Automating Lead Gathering and Routing

NOTE: This is part three in our 6-part series about Sales and Marketing Workflow Automation. To start at the beginning, click here.

Are you tired of manually collecting and distributing leads? Do you find yourself spending hours inputting data from trade shows, website forms, and other sources? It's time to automate your lead gathering and routing process. By implementing an automated system, you can save time, reduce errors, and ensure that leads are promptly followed up on by the right people.

Imagine this scenario: Your company attends a trade show and collects hundreds of leads using paper forms. Your sales team spends days manually inputting the data into spreadsheets and then distributing the leads to the appropriate reps based on territory or product interest. With an automated lead gathering and routing system, you can capture leads electronically using tablets or kiosks, even without an internet connection. The data can then be synced with your CRM when a connection is established, and leads are instantly routed to the right sales reps based on predefined criteria.

Key Benefits of Automating Your Lead Gathering and Routing Process

Automating your lead gathering and routing process can provide numerous benefits for your business. By streamlining your lead capture, distribution, and tracking processes, you can save time, reduce errors, and ultimately drive more conversions and revenue. Let's take a closer look at some of the key benefits of automating your lead gathering and routing process.

1. Streamlined Lead Capture

An automated system allows you to capture leads electronically using online forms, tablets, or kiosks. This eliminates the need for manual data entry and reduces the risk of errors. For example, if you're collecting leads at an outdoor event with no wifi, you can use tablets with offline functionality to capture lead information and sync it with your CRM when an internet connection is available.

2. Instant Lead Distribution

With an automated routing system, leads can be instantly distributed to the appropriate sales reps based on predefined criteria, such as geography, industry, or product interest. This ensures that leads are promptly followed up on by the right people, increasing the chances of conversion. For instance, if a lead comes in from a specific industry, the system can automatically route it to the sales rep specializing in that sector.

3. Improved Data Accuracy

Automating your lead gathering process reduces the risk of errors associated with manual data entry. Electronic lead capture ensures that data is accurately recorded and automatically synced with your CRM, eliminating the need for double entry and minimizing the chances of missing or incorrect information.

4. Increased Efficiency

By automating lead gathering and routing, you can save your sales team valuable time that would otherwise be spent on manual data entry and lead distribution. This allows them to focus on what they do best: engaging with prospects and closing deals. For example, instead of spending hours inputting data from trade show forms, your sales reps can focus on following up with hot leads and nurturing relationships.

5. Better Lead Tracking and Reporting

An automated lead gathering and routing system provides better visibility into the lead management process. You can easily track the source of each lead, monitor follow-up activities, and measure conversion rates. This data can be used to optimize your lead generation efforts and make data-driven decisions to improve your sales and marketing strategies.

As you can see, automating your lead gathering and routing process can have a significant impact on your business. By streamlining your lead capture, ensuring instant distribution to the right sales reps, improving data accuracy, increasing efficiency, and providing better tracking and reporting, you can set your business up for success. Whether you're collecting leads at trade shows, on your website, or through other channels, automation can help you make the most of every opportunity and drive more revenue for your business.

Lead Gathering and Routing Automation Solutions

When considering automating your lead gathering and routing processes, it's essential to explore the various solutions available and understand their key features and benefits. Here are some common lead gathering and routing automation solutions that can be used at events, trade shows, and on websites:

1. Online Form Builders and Landing Page Tools

Online form builders and landing page tools allow you to create custom forms and landing pages to capture lead information from your website visitors. These tools often provide drag-and-drop interfaces, making it easy to design professional-looking forms without coding knowledge.

Key features include customizable form fields, responsive design, and integration with popular CRM and marketing automation platforms. By using these tools, you can streamline your online lead capture process and ensure that leads are automatically routed to the right team members for follow-up.

2. Event Lead Capture Apps and Kiosks

Event lead capture apps and kiosks are designed to help you collect lead information at events and trade shows. These solutions often include features like customizable forms, offline functionality, and the ability to sync data with your CRM when an internet connection is available.

Some companies, like Morning Fresh Dairy, use creative solutions such as photo booths to capture leads at events. When people take a picture at the booth, they enter their email address to receive the photo, which includes the dairy's logo. This fun and engaging approach encourages event attendees to provide their contact information, making it easier to follow up with them after the event.

3. iPads for Sales Teams

Equipping your sales team with iPads or other tablets can be a highly effective way to gather leads at events and trade shows. By providing each sales person with an iPad, you can enable them to quickly and easily collect lead information by having potential leads fill out a short form directly on the device.

Key features to look for in an iPad lead capture solution include customizable forms, offline functionality, and the ability to sync data with your CRM. When designing your lead capture form for iPads, be sure to keep the questions short and focused on essential information to encourage more people to complete the form.

4. Business Card Scanners

Business card scanners are another useful tool for automating lead gathering at events and trade shows. These devices allow you to quickly scan business cards and automatically extract contact information, which can then be synced with your CRM.

Some business card scanners even use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to accurately capture information from cards with unique designs or layouts. By using a business card scanner, you can reduce manual data entry and ensure that lead information is quickly and accurately captured.

5. QR Code Lead Capture

QR codes are a simple and effective way to capture lead information at events, trade shows, or even from printed materials like brochures or flyers. By creating a unique QR code that links to a lead capture form, you can encourage potential leads to scan the code with their smartphones and provide their contact information.

QR code lead capture solutions often include features like customizable forms, mobile-responsive designs, and integration with popular CRM and marketing automation platforms.

When selecting a lead gathering and routing automation solution, consider your specific needs and requirements. Look for solutions that integrate seamlessly with your existing CRM and marketing automation tools, provide customizable forms and fields, and offer features like offline functionality and data syncing. By choosing the right solution for your business, you can streamline your lead gathering and routing processes, improve data accuracy, and ultimately drive more conversions and revenue.

Use Case

Morning Fresh, a family-owned agricultural company, automated their lead gathering and routing process by integrating Bookeo (tour booking system) and MailChimp with a custom bridge built by Diggles Creative. The custom bridge software automatically checks Bookeo for new event attendees, verifies their customer status in MailChimp, and adds them to the appropriate prospect or customer list. This automation ensures that leads are properly qualified and routed to the right nurturing campaigns, saving the company time and effort.

The implementation of this fully automated lead gathering and routing system has led to significant improvements in Morning Fresh Dairy's conversion rates. By consistently following up with prospects after events, the company has seen an increase in the number of event participants being converted into customers. The automated system ensures that prospects receive timely and relevant communication, effectively nurturing them towards a purchase decision.

One of the key challenges Morning Fresh Dairy faced was integrating their lead gathering and routing automation with their existing delivery management system. However, Diggles Creative worked closely with the DMS developer to create a custom solution for the dairy that seamlessly connects the tour booking software, MailChimp, and the DMS. This integration allows for a smooth flow of data and enables the automation of key processes, such as checking customer status and moving prospects to the appropriate mailing lists.

The success of Morning Fresh Dairy's automated lead gathering and routing system demonstrates the power of automation in driving business growth. By streamlining the lead capture process, ensuring prompt and consistent follow-up, and seamlessly integrating with existing systems, companies can significantly improve their conversion rates and overall efficiency. Morning Fresh Dairy's experience serves as a compelling example of how automation can transform lead management processes and deliver tangible results.

Harnessing the Power of Automated Lead Gathering and Routing

Automating your lead gathering and routing process is a critical component of a comprehensive sales and marketing workflow automation strategy. It contributes to lead generation by streamlining lead capture and ensuring that leads are promptly distributed to the right people. It also enhances the customer experience by enabling timely and personalized follow-up, increasing the chances of conversion.

However, it's important to note that the specific solutions developed for Morning Fresh Dairy were tailored to their unique needs and requirements. While their example provides valuable insights and demonstrates the potential of workflow automation, every company is different and has its own set of challenges and goals.

To truly harness the power of automated lead gathering and routing, it's essential to work with experienced automation experts who can understand your company's unique needs and develop a customized solution that seamlessly integrates with your existing systems and processes. By doing so, you can unlock the full potential of automation and drive significant improvements in your lead management, conversion rates, and overall business growth.

Your Partner in Automation Success: Diggles Creative

At Diggles Creative, we specialize in helping companies like yours automate their lead gathering and routing processes. Our team of experienced automation experts will work closely with you to understand your unique needs, existing systems, and business goals. We'll develop a customized solution that seamlessly integrates with your CRM and other key platforms, ensuring a smooth flow of data and enabling the automation of critical processes.

Don't let manual lead management hold your business back any longer. Contact Diggles Creative today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help you harness the power of automated lead gathering and routing. Let us be your partner in automation success and take your lead management to the next level. Send us an email or call (970) 744-3611 to get started.