Regardless of the term used, relationship marketing is a series of communications that build positive awareness and trust in future buyers. Nationally, less than 25% of all sales inquiries are followed up.
If you can beat the national average, you will be viewed as more responsive than your competitors.
S.U.R.E. Fire Direct Response Marketing, Russell Kern, 2001
An estimated 80 percent of leads are typically lost, ignored or discarded, compromising top-line revenue growth. Some 73 percent of respondents in this survey say their company has no process for re-qualifying and revisiting business leads.
Source BPM Forum
Six months after expressing interest
- 26% purchased the type of product promoted
- 56% planned to buy
- 33% still had budget authorization for the purchase
Earl Wilson and Associates
Based on more than 2000 did-you-buy survey questionnaires
Research shows that 45% of all sales inquiries from any source convert to a sale within 12 months
The average person takes 5 seconds to decide if an envelope is worth opening. Handwritten messages get opened.
The latest reports indicate that field sales cost a company $500 to $650 per call. One of the reasons for this high expense is the time value of top sales executives who earn $75,000 to $250,000 a year.
S.U.R.E. Fire Direct Response Marketing, Russell Kern, 2001
Print advertising and press releases study conducted by Cahners Business Information.
- 23% of the companies inquiring had purchased the product or service advertised
- 67% said they were still planning to buy
- 10% said they were no longer considering a purchase
Of those who made a purchase
11% bought within three months. 17% within four to six months. 25% within seven to twelve months. 47% bought more than twelve months after inquiring.
S.U.R.E. Fire Direct Response Marketing, Russell Kern, 2001
Factors that influenced whether they would open the envelope
- Handwritten envelopes were the most likely to be opened
- Type of postage was the second most important factor with a preference to stamps and an aversion to third-class permit postage
- The third most important factor is the presence of a return address
A study by Pitney Bowes of 420 consumers
