Real-time leads are ones that have never been contacted in the contacted in the past. They are to be contrasted with aged leads, which are people that have been marketed to already. Though some may think that real time leads are the best, there are important reasons why this may not actually be the case. The following are some reasons why considering leads that have had some time to mature may be in a business’ best interests:
They are Sales Ready!
As the title suggests, lead readiness can be an issue. What this means is that people may actually be less likely to purchase a product or service when they are contacted the first time than during subsequent contacts. People often feel pressured or on the spot when they first receive a sales communication. They have not had time to think about the product being offered and during their contact with a sales representative they may not feel they are fully ready to commit to buying, even if they are interested. This is an important fact about the sales cycle – only a certain percentage of prospects respond initially. The rest must be worked with over time to yield results.
So this is one reason why aged leads can prove more lucrative (while also actually being cheaper to purchase). People on lists of aged prospects have had time to gain an understanding of a product or service, reflect on it, and act accordingly. This more patient and sophisticated use of the sales cycle often proves very effective. The fact that is a subsequent contact gives them a sense of both better product understanding/affinity gained over time and a sense of leisure about purchasing it.
They are Cheaper!
As noted above, leads that are aged have the added advantage of being less expensive. In an effort to increase the return on their marketing investment and keep costs down, businesses should try to cut costs wherever possible. Buying a substantial portion of aged leads as part of the prospect pool is thus a good idea. Real-time leads should be included, since they sometimes do convert well, but they should not necessarily be the predominant type. As noted above leads that have already been contacts often perform better. On top of this they are lower in cost. This is the essence of a good deal.