Does it happen that a person from your sales team sends outbound emails to prospects hoping to win their accounts but realizes someone from within the organization is already in touch with them from their responses? Doesn’t this feel awkward when this happens? It is just one scenario, and you could be okay with it to a certain extent. However, it feels terrible when the recipient informs you that they have been your existing customers for these many years. It’s an error that needs quick fixing to protect your reputation. How do you solve this?
Technologies have improved, making systems and process much more intelligent. You can address this concern efficiently by choosing a software solution that compares the leads with the accounts on various parameters and helps identify which are good to go with or best to avoid. Since they sort out existing ones even if there are typos, the chances of sending communications to them in search of new prospects get further reduced. You may wonder how to find such a solution. Look for lead-to-account matching and routing. Such systems save your salespeople’s precious time on backtracking the replies and keep your internal matters safe from your client’s eyes.
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The workings of lead-to-account matching
While there are multiple ways, a simple technique is matching the lead’s email id. Check the domain name and compare it with the account. Most people use this manual method. If you use lead to account matching software, the same process feels simplified, faster, and more efficient. Suppose you get a prospective customer account with the proper email address john@lotterysystem.com. The tool will look for anything matching the domain name www.lotterysystem.com. If someone from your team is already dealing with one of the people from this company, the lead will go to that sales rep. Remember, different software solutions can have various fields. Because features and functionalities vary, it’s necessary to get the basics of these tools right.
Generally, these tools follow three main concepts: lead routing or distribution of leads based on pre-decided rules, a trigger event caused by any modification in the CRM, and email or messaging app notification for captured leads to help the sales team follow up with them. Some may argue one can do these manually, also. While that’s true, the scope of human errors remains higher in this process. And if you want to scale CRM, manual handling can be more cumbersome. However, algorithms tend to be more precise. So, let’s explore some features of these tools to choose better.
Lead matching
This technique can compare texts, strings, and entries with the existing accounts in your CRM. Since specific texts contain suffixes, nicknames, misspelled words, and unique characters, string match may not be full-proof. The fuzzy technique can detect even the tiniest similarities and differences in the texts to give the most accurate results. Suppose the lead came from Apple Inc. and your CRM has Apple. It will match these texts. Likewise, International Business Machines, I.B.M., and IBM variations can be detectable.
Tiebreaker rules
Lead matching can return multiple matching accounts against a lead. You will check them to determine the best match. This step becomes easy with tiebreaks. An improved tiebreaker system can identify the best matching account for a lead.
Lead-to-contact conversion
It can be lengthy to review and process all CRM leads manually. The inbound leads can include current accounts, target accounts, prospects, and more. Many of them can be worthy of follow-ups. This step can become smooth if you get a feature to track your leads. At the same time, the software should give you control so that you can cover areas where there has been a gap from the software’s end. Not every tool offers manual reviewing power. So, it can be good to find something that has this facility.
Why should you opt for lead-to-matching software?
Lead generation is a critical part of any business. But lead management is equally crucial, and most companies forget to consider this. Consequently, either leads go waste or people spend more time on something already existing in the system. Both scenarios are not good, such as not nurturing them or reaching out to existing accounts thinking it’s a new lead. When you get the software to manage them, your marketing strategies become more organized and targeted. You can route the inbound accounts to the best man and get quicker wins. Studies show that you get 50% higher qualified leads through nurturing at about 33% more affordable investment.
Another risk that gets checked is trying to contact a customer multiple times. It happens when one person doesn’t know another team member is already talking about that account. With lead-to-account matching, you can do away with this embarrassing situation. When the entire lead mapping process improves, your internal communication improves. Instant lead matching and distribution help nurture the relationship with the future client. It enhances customer experience and retention too. Plus, CRM systems can have erroneous data. You can sort out your database efficiently with a solid lead-to-account matching tool. You can rest assured of the accurate and smooth data flow.
It can sound repetitive, but these platforms help improve your company’s sales figures through proper lead distribution and nurturing opportunities. The best data matching ability allows sales reps to work on those accounts and close them. You can also measure your team’s sales performance by looking at your marketing pipeline.
If your customers are unhappy, leads are missing, or revenue has dipped or stagnated, it indicates a problem with lead management. You can generate many pipeline numbers through marketing campaigns, but the effort will only be helpful if one handles them correctly. You can eliminate all your stress if you find a tool that matches leads to accounts and enables quick assignment of the same to a suitable sales rep. Your sales teams’ productivity can zoom up, and revenue figures may also improve. So, free your time from manual handling and opt for a platform that can systematize your inbound leads. Let the people look into them and work on them.
