

Confidence is the key to making an impactful cold call. Without any reference, your sales reps may stumble over words and have awkward pauses. Your prospects may even think your agents don’t know what they are talking about. 

 

Keeping a script lets your sales team know what to say and how to handle queries with confidence and the utmost professionalism. Instead of worrying about them saying something wrong, your representatives can build connections with the lead.

 

3. Improves Employee Training

 

A cold calling script is valuable for training new sales employees. It acts as a proper resource for them to learn about your company and the financial services you provide.

 

In short, a cold calling script is a tangible framework for your new employees to learn from and get inspired.  

 

4. Helps Teams With Overcoming Objections

 

Objections are inevitable in cold calls. These can include concerns about fees, doubts about your expertise, or simply a lack of interest in the product at hand. However, your sales team must be prepared to address such objections confidently and turn them into opportunities. With a cold calling script, you can guide the sales reps with ideal responses to common objections. It will equip them to overcome resistance and nurture the lead.

 

5. Easier to Track Conversation Success 

 

Cold-calling scripts are easy to test and develop. You can run A/B tests, analyze which talking points are the most effective in generating leads or closing sales, and adjust accordingly. You can also use a CRM for financial advisors that offer dialer integrations and AI-powered analytics to keep track of your sales reps’ performance. 

 

For example, Pipeline CRM offers an Aircall integration, which lets you conduct cold calls and track and analyze call data within the same platform

 

For example, “Are you familiar with [Name of an organization you’ve worked with]? We tracked [XYZ] market trends and investment strategies for them and pivoted financial operations to their best potential. Last year, we saved them more than $15,000 in business expenses as well.”

 

6. Transition

 

In this step, your goal is to take the conversation from a sales pitch to a discussion. Communicate the estimated time the discussion may take and hint at the next potential step to take the conversation forward. 

 

Add something like, “I understand you’re busy, so I’ll be brief. Could you spare a few minutes to discuss the financial challenges your business is facing? If you prefer, we can also schedule a video call at your convenience.”

 

7. Questions

 

In this stage, you need to ask open-ended questions to turn the call into a mutual discussion to understand whether the lead is worth pursuing. 

 

You can ask questions like “Could you tell me a little bit about the methods you are using to save money?” or “What do your financial goals for the next quarter look like?

 

Make sure the framework here is customizable to suit the client’s specific challenges. Ask the prospect if they have any doubts or questions, too. 

 

8. Closing

 

In your closing, try to set up a follow-up meeting or call with the prospect. Suggest potential dates and times to schedule the next discussion.

 

For example, “We won’t take any more of your time today. Would you be open to scheduling a video or audio call to discuss more ideas on how you can design your budget for the next financial year?” If yes, communicate the potential date and time and ask about their availability.  

 

If they refuse, offer them a channel to contact you if they require any financial services in the future. Here, using a CRM for financial advisors will help your sales rep check the available dates and set up the follow-up accordingly. Pipeline offers a sales pipeline management feature where you can keep track of the scheduled follow-ups.

 

Tips to Write a Cold Calling Script for Lead Generation

 

Now that you know how to write a structured cold calling script, let’s see what aspects you must keep in mind to make it a valuable part of your lead generation strategies. 

 

Maintain a Positive Attitude

 

The prospect can’t see your face or body language. So, maintain an upbeat tone on the call to keep them engaged. The prospect should feel like you are delighted to assist them. Reflecting a kind and positive yet professional attitude may hook even the most difficult lead on the call for longer. 

 

Research Before Calling

 

Personalize the conversation to show them the solution you are offering is specifically tailored for them. This will show you took the time to understand the prospect, warming them up to your call. 

 

This requires you to dig deep into your client’s business and find out as much as you can about their operations and challenges. It helps you speak the prospect’s language and create a strong relationship. 

 

Look up your leads on LinkedIn to gain in-depth insights into what they do. See if they talked about any recent roadblocks their business faced. You should also check their website to understand their business better. Find out recent achievements you can mention during the cold call. 

 

Add Referrals to Your Script

 

Maybe your client hasn’t heard of your firm before. So, skepticism is valid. 

 

So, how do you make your business look credible? By adding referrals to your script. This can be your prospect’s peer in the industry or a competitor you have worked for. It will show you are an authentic and trustworthy business. 

 

Prepare Responses for Common Objections

 

Track previous sales calls with your CRM for financial advisors. Take note of the common objections prospects make during cold calls. Then, craft appropriate responses to each and add them to your script. 

 

Measure Calling Effectiveness

 

Monitor your cold calls and track the sales team performance on your CRM for lead generation. Measure the total follow-ups and demos scheduled against the total calls made to understand your cold-calling script’s effectiveness. 

 

See which script elements fail to keep the prospect engaged. Keep refining them till the results improve. You should also examine your sales team’s performance regularly on your CRM. 

 

Pipeline offers a sales team management feature where you can set and monitor sales goals and generate detailed reports on your sales team’s activities. 

 

Monitor your cold calls and track the sales team performance on your CRM for lead generation with Dialpad integration

 

You also get DialPad AI integration to track and analyze call data and offer accurate insights. Otherwise, JustCall lets you track call recordings and voicemails from the dashboard. 

 

JustCall lets you track call recordings and voicemails from the dashboard

 

Takeaway

 

Cold calling holds a bad rep. But with the right script, reliable dialer, feature-rich sales automation tools, and data-driven lead generation strategies, it can be a profitable outreach tactic for financial advisors. 

 

With Pipeline CRM, our sales solution integrates with all popular business dialers so that you can make calls and stay on top of your customer data from the same customizable dashboard. Try it out — sign up for our free trial, and start building relationships with your prospects today!

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