business_docs

SOP: Lead Generation

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Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): Lead Generation for WordPress Masters

Purpose
This SOP outlines the processes and best practices for generating, qualifying, and managing leads for [COMPANY_NAME], a WordPress Experts Marketplace. The goal is to ensure a consistent flow of high-quality leads, optimize conversion rates, and maintain a predictable sales pipeline.

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

1. Lead Generation Channels

1.1 Inbound Channels

Inbound lead generation focuses on attracting potential clients to [COMPANY_NAME] through organic and paid strategies.
Key inbound channels include:
- Content Marketing: Publish blog posts, case studies, and whitepapers targeting WordPress-related pain points (e.g., "How to Optimize Your WordPress Site for Speed").
- Frequency: 2 blog posts per week, 1 case study per month.
- Tools: WordPress blog, Google Analytics, SEMrush.
- SEO: Optimize for keywords like "hire WordPress developer," "custom WordPress themes," and "WordPress plugin development."
- Target Keywords: 10 high-volume, low-competition keywords per quarter.
- Tools: Ahrefs, SEMrush, RankMath.
- PPC Campaigns: Run Google Ads and Facebook Ads targeting small businesses, agencies, and eCommerce stores.
- Budget: $3,000/month.
- Metrics: CTR > 3%, CPL <$50.
- Social Media: Share portfolio highlights, client testimonials, and educational content on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
- Frequency: 3 posts per week per platform.
- Tools: Buffer, Canva.
- Email Marketing: Build and nurture an email list of potential clients.
- Campaigns: Monthly newsletters, drip campaigns for new subscribers.
- Tools: Mailchimp, HubSpot.

1.2 Outbound Channels

Outbound lead generation involves proactive outreach to potential clients.
Key outbound channels include:
- Cold Email Campaigns: Target agencies, startups, and SMBs needing WordPress expertise.
- Volume: 100 emails/day.
- Tools: Apollo.io, Hunter.io.
- LinkedIn Outreach: Connect with decision-makers (e.g., CTOs, Marketing Directors) and pitch services.
- Volume: 50 connection requests/day.
- Tools: LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
- Partnership Development: Collaborate with digital marketing agencies and hosting providers to generate referrals.
- Goal: 5 new partnerships per quarter.

2. Lead Scoring Criteria

Leads will be scored based on their likelihood to convert, using a 100-point system.
- Demographics (30 points):
- Business size: SMBs (10 points), agencies (15 points), enterprises (20 points).
- Industry: eCommerce (10 points), SaaS (10 points), others (5 points).
- Behavioral (40 points):
- Website visits: 5 points per visit.
- Content downloads: 10 points per download.
- Email engagement: 5 points per open, 10 points per click.
- Fit (30 points):
- Budget: $5,000–$10,000 (10 points), $10,000+ (20 points).
- Project timeline: Immediate (10 points), 1–3 months (5 points).

Threshold for Sales Qualification: Leads scoring 70+ points are passed to the sales team.

3. Lead Qualification Framework

Adapted from BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) and MEDDIC (Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, Champion):
1. Budget: Does the client have a budget of at least $5,000 for their WordPress project?
2. Authority: Is the lead the decision-maker or directly connected to one?
3. Need: Does the lead have a clear need for WordPress development, customization, or maintenance?
4. Timeline: Is the project timeline within the next 3 months?
5. Pain Points: What specific challenges are they facing (e.g., slow website, poor UX, lack of custom features)?
6. Champion: Is there an internal advocate pushing for the project?

4. CRM Pipeline Stages

Leads will be managed in the CRM (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce) using the following pipeline stages:
1. New Lead: Initial contact made.
2. Contacted: Lead has responded to outreach.
3. Qualified: Lead meets scoring and qualification criteria.
4. Proposal Sent: Proposal or quote delivered to the lead.
5. Negotiation: Active discussions on terms and pricing.
6. Closed-Won: Lead has signed the contract.
7. Closed-Lost: Lead did not convert.

5. Follow-Up Cadences

  • Inbound Leads:
  • Day 1: Immediate email response.
  • Day 3: Follow-up email with additional resources (e.g., case study).
  • Day 7: Phone call to discuss needs.

  • Day 14: Final follow-up email.

  • Outbound Leads:

  • Day 1: Initial email.
  • Day 3: Follow-up email.
  • Day 7: LinkedIn connection request.
  • Day 10: Phone call.
  • Day 14: Final email.

6. Content Marketing Triggers

Content marketing will be used to nurture leads and drive conversions.
- Trigger 1: Lead downloads a whitepaper.
- Action: Add to email drip campaign with related content.
- Trigger 2: Lead visits pricing page.
- Action: Sales team sends a personalized email offering a consultation.
- Trigger 3: Lead engages with a case study.
- Action: Sales team follows up with a similar success story.

7. Referral Program Structure

  • Eligibility: Existing clients, partners, and affiliates.
  • Incentives:
  • $500 for every referred client who spends $5,000+.
  • 10% commission for partners on referred projects.
  • Process:
    1. Referrer submits lead via [WEBSITE_URL]/referral.
    2. Sales team qualifies the lead.
    3. Referrer receives payment within 30 days of project completion.

8. Conversion Benchmarks

  • Inbound Leads:
  • Conversion Rate (Lead to Customer): 10%.
  • Average Deal Size: $7,500.
  • Outbound Leads:
  • Conversion Rate (Lead to Customer): 5%.
  • Average Deal Size: $10,000.
  • Referral Leads:
  • Conversion Rate (Lead to Customer): 20%.
  • Average Deal Size: $8,000.

9. Reporting Cadence

  • Weekly Reports:
  • Metrics: Number of new leads, lead sources, conversion rates, pipeline velocity.
  • Owner: Marketing Manager.

  • Deadline: Every Monday by 10:00 AM.

  • Monthly Reports:

  • Metrics: ROI on lead generation campaigns, cost per lead (CPL), cost per acquisition (CPA).
  • Owner: Marketing and Sales Teams.

  • Deadline: 5th of each month.

  • Quarterly Reviews:

  • Metrics: Lead quality trends, channel performance, revenue attribution.
  • Owner: Marketing Director.
  • Deadline: 10th of the first month of each quarter.

10. Exception Handling

  • Unresponsive Leads: Leads unresponsive after the final follow-up will be marked as "Dormant" in the CRM and re-engaged after 90 days.
  • Low-Quality Leads: Leads scoring below 50 points will be marked as "Disqualified" and excluded from future follow-ups.
  • Escalations: Any disputes or unclear lead qualifications should be escalated to the Sales Manager ([REPRESENTATIVE_NAME], [REPRESENTATIVE_TITLE]) for resolution within 24 hours.

11. Review Schedule

This SOP will be reviewed and updated quarterly to ensure alignment with business goals and market trends. The next review is scheduled for [DATE].

Owner: Marketing Director
Approval: CEO

This SOP is now ready for implementation. Please customize placeholders ([COMPANY_NAME], etc.) and integrate into your operational workflows.

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