How To Effectively Convert MQLs From Gated Content

Acquiring Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) is just the beginning when it comes to Digital Marketing. Next comes the trickier part: effectively nurturing and converting those leads into loyal customers.

In this blog, we’re looking at how to effectively convert MQLs from gated content downloads, with a strategic approach that guides prospects seamlessly through their buying journey.

Here are 10 strategies to effectively nurture and convert MQLs into valuable customers:

  1. Segment and Personalise

Segmentation is key. Group MQLs based on demographics, behaviour, and where they are in their journey. Then, personalise your content to cater to the specific pain points and needs of each segment.

  1. Lead Nurturing Campaigns

Gradually introduce relevant content and take advantage of a multi-channel approach by engaging leads across various platforms like email campaigns, social media and webinars.

  1. Content Mapping

Align your offerings with the different stages of the buyer’s journey. Provide informative content at every step to guide leads closer to conversion.

  1. Engagement and Interaction

Use interactive content tools such as live webinars, polls, calculators and ROI tools to engage leads and gather valuable insights. Encourage prompt interaction and respond swiftly to inquiries.

  1. Qualification

Define clear criteria for when a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) becomes a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL).

  1. Continuous Analysis and Optimisation

Keep a close eye on your metrics. Monitor KPIs such as conversion rates and engagement metrics. Continuously experiment through A/B testing to optimise your nurturing campaigns.

  1. Sales and Marketing Alignment

Ensure strong collaboration between your marketing and sales teams. Foster open communication and create a feedback loop to refine MQL criteria and nurturing strategies.

  1. Customer-Centric Approach

Focus on value. Showcase how your product or service resolves specific pain points rather than just its features. Offer educational resources that empower leads to make informed decisions.

  1. Lead Follow-Up

Timing is everything. Ensure swift follow-ups and sustained engagement with your leads. Automate reminders within your CRM to maintain the conversation flow.

  1. Retargeting and Remarketing

Utilise retargeting ads and personalised offers to re-engage MQLs who have shown interest but haven’t converted yet.

By applying these strategies with precision and dedication, you can effectively nurture and guide MQLs through their journey, transforming them into loyal customers. This approach will not only boost conversions but also foster long-term relationships with your audience, driving sustainable growth for your business.

Opinion piece by Digital Marketing Manager, Becca Duckering

All You Need to Know About Using Data in Outbound Sales

At the close of last year, our exclusive roundtable, hailed by viewers as ‘the event of the year’ and one of our most successful yet, brought together the leading minds from all major data providers in the industry to discuss everything you need to know about using data in outbound sales. Offering key insights across strategy, intent data, data accuracy and the best practices for utilising data – it’s an absolute must-watch for anybody involved in the sales process.

Hosted by Air’s Founder & CEO, Owen Richards, our expert panel featured:

Here, their insights are revealed:

Everything Starts with Your ICP

“Many clients don’t know what their TAM (Total Addressable Market) is” says Liz Fulham. One of the common pitfalls of outbound sales is the spray and pray approach.

Ringing everyone on a list with no process or targeting strategy in place is what Paul Gilhooly calls a sure “revenue and productivity killer.”

The best way to lift your revenue line is to know who to target, what their pain points are and “how your solution fits into your prospect’s organisation” as Saif Khan offers.

Have an Efficient Operating Model

The importance of having a clear and efficient operating model within sales cannot be overstated. After all, data and outbound go hand in hand.  A good operating model will tie into that strategy and allow you to maximise your data for success. Paul Gilhooly informed us that 5-10% of your TAM will be in-market at any given moment. Ensuring that you have a process of capturing those accounts will help you to prioritise the most important accounts that are in-market for your solution. As he is says “In this economy, missing out on opportunities is the worst, so if you don’t have a process for that you’re missing a trick.”

Saif echoes and elaborates on the importance of having the tools and a blueprint of how you’re going to reach your goals. “The two biggest things are alignment and resource allocation” he says. With everyone in the team being asked to do more with less these days, it’s important that sales and marketing teams communicate and that you are providing for the accounts that have the highest yield. It’s not enough to focus on the leads generated at the top of the funnel anymore, so leveraging data from all departments to inform how you approach sales is fundamental. 

Using Data Effectively

Many companies come to data providers with the goal of enhancing their revenue but think they need to “rip and replace” all the data they have collected so far. Saif says it’s actually all about assimilating what has worked up until now and leveraging the right solutions to understand where the volume and quality of leads can be improved. When you understand the bigger picture, you can build short- and long-term plans for your success.

AI

AI is changing the world. It has so many uses within outbound sales such as helping SDRs to create ICPs based on their best-selling customers. Paul Gilhooly also explains how within 6sense’s platform it can be used to do a statistical lookback at the last few years of your CRM data and identify key trends and opportunities.

AI can be instrumental in getting the timing of outreach right, as well as providing a workflow to help you to prioritise the best opportunities. Liz explains that “using AI we’re able to match the data in the CRM to bring it right up to date with what’s happening on the internet.” In fact, it’s so powerful that it can update a changed job role from LinkedIn within minutes. This is amazing for reducing duplication and data accuracy.

Intent Data

Intent data is all about understanding the dynamic of how people buy today. Paul offers up two key questions here:

  • Do we want to contact the people who we could sell to?
  • Or do we want to contact people who want to buy?

From there you can ascertain what sales opportunities there are and if they are really feasible.

With first- and third-party data to consider as well as anonymous data there is lots to consider and much research emerging too. Rather than looking at one subset of data, it’s important that you aggregate it to get a full picture of your ICP’s pain points, needs and buyer readiness.

Outbound Sales Best Practices

  • Opt for Account-Based selling over transactional selling
  • Take a multi-channel approach – don’t just sell through the phone
  • More doesn’t mean more, its quality that counts
  • Personalisation, relevance and timing have never been more important
  • Leverage what you already have alongside intelligence tools
  • Offer a bespoke, tailored approach at every stage of the sales cycle
  • Profile the right companies to call using the data
  • Work on accounts that align to who the AE is going to sell to
  • Know your sales hooks
  • Be intentional with how you use data
  • Always A/B test
  • Ask the right questions
  • Be patient

It’s pays to remember that there is no one size fits all when it comes to sales and marketing intelligence. James Isilay summarised it well when he said “data providers are a bit like newspapers. We all have different ways of collecting data and different propriety signals that we overly on that. There’s always differences in our data and accuracies. We all make a different soup in how we bring the data together.”

The most important thing is that you engage influencers and decision makers within a company in the right conversations, demonstrating that you understand their challenges and have a specific solution to ease them.

Outbound sales should be a collaborative approach laser-focused around your prospects. Making effective use of data at every stage of the sales process is vital especially within the mid to end of the funnel where there is so much intelligence to be gleaned.

As James says “Don’t burn the opportunities that you do get. They’re so hard to come by right now – they’re like golden nuggets!”

Thank you to our excellent panel for their time and knowledge. We hope that you found this roundtable as engaging and insightful as we did!

Uniting Experts: All You Need to Know About Using Data in Outbound Sales

In the evolving sales landscape, data has become the linchpin of outbound strategies. But how do we navigate the complexities of using data to boost our contact rates and sales figures?

In this live roundtable, we’re bringing together the leading minds from all major data providers for an exclusive discussion to provide industry insights and answer your burning questions.

Our cracking panel features:
James Isilay – CEO at Cognism
Saif Khan – Director of Sales at ZoomInfo
Liz Fulham – Founder & CEO at TAMI
Paul Gilhooly – VP of Sales at 6sense

Host:
Owen Richards – Founder & CEO of Air Marketing

Key discussion points:
– Most common myths/misunderstood elements of using/procuring data for outbound sales
– Innovative strategies to increase contact rate
– What data is best to use, and how to use it to its full potential to target the right prospects at the right time and through the right channels
– Intent data – How is this evolving and how data can help customers to be more relevant
– How data providers ensure data accuracy for their customers
– The strategic role accurate data plays to improve the quality of pipeline
– The major developments in the data industry the last 12-18 months
– Data providers future plans to evolve their solutions and make prospecting more effective for sales professionals

Who is it for?
Founders & CEOs
Sales & Marketing Leaders
Revenue Leaders
Sales & Marketing Managers
Sales Development Representatives (SDRs)
Business Development Representatives (BDRs)

This roundtable presents a unique opportunity to engage with the best in the industry and come away with knowledge that will place you at the forefront of outbound sales success. Whether you’re in sales, marketing, or business development, understanding how to harness data will give you a competitive edge.

The SaaS Blueprint: Building Brand Trust Through Unified Outreach

When delving into the world of SaaS, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the myriad of strategies and methods on offer. Yet, one fundamental truth stands out: our approach truly counts.

Now, there’s no denying the time-tested efficacy of the phone. There’s something about the immediacy of voice, the rapport it establishes. It’s undeniably our ace in the hole. However, let’s face it, we’re in a digital era, and platforms like Email and LinkedIn are simply indispensable. They’re not mere add-ons; they’re part of the core trio. These platforms grant us the ability to engage potential clients in diverse yet equally impactful ways, and when used effectively, they each compliment and bolster the others.

This brings me to another key point: the potential outcomes when sales and marketing join forces. The era when sales and marketing operated in their own bubbles is, thankfully, bygone. In today’s world, especially within SaaS, the fusion of the two has led to some incredible results. Our SDR teams receive these qualified, nurtured, warm leads, transforming conversions into genuine dialogues.

A unified front is essential. It’s not just about the message but ensuring it’s delivered harmoniously. If our marketing colleagues are communicating a narrative, it’s pivotal we’re all on the same page, talking the same language and replicating each other’s approach. This alignment doesn’t just enhance our brand’s authenticity, it amplifies it, particularly when our SDRs are reaching out.

Lastly, there’s the matter of brand trust. With marketing standing shoulder to shoulder with sales, reinforcing the narrative, it’s akin to bestowing our brand with a seal of credibility. And trust me, that doesn’t go unnoticed.

In conclusion, as the SaaS industry continues to grow and evolve, it’s pivotal that we remain agile, adaptive, and most importantly, integrated in our approach. By ensuring that our sales and marketing efforts are not just aligned but intertwined, we position ourselves for sustained success and growth. Always remember the basics: integration, consistency, and collaboration.

See how this simple, collaborative approach has led to many success stories with clients the SaaS sector, here.

Opinion piece by Sales Director, Marco Alfano-Rogers

Swipe Right: How to Match with Your Ideal Customer Profile

Wouldn’t it be amazing if everyone wanted to buy your product or service? It would certainly cut down on all the time, money and effort needed to discover who your ideal customers are and how they like to be sold to.

In reality, even the most successful companies recognise that they can’t appeal to everyone. If you offer a specialised solution tailored to a specific industry, your customer base might be smaller but fiercely competitive. Alternatively, if your product has broad appeal, you might struggle to reach everyone who could benefit from it.

If you’ve had enough of feeling your way around in the dark and would like someone to turn on the light and show you how to precisely target who you’re going after – this guide is for you.

Swipe Right: How to Match with Your Ideal Customer Profile is a guide by Air Marketing, designed to help you understand what an Ideal Customer Profile is, why it matters and how to build your own, to effectively drive revenue for your business.

Get your FREE copy of the guide by completing the form below.

A New Era of Marketing: The Rise of LinkedIn Live Events

In the aftermath of the pandemic, live events have gained even greater prominence on online platforms. Among these platforms, LinkedIn Live Events have emerged as a dynamic tool for businesses and individuals alike to connect, engage, and expand their networks. With the potential to reach a global audience at the click of a button, and boost brand awareness further than ever before, LinkedIn Live Events have become a key part of modern marketing strategies for B2B businesses.

In this blog, we’re delving into the significance of these events, best practices for hosting them, and how to leverage the data generated for further marketing endeavours.

The Global Impact

The dominance of LinkedIn as the leading professional platform is indisputable, with a membership exceeding 930 million individuals spanning across 200 countries globally. In 2022, engagement on the platform surged by an impressive 22%*.

This surge in engagement finds its roots in LinkedIn’s innovative feature: LinkedIn Live Events. These events have taken the virtual stage by storm, facilitating real-time interactions with audiences across the globe. It’s estimated that thousands of LinkedIn Live Events run each day globally*, showcasing the platform’s immense potential for connecting professionals, sharing knowledge, and driving engagement. Furthermore, live streams hosted on LinkedIn garner 7 times the reactions and a staggering 24 times the comments compared to regular videos!*

These statistics alone underscore the significance of incorporating LinkedIn Live into your marketing plan.

Key Benefits of Running LinkedIn Live Events for Brand Awareness

LinkedIn Live Events offer a myriad of benefits, particularly in boosting brand awareness:

✔️ Extended Reach: The live nature of these events attracts attention, and the potential to reach thousands of viewers can significantly amplify your brand’s visibility.

✔️ Guest Speaker Effect: Inviting guest speakers extends your reach even further, leveraging their existing networks and establishing your brand as a hub of valuable information. You can amplify this by strategically partnering with LinkedIn creators who share expertise in a related field or topic. Collaborating with creators who align with the theme of your event can provide a powerful boost to your event’s credibility and visibility.

✔️ Engagement and Authenticity: Live events create a genuine connection with your audience, humanising your brand and fostering a stronger sense of trust and loyalty.

✔️ Relevant Followers and Network Expansion: By hosting compelling events, you’ll attract more high-quality followers on LinkedIn, thereby increasing the reach of your future content.

Best Practices for Running LinkedIn Live Events

So, you’re considering integrating LinkedIn Live Events into your marketing strategy, but you’re unsure of where to begin. To help you enhance the effectiveness of your events, we’re sharing some of our pre and post-event best practices that we follow here at Air.

Pre-Event: Setting The Stage

  • Content Relevance: Craft content that resonates with your target audience’s interests and needs. This will keep them engaged and eager to participate.

  • Engaging Hosts and Guests: Invite expert guest speakers participate in your events. This not only adds credibility but also broadens your reach by tapping into their networks.

  • Promotion: Promote your event well in advance to build anticipation. A countdown is very effective. Utilise LinkedIn posts, and other social media channels to attract attendees.

  • Technical Preparation: Familiarise yourself with the streaming platform you’re using. For instance, platforms like StreamYard offer the advantage of advanced scheduling and branding options.

  • Timing: Timing plays a pivotal role in the success of LinkedIn Live Events. Carefully selecting the optimal time considers factors like time zones, audience preferences, event themes, and avoiding conflicts with other commitments. A well-timed event maximises audience participation and engagement, showcasing your consideration for their convenience and ultimately contributing to a more impactful and successful experience.

  • Data Collection: When setting up your LinkedIn Live Event, tick the box to enable the organiser to collect attendee information. This data can be extracted after the event and used for things like email marketing (we’ll talk more about this later in the blog).

  • Interactivity: During the event, encourage audience engagement through polls, Q&A sessions, and comments. Interaction creates a sense of community and helps maintain interest throughout the event.


Post-Event: Leveraging Data, Content and Email Marketing

As mentioned earlier, the data generated from LinkedIn Live Events can be a real treasure trove for your marketing efforts. Here’s how:

  • Registration Data: By enabling the registration form during event setup, you collect valuable information about your attendees. This data can include their name, job title, email address, LinkedIn Profile URL and marketing communications consent.

  • Connection Strategy: Connect with key stakeholders on LinkedIn who attend your events. This fosters a more personalised relationship and increases the likelihood of them engaging with your brand in the future.

  • Email Marketing: Utilise the collected data for targeted email marketing campaigns. Craft tailored messages that address the specific needs and preferences of your audience, driving higher engagement and conversion rates.

  • Content Recycling: After the live stream, the live event recording can be edited and distributed across diverse platforms, such as your website’s knowledge hub, YouTube channel, and other social media outlets. Through the process of repackaging the content into smaller, topic-specific segments, it becomes not only more accessible but also more digestible for a broader audience.

In conclusion, LinkedIn Live Events offer an exciting opportunity to engage with a global audience, enhance brand awareness, and strengthen your network. By following best practices, inviting guest speakers, and leveraging the power of streaming platforms like StreamYard, you can create a memorable and impactful experience for your audience. Moreover, the data collected during these events serves as a valuable resource for future marketing endeavors, especially in email marketing campaigns. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, embracing the potential of LinkedIn Live Events is an investment that can yield substantial returns in terms of brand growth and engagement.

Opinion piece by Senior Marketing Executive, Hannah Sanders

*Source: The Social Shepherd

Explore some of Air Marketing’s most successful Live Events to gain insights into our effective event management techniques:

Alternatively, if you’re looking to elevate your brand with the power of social media, get in touch here or call us on and we’ll talk you through how our expert team can help you achieve your goals with organic content marketing

Why Paid Media is Leading The Way in Modern Advertising

Traditional media or ‘offline advertising’ has always referred to more conventional forms of advertising. Predominantly channels such as TV, radio, print and direct mail which are widespread, less targeted and expensive (resulting in a lot of wastage).

The rise of digital channels and social platforms meant that the way consumers spent their time and the media they consumed shifted. Suddenly, everyone could be found online paving the way for the emergence of paid media advertising.

Paid media consists of online ads, sponsored content, display ads, social media advertising, and PPC. An ultra-targeted form of advertising, allowing advertisers to choose their placement, their audience and ensure their budget is being fully utilised to get in front of the correct audience with real-time data and analysis.

On its formation, the concept of paid media was worlds apart from its traditional counterpart, but over the years there has been a shift on the usage of both forms of marketing. Invariably, there is crossover of both channels with many traditional media outlets and channels now incorporating elements of paid media.

Traditional media outlets now have very well-established digital platforms and offer paid advertising options on their websites and apps. Traditional billboards have evolved into dynamic digital billboards which can utilise a range of effective techniques and strategies for reaching your target audience. Even traditional TV advertising has evolved to include paid media strategies and targeting to reach a very specific audience through the use of Sky AdSmart and various streaming platforms.

The way target audiences consume media continually adapts and with it, new trends and strategies for reaching them, which means the paid media landscape is ever evolving.

Paid media has evolved to become even more sophisticated, with innovative ways to reach consumers on social media (through Instagram shopping or stories which are pegged to replace the prominent feed ads we’ve become so accustomed to in recent years), through to Googles machine learning capabilities which allows Google to optimise your PPC campaigns for maximum performance using algorithms and AI to get the most out of your audience.

There’s no question about it, paid media is here to stay, and because of its range of innovative ad formats, access to real-time reporting and insight, and its highly targeted nature, it has evolved to become a marketers go-to choice during strategy and campaign planning sessions.

Opinion piece by Account Director, Jess House

Looking to elevate your business with the power of paid media? Reach out to us now, and we’ll talk you through how our expert team can help you achieve your goals. From online ads to social media advertising and PPC, we’ll craft a highly targeted strategy using real-time data and analysis to reach your ideal audience. Benefit from innovative ad formats, real-time reporting, and optimised performance through our paid media solutions.

From Good to Great: Transforming Sales Teams – Powered by Air Sales Academy

Are you ready to take your sales team to new heights of success? Air Sales Academy presents a special live event aimed to reshape the way businesses approach SDR training and development.

Join our esteemed panel of sales leaders and experts as they unveil their strategies and approaches to building world-class SDR teams.

Panellists:
Erik Pollitt – Sales Trainer & Performance Coach
Michael Hanson – Founder & CEO of Growth Genie
Chris Ritson – Co-Founder & CEO of Flexprts

Host:
Owen Richards – Founder & CEO of Air Marketing

This live roundtable will give you a front-row seat to captivating discussions and valuable insights from experts in the field.

You will hear about:
– Insight from the experts who have achieved extraordinary success in building and empowering top-performing SDR teams.
– Innovative approaches to SDR training, enablement, and development that are redefining industry standards.
– Proven strategies, cutting-edge techniques, and best practices for transforming your sales team’s performance.
– The latest tools, technologies, and methodologies that have driven SDR performance in recent years.
– Exclusive insight into the brand new sessions and resources offered by Air Sales Academy, designed to equip SDR teams for success.

Who is it for?
Founders & CEOs
Sales & Marketing Leaders
Revenue Leaders
Sales & Marketing Managers
Sales Development Representatives (SDRs)
Business Development Representatives (BDRs)

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to unlock your team’s true potential and set new standards of success in the SDR landscape.

The Revenue Revolution Podcast by Jointflows Featuring Owen Richards – Founder & CEO, Air Marketing

We’re thrilled to share an exciting podcast episode from The Revenue Revolution series, hosted by Jointflows – a game-changing tool that simplifies the sales process, with a particular focus on the crucial closing stages. 

In this episode, hosts Mick Gosset (CEO of Jointflows) and Hitesh Kapadia (CRO of Jointflows) engage in a captivating conversation with Air Marketing’s Founder & CEO, Owen Richards. They delve into Owen’s insightful perspective on the current state of the sales and revenue landscape; shedding light on various factors that influence it, including the emergence of new stakeholders during the final stages of the sales process.

They share their thoughts on the essential skills that sales leaders should possess, which unfortunately many often lack. Moreover, Owen reveals the innovative and creative strategies that set Air Marketing apart from competitors in a saturated market.

As the conversation continues, Hitesh and Mick explore Owen’s thoughts on the potential revolution brought about by AI in the sales industry, including how it may reshape the sales landscape, presenting exciting possibilities for the future.

I Bet Your SDRs Aren’t Hitting Quota… Here’s Why | SaaSGrowth2023 | Owen Richards

Discover the top 10 reasons why your SDRs may not be hitting their quota in this insightful event talk by our Founder & CEO, Owen Richards, at SaaSGrowth2023 – powered by Sales Confidence.

A bit about Owen:

Originally from Kent, Owen started his sales career at our Sister Company, Forrest Marketing Group (FMG), in Sydney, Australia while traveling. He started as a Telesales Executive and, having planned to be in Australia for a year, he was sponsored by the company and one year eventually became 8. During this time he progressed into a Head of Sales and Operations role.

In 2015, Owen and his wife, Amy, moved back to the UK to start a family, and in early 2016, he co-founded Air Marketing Group with his business partner and Managing Director of FMG, Richard Forrest. Seven years on, Air is now one of the UKs leading sales and marketing agencies; is the parent company to a sales and marketing recruitment company (Seed Talent); and trains and coaches other sales professionals to elevate their performance from good to great through Air Sales Academy