How is your outsourced B2B LinkedIn lead generation team performing? Are you getting the results you expected or hoped for? If you’re not communicating with your outsourced team members on a regular basis, they may not understand expectations. Plus, you won’t know why they’re hitting or missing the goals you’ve set. Establishing a formal communication plan is important for successful outsourced B2B LinkedIn lead generation.
Here are three guidelines to follow when creating your plan and following through with it.
1. Create an open communication strategy.
Dealing with a remote LinkedIn lead generation team can present more challenges than working with an in-house team. But with an effective communication strategy and open communication lines, you can address issues before they become problems.
You’ll first want to determine which channels to use for regular communications and reporting as well as urgent situations. Be clear about what your team should report on, how often you expect reports, and which channels to use. You’ll also need to find the best times for formal conferences or calls. This is especially important if you work with an outsourced team in a different time zone. You don’t want to conduct them when either of your teams is tired, often at the beginning or end of the day.
You also need to identify the primary in-house person your outsourced team should contact, which hours he or she is available, and who to contact in his or her absence. Make sure your outsourced team members feel comfortable talking to the designated in-house contact person, even about difficult issues. Reiterate the importance of notifying business leaders not only when problems arise but also when your LinkedIn lead generation team achieves milestones or successes.
2. Follow through with your plan.
After you set up a communication plan with your outsourced LinkedIn lead generation team, follow it to maintain members’ trust. Keep to your scheduled conference times and answer texts, emails, and voice messages promptly. Address any issues your lead generation team brings up and check back to see whether you’ve solved the problems. If not, take further actions to remedy them. Read your outsourced team’s reports and updates, and let the team know whether they are performing well or not. Your LinkedIn lead generation team members likely want to know if they are doing what you expect.
3. Review and improve your communication plan.
Your communication plan should not be a static strategy. Monitor its effectiveness, ask your in-house and outsourced teams for feedback, and make changes when methods aren’t working. If your LinkedIn lead generation team ignores emails too often, switch to phone calls. If meeting times don’t work well for your in-house team, ask your outsourced team to switch to a better time. If your in-house team is not providing feedback, determine why members don’t feel comfortable providing it. Continually reinforce the importance of regular, open two-way communication.
Clear, consistent, and open communication is crucial your outsourced lead generation team’s success. Without it, neither your outsourced B2B LinkedIn lead generation team nor your in-house team has control over how well they achieve their goals. With an effective communication strategy, you can identify where problems exist and provide necessary fixes.
[cta]Ready to see how outsourcing your B2B LinkedIn lead generation efforts can grow your revenue? Communicate with us: Schedule your free LinkedIn Strategy Session today!
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