Lead Generation

Whether you work as a financial or mortgage adviser or even, god forsake us, as a recruitment consultant in the UK financial services market, chances are you will have been approached by a  lead generator.  Usually its a company located in India or in some cases in the UK but it almost always consists of banks of cold callers who will pre qualify a lead, usually with a scripted questionnaire of inappropriate questions.  Most will take your money and run whilst supplying you with ridiculously poor leads that have once upon a time, maybe last year, asked about a mortgage or a bond or if a recruitment consultancy, a job.

A year or perhaps two year ago, how many business's needed to employ the services of a lead generator?  Most were basking in the warm glow of a booming economy and leads were coming from traditional means, referral and recommendation, networking, cold calling yourself even.  As business dried up so did the leads and now most firms, whichever segment of the financial services market they work in are finding that lead generators are a viable and most times valuable resource.

I think its very much dependant on the initial outlay.  Well qualified leads from outsourced generating companies can be expensive and the ratio for success is something like 2 or 3 out of every ten.  So, imagine if each lead costs 50 GBP, to get a good return you will need to buy a large amount and that means a significant outlay.  And how many companies these days have that money to spare?

I would suggest that even if its difficult to find, it could be money well spent.  With most organisations finding it hard to see where the next business is coming from, a source of well qualified leads from a well managed and reputable company are a lifeline not to be scoffed at. It does however require finding a good company to use.  Find out what your colleagues or your peers are using, get a recommendation and don't be afraid to contact these companies and ask to speak to companies that have or are using them.  If they are any good they will supply you with names.

In any case lead generators are here to stay and until the economy starts to resemble, once again, the boom times of two years ago they are a viable source of income.