The existence of a good pipeline can make or break an agency. This is especially true for agencies in the business of digital marketing because this is a relatively young industry that is constantly changing.
Without a steady flow of leads, a business’s sales figures will dwindle. Since digital marketing is an ever-evolving field, an effective pipeline is all the more crucial.
What Makes an Effective Pipeline?
An effective pipeline is capable of generating quality leads. In the digital marketing world, quality means leads with a certain amount of interest. The more interest they have in your services, the better your chances of landing the sale.
The Digital Marketing Pipeline Framework
The most effective pipelines are simple. They usually have a clear-cut framework focused on generating and converting leads. If you don’t know how to build a pipeline for a digital marketing agency, try following this step-by-step process:
1. Generating the Lead
The first step in the pipeline is generating the lead. This could be from any number of sources. You could be getting leads from your website, social media platforms, blog, paid digital advertising, or word of mouth. The key here is to generate enough leads to have a steady flow.
2. Making Contact
Once you’ve generated the leads, you need to get in touch with them. You can do this via your website, email, phone calls, meetings, panels, events, or social media. This stage could sometimes take a little while, as it requires your lead to be receptive,
3. Engaging the Lead
At this point, you’ve made contact with your lead. You’ve got their attention, and you should be engaging them as much as possible to learn more about their needs. Use this opportunity to educate them further regarding your agency and your services. This is also a good chance to learn more about your lead and their qualifications.
4. Qualifying the Lead
This stage is where you determine whether or not your lead is worth pursuing. You’ve got their attention, and they’re listening to what you tell them, but will they be able to hire your services? Try pitching potential services to see if they can. If they’re interested but not ready, maintain the relationship, but if they’re not qualified, it may be time to move on to a new lead.
5. Closing the Deal
This is the most critical stage in your pipeline. If your lead is qualified, you’re ready to close the deal. They will either accept your proposal, reject it, or take their time in making a decision. If they’re not prepared, they may be coming back to you at a later date.
6. Accepting or Rejecting
Depending on your lead’s response, there are two ways to go about this stage. If they accept your proposal, you may begin with onboarding. If they reject your proposal, try to maintain the relationship to potentially close the deal in the future.
Conclusion
The pipeline process is the way of life in the digital marketing industry, where leads are constantly coming and going. If you’re going to be building an effective pipeline, you should always be focused on generating leads and closing deals. In order to build an effective pipeline and sustain your business, follow this process and see for yourself how well it works.
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