Optimizing the Lead Handling Process: An Interview With Richard Greenwood

With a rich digital marketing career that took flight over 15 years ago, Richard has worn many hats, from SEO Manager for Australia's largest travel agent, Flight Centre, to scaling up law firms. 

He's also the Founder of Leadtree Marketing and uses his expertise to help businesses from different sectors make the most of online leads. Our conversation highlights common mistakes in managing leads and sheds light on how to build a strong lead conversion system.

Richard, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Could you briefly talk about your journey so far?

My digital career began in SEO over 15 years ago, discovering the passion for digital marketing while running a financial comparison side hustle. I went on to work for major clients, such as Australia's largest travel agent, Flight Centre, as SEO Manager before moving into agency roles and then back in-house to help scale up two law firms over the past 8 years.

Could you tell us more about what you do currently or what your company does?

My company, Leadtree Marketing, helps clients in Australia, the UK, Europe, and North America to attract, nurture, and convert more online leads into customers. We specialize in the legal, health, and travel sectors, specifically for companies that rely on online leads and phone calls. We strongly believe that the job of any agency is not complete until the true objectives (a fully signed-up paying client) are achieved.

A lot of companies tend to focus on lead generation but pay less attention to the lead handling process. Could you tell us why the latter is so important?

Absolutely. I discovered the critical nature of lead handling during my tenure in a law firm. Despite generating strong leads, many didn’t materialize into appointments or signed clients due to factors like slow callbacks and lack of follow-up. Optimizing each step of the lead handling process not only improved the conversion rates but also prepared the firm for scalable marketing efforts.

You pointed out common mistakes like lack of urgency and follow-up in handling leads. How do these affect lead conversion?

The timing of response is crucial. A delay might find a potential client’s attention shifted elsewhere. Also, the absence of a follow-up system can cause leads to fall through the cracks, especially those received during off-hours. Addressing these issues can significantly improve the first impression and the eventual conversion rate.

Could you share some best practices for effective lead follow-up?

Utilizing two-way SMS can ensure almost every message gets seen and allows easy replies. A robust CRM like Hubspot or Pipedrive helps in tracking every lead and scheduling callbacks. Platforms like CallPage are also effective in offering instant or scheduled callbacks, adding a formal touch to the interaction, and making potential clients feel more valued.

Absolutely, technology is important in streamlining the lead handling process. Could you illustrate its impact through a specific example?

Certainly. In one instance, a law firm I worked with transitioned from a dated management system to a unified inbox using Frontapp. This change brought all online lead sources together, facilitating better oversight, quicker responses, and ultimately, a sharp increase in signed clients due to reduced lead response times and better lead management.

It’s important to keep your tools up-to-date! On a closing note, any recommendations for SaaS or B2B enterprises looking to upgrade their lead-management procedures?

It's crucial to scrutinize every step of your lead handling process, identify pain points, and seek both internal and external solutions. Improving your lead nurturing funnel should be a priority if scaling up is the goal. Before investing more in marketing campaigns, ensure you're maximizing the potential of your existing traffic and leads.

Appreciate the knowledge share, Richard! It's clear now to everyone that effective lead management is not to be taken lightly.

It was my pleasure. Optimizing the lead handling process is indeed a game-changer in achieving better ROI and scaling up effectively.