Marketing Agency Vs. Business Owner: Who's To Blame When Leads Don't Convert To Customers?

When things don't go your way, it's easy to point the finger at external factors. We struggle to admit that we can be responsible for the unintended consequences. Entrepreneurs like me and the dentists I work with can be very proud and don't always want to think that they might be the reason that opportunities don't translate into customers (or patients in our case) and therefore they usually only focus on the most important. Source (ie leads or opportunities) rather than thinking about your internal processes.

And I know this because I've seen it before and done it myself. My company's goal as a marketing agency is to create new business opportunities for the dental clinics we serve, and we are largely responsible for the types of opportunities available to dental practices. But are we to blame for these opportunities not turning into new patients? Maybe, maybe not.

Related: Before you blame marketing for your business failures, ask these 5 questions

Collaboration is key.

Marketing agencies are often accused of producing low quality leads, and even highly specialized agencies like mine that only work with dental clinics. In theory, however, the quality of the leads we get for research depends mainly on the metrics of these leads, the data we get from the research. Of course, the more accurately we can identify the types of leads they want to attract, the better our chances of targeting that demographic within the region. That doesn't mean every lead you generate will be perfect, but most will be close to it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: marketing is a collaboration between agency and client. The more you can collaborate and develop agreements, the better the results. Dr. David Pierce, a respected dentist in New York who worked with my agency and now serves as a research consultant on this particular topic, agrees with me. In a recent article he wrote: “The more a dentist understands the marketing business, the more they can help each other and vice versa. To get the leads the business needs, they know they need to work with a marketing agency to understand the needs of the business.

It's clear that some companies have trouble identifying their ideal customer or potential customer, and that's understandable, especially if you've never taken the time to get it right. But here too, a marketing agency can be a valuable asset. Marketers are experts at finding answers. The more a business owner is willing to engage in this process, the more leads they will find and the less effort it will take to weed out the bad ones.

On the subject: Don't Blame Marketing: Five Reasons Your Business May Be Suffering

Test your process

What if you're getting a lot of leads, but those leads aren't converting into customers? So what is the marketing agency's fault? If these leaders do not meet the quality standards they set in the agency, the agency takes some responsibility. However, if those leads are still of good quality, meaning they match most, if not all, you may need to look inward to identify the gap.

Let's take an example from my marketing experience at a dental practice. Let's say the dentist receives 100 good leads from a marketing agency, but only 15 convert (ie become treated patients). This is definitely a low point. But was it because the leads weren't good enough, or was there something wrong with the studio's sales process? Again, this is where a marketing agency can be a great partner. If the dentist is willing to walk a marketing agency through the entire sales process from start to finish, they can identify pain points that prevent prospects from converting to patients.

Dr. Pierce explained this in his article, "Even if a marketing company cannot make the necessary changes, the best marketing companies have internal methods to help each of their clients improve this process." So, while a marketing agency may not be responsible for a low conversion rate, they can still help increase it to a consistent level unless the dentist is willing to work with them.

However, in my experience, quality leads do not always translate immediately into quality patients. You can find them and set up a first date, but the work doesn't have to end there. Dr. Pierce said, "Quality patients don't just walk into the office and say, 'Doc, where have you been all my life?' Dentistry develops value. It's the same for any business. Fortunately, if an entrepreneur isn't used to thinking about prospects and customers in this way, there is help. A marketing agency can work with them to create opportunities. identify and convert more leads into quality, long-term customers.

Related: 5 Things to Look for When Hiring a Marketing Agency

Trust your partner, but contribute

If sales and marketing don't come naturally to you or your team, finding a good affiliate agency will help a lot. However, for this partnership to work, you must be open to opportunities to change your approach and direction. Be sure to ask your marketing partner if they offer sales training or resources to improve your sales presentation. Sometimes they at least have materials you can use and give your staff tips on how to handle incoming leads.

How to handle new and interested prospects My company offers the perfect way to teach office staff how to properly handle phone calls and submit forms for all digital marketing activities. You can also ask your marketing company to record phone calls to give you more information about how your incoming calls are handled. This is a good way to provide concrete examples of what is going well and where you need to improve the sales process. In short, the more accessible you make yourself and your employees, the more effective your partnership will be.

It is also very important that you are loyal to your marketing partner. It is not enough to express your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the service. If you really want to benefit from the partnership, please provide details. Take notes and tell your marketing agency what you are unhappy about and why. Give specific examples of when you feel the relationship is not meeting your expectations, especially when it is new. When you provide detailed feedback, your marketing partner can better refine and adjust campaigns to fit your needs.

Once things are looking up and you've found the "golden mean", be careful not to get complacent. When things are going well, it's easy to fall back into old habits, and then results begin to decline. To avoid this, ask your marketing partner to check the status report regularly. These regular calls will help you and your partner remember your marketing strategies. It's also a good time to talk about what's working and what's not. Regular meetings keep your marketing partner informed and hold you and your staff accountable.

So who is responsible if the leaders don't work? Company or marketing agency? In my experience, no one is ever to blame, and the blame game gets you nowhere. Pointing the finger at a marketing agency that doesn't generate quality leads or a company that can't handle the sales process doesn't solve anything. Real progress happens when the marketing agency and business partner work together to achieve better results.

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