We've talked about lead generation and pipeline marketing, but how exactly do they differ?
Of course, you need leads for any type of marketing to be successful. However, the sales pipeline proves that you don’t need excessive leads to build a revenue-generating business.
So let’s look at some of the specific differences between lead generation and pipeline marketing so you can refine your marketing strategy successfully.
Top-of-funnel focus vs. full-funnel focus
Lead generation focuses on the top of the funnel. It is designed to pour as many potential leads as possible into the funnel.
Read also: Y-shaped sales funnel: discover the benefits for your company
It's like thinking. You know you want to create something, so you vietnam mobile database sit down with a piece of paper and a pen. Then you let your imagination run wild, writing down every idea that comes to mind.
Eventually, when it comes time to actually create something, you won't use many of these ideas.
Some of them may even make little sense. While others are not specific, interesting, compelling or broad enough to warrant compliance.
An analogy to make it easier to understand:
It's like brainstorming: it's a great exercise, but it also results in a lot of unworkable ideas. So you put those ideas in your mental trash can and move on only with the ideas that might actually turn into something you can use.
Lead generation operates on the same principles. Businesses know that no matter how many leads they collect, some will never turn into customers.
Yet, they continue to pour leads into the funnel because they hope that at least some of them will buy their products.
Pipeline marketing is different. It doesn’t cut off the top of the funnel — if it did, how would an entrepreneur generate any sales? However, it requires a full-funnel approach.
In other words, after capturing leads, the marketing and sales team works to move as many of them as possible through the entire funnel . Until they finally emerge as customers.