Suppliers generate leads to pass to partners to nurture and qualify through a host of marketing and sales tactics. In this article, learn about the distributed lead management workflow and process.

Content

• Workflow
• Lead Management Process
• Reporting

Workflow

This is a typically distributed lead workflow.

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Lead Management Process

Leads are often generated through Marketing Automation Platforms, Partner Relationship Management (PRM) systems, or through tradeshows and inbound requests. When the leads are not sent directly to Zift via an integration or uploaded via an XLS/CSV file, you can add the leads using ZiftMarcom > Create Leads. This option is usually for “one off” situations that you want to quickly enter into the system.

Distributed leads must have an email address, but without more information, the automated assignment may not be successful. Custom fields can be added to further identify leads and route properly. 

Distributed leads come into Zift in one of these four ways:

• Leads that are managed through another system can come into Zift via an integration. If using a PRM or CRM integration, custom fields will be defined to pull the appropriate data into ZiftMarcom.
• Leads for campaigns can be uploaded using an XLS/CSV file via an SFTP server.
• Leads can be added individually using ZiftMarcom. This option is usually for “one off” situations that you want to quickly enter into the system.
• Leads can be added via Zift PRM.

Once the lead is in ZiftMarcom, it can be routed in one of the following ways:

• Routing is determined by information that exists on the PRM.
• Routing is determined by the partner name in a column of the XLS/CSV file.
• Routing is determined by a chosen partner name for all leads.
• Routing is determined by routing rules set up on the PRM module. To view available PRM modules in ZiftMarcom, click on your username at the top of the application and choose Integrations.
• Routing is determined in ZiftMarcom by a user who selects the partner.

Partners can choose to have leads go automatically into their CRM or not. When the partner chooses not to have leads go directly to their CRM, they are notified via email of a new distributed lead. This can be enabled in Zift123 Lead Management Settings. In the email that is sent to the partner, a lead can be accepted or rejected.

When the new lead is accepted, partner lead owners or sales reps are notified of the lead assignment via email, accessing Zift123 and clicking on the Message Center link, or in a CRM/PRM. Lead owner and lead acceptance can be automated as it is assigned to a partner in Zift123 > Settings > Lead Management. This begins the sales pipeline.

• When the lead is rejected, users must indicate a reason for rejecting the lead.
• While in the sales pipeline a lead will be "worked" by the sales rep. The Sales Rep is identified in Settings > Sales Reps. The sales rep is responsible for changing the status including open, contact contacted, nurture, unqualified/invalid or qualified opportunity.

Choosing to update the status to unqualified/invalid or qualified opportunity essentially closes the lead.

• Contacted: The lead has been contacted by the Zift123 user. The account, contact, and participant information are being gathered. This lead will be placed into the email nurture campaign.
• Nurture: The lead is valid, but not a current opportunity. The account, contact, and participant information continue to be gathered. The sales rep may know the business needs. 
• Opportunity: The lead is a qualified opportunity.  The prospect has confirmed they will be making a purchase and the sales rep is in contact with the decision maker. 
• Unqualified: Not a valid lead. The lead is not in the nurture program.

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Reporting

Suppliers can run the Lead reports in ZiftMarcom > Analysis > Leads and Pipeline.

• Lead Summary - reports on the number of leads generated using Zift123.
• Lead Distribution Summary - generates a list of distributed leads, their status, related marketing activity, and opportunity value of the lead. 
• Opportunity Overview - a summary of opportunities by partner and status.
• Opportunity Details - a view of your sales pipeline.
• Opportunity Summary - provides you with a cumulative set of partner opportunity data, by source including Zift123 marketing lead, partner-generated lead, distributed lead, or an opportunity recorded in the partner's CRM that is not associated with a distributed lead or Zift123 marketing lead within the selected date range.

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