Sales Training: Lead Generation - Increase Funnel

Sales Training: Lead Generation - Increase Funnel:  from Sales Consulting | Sales Coaching & Sales Techniques| Strategic Sales Performance – CustomerCentric Selling® by Customer Centric Selling

Sales Training Article: Increase the Funnel, Drive Results

Originally published by Vince Koehler, Sales Benchmark Index (SBI)
Most B2B firms have their sales force performing the function of prospecting to fill the top of the funnel in Lead Generation. A time study will provide insight into how much time your sales reps are spending prospecting through cold calling, emailing and onsite drive-by visits. Prospecting efforts should always continue to be performed opportunistically for the sales field, but there is a better way.
World Class firms are utilizing Lead Generation efforts to generate qualified leads with the following benefits:

• Increased funnel - It's common for B2B sales forces investing in Lead Generation to increase the size of opportunities in the funnel by 10%.
• Shorter, Accelerated Sales Cycles - On average, qualified leads passed to the sales force have significantly shorter sales cycles than the average sales cycle.
• Faster Ramping New Sales Reps - It's no coincidence that World class firms who invest in demand generation find significantly shorter ramping times.
• Expanded selling capacity - Transition rep prospecting time to selling time.

Getting Started
Starting up Lead Generation is a Greenfield effort where the experts in the field are those companies who have done it and consultants who have assisted their clients. The top experts in the field today are those implementing Demand Generation programs and launching Lead Development Representative (LDR) teams. The quickest way to get started is to work with a consulting firm with experience in standing up LDR teams.
The Equation for Success: Lead Generation = Demand Generation + Lead Management
Lead Generation consists of two components...
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