Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): Lead Generation for Big Data Staging Academy

Effective Date: [DATE]
Prepared By: [REPRESENTATIVE_NAME], [REPRESENTATIVE_TITLE]
Approved By: [REPRESENTATIVE_NAME], [REPRESENTATIVE_TITLE]

Purpose

This SOP outlines the processes, tools, and strategies for generating, qualifying, and nurturing leads for Big Data Staging Academy ([WEBSITE_URL]). The goal is to establish a consistent pipeline of high-quality leads for our data staging courses and services, ensuring alignment with our revenue targets and brand positioning as the go-to academy for transforming raw data into reliable pipelines.

Scope

This SOP applies to all marketing, sales, and customer success team members involved in lead generation, qualification, and conversion. It covers both inbound and outbound lead generation strategies, lead scoring and qualification frameworks, CRM pipeline management, follow-up cadences, content marketing triggers, referral program structure, and reporting requirements.

Definitions

• Lead: A potential customer who has expressed interest in Big Data Staging Academy's offerings.
• Inbound Lead: A lead generated through organic or paid marketing efforts such as website visits, content downloads, or webinar registrations.
• Outbound Lead: A lead identified and contacted through proactive outreach efforts such as cold emails, LinkedIn messages, or industry events.
• BANT: Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline — a lead qualification framework.
• MEDDIC: Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, Champion — a lead qualification framework adapted for enterprise-level leads.
• CRM: Customer Relationship Management software used to track and manage leads (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce).

Responsibilities

Step-by-Step Procedures

1. Inbound Lead Generation

Channels:

• Website Optimization:
• Ensure [WEBSITE_URL] has clear CTAs (e.g., "Enroll Now," "Download Free Guide") on every page.
• Use tools like Google Analytics and Hotjar to track visitor behavior and optimize conversion rates.

• Target conversion rate: 5% of total website visitors.

• Content Marketing:

• Publish 2 blog posts per month targeting keywords such as "data staging best practices" and "ETL pipeline training."
• Create gated content (e.g., whitepapers, eBooks) with lead capture forms.

• Example: "The Ultimate Guide to Building Reliable Data Pipelines" (targeting mid-level data engineers).

• Webinars and Workshops:

• Host monthly webinars on topics like "Optimizing ETL Pipelines for Big Data" or "Common Data Staging Pitfalls."
• Use platforms like Zoom or Demio for hosting.

• Target: 50 attendees per webinar, with a 20% conversion rate to leads.

• Paid Ads:

• Run Google Ads targeting keywords like "data staging training" and "ETL certification."
• Allocate $2,000/month with a target cost per lead (CPL) of $50.

Lead Capture Process:

1. Use embedded forms (via HubSpot or Typeform) to collect lead information.
2. Automate lead routing to the CRM with Zapier or native integrations.
3. Assign leads to the sales team within 24 hours of capture.

2. Outbound Lead Generation

Channels:

• Cold Email Campaigns:
• Use tools like Apollo.io or SalesLoft to identify and email prospects (e.g., data engineers, data architects, and analytics managers).
• Personalize emails with references to their company’s data challenges.

• Send 100 emails/week with a target response rate of 10%.

• LinkedIn Outreach:

• Connect with 20 new prospects per week in roles such as "ETL Developer" or "Data Engineer."

• Share relevant content (e.g., blog posts, webinar invites) in follow-up messages.

• Industry Events:

• Attend 3 industry conferences per year (e.g., Strata Data Conference, DataOps Summit).
• Collect business cards and follow up within 48 hours with a personalized email.

3. Lead Scoring and Qualification

Lead Scoring Criteria:

• Assign scores based on engagement and fit:
• Engagement:
  • Downloaded a whitepaper: +10 points
  • Attended a webinar: +20 points
  • Opened 3+ emails: +15 points

• Fit:

  • Job title matches target audience (e.g., Data Engineer): +20 points
  • Company size > 50 employees: +10 points

• Threshold for Sales Handoff: Leads scoring 50+ points are passed to the sales team for qualification.

Qualification Framework:

• BANT (for individual learners):
• Budget: Can they afford the course fee (e.g., $1,500 for a 6-week program)?
• Authority: Are they the decision-maker for their own training?
• Need: Do they have a clear need to improve their data staging skills?

• Timeline: Are they ready to enroll in the next cohort?

• MEDDIC (for enterprise clients):

• Metrics: What KPIs are they trying to improve (e.g., ETL pipeline efficiency)?
• Economic Buyer: Who approves training budgets?
• Decision Criteria: What factors influence their decision (e.g., curriculum, instructor expertise)?
• Decision Process: What is their internal approval process?
• Identify Pain: What specific data challenges are they facing?
• Champion: Is there an internal advocate for our program?

4. CRM Pipeline Stages

1. New Lead: Initial contact made; awaiting response.
2. Engaged Lead: Responded to outreach or engaged with content.
3. Qualified Lead: Passed BANT/MEDDIC criteria; ready for sales call.
4. Proposal Sent: Received pricing or enrollment details.
5. Closed-Won: Enrolled in a course or signed enterprise agreement.
6. Closed-Lost: Did not convert; reasons documented.

5. Follow-Up Cadences

• Inbound Leads:
• Day 1: Automated welcome email.
• Day 3: Follow-up email with additional resources.
• Day 7: Sales call attempt.

• Day 14: Final follow-up email.

• Outbound Leads:

• Day 1: Initial email or LinkedIn message.
• Day 3: Follow-up email with case study or testimonial.
• Day 7: Sales call attempt.
• Day 10: Final email with a limited-time offer.

6. Content Marketing Triggers

• Blog Posts: Publish content aligned with upcoming webinars or courses.
• Email Campaigns: Send targeted emails promoting new content or events.
• Social Media: Post 3 times per week on LinkedIn, focusing on industry tips and success stories.

7. Referral Program Structure

• Individual Learners:
• Offer a $100 discount for both the referrer and referee on their next course.
• Enterprise Clients:
• Offer a 10% discount on the next corporate training package for successful referrals.

8. Conversion Benchmarks

• Website visitor-to-lead conversion: 5%
• Lead-to-qualified lead conversion: 30%
• Qualified lead-to-enrollment conversion: 20%
• Overall lead-to-enrollment conversion: 3%

9. Reporting Cadence

• Weekly Reports:
• Leads generated by channel.
• Conversion rates at each CRM stage.

• CPL and ROI for paid campaigns.

• Monthly Reports:

• Content performance (e.g., blog views, webinar attendance).
• Referral program results.

• Overall pipeline health and revenue projections.

• Quarterly Reviews:

• Adjust lead scoring criteria based on performance.
• Reallocate budget to high-performing channels.

Escalation Path

• Issues with lead quality: Report to Marketing Manager.
• CRM or technical issues: Escalate to Operations Manager.
• Low conversion rates: Escalate to Sales Manager for strategy review.

Review Schedule

This SOP will be reviewed quarterly by the Operations Manager to ensure alignment with business goals and market conditions. Updates will be communicated to all relevant teams.

Prepared By: [REPRESENTATIVE_NAME]
Approved By: [REPRESENTATIVE_NAME]
Date: [DATE]