Dear Broker, here are your updates for this week...

M a r k e t i n g  t i p
Encourage customers to raise their hands
Part two of a two-part series on using online forms to capture leads

In last week's marketing tip, we discussed adding forms to your Web site in order to convert more site visitors into leads. Forms add a powerful channel for customers to communicate their interest in your products, as well as their contact information. Unlike responses by phone and e-mail, contact through forms allows customers to express interest in your products without leaving your site, manifesting the essential "strike while the iron is hot" rule of sales and marketing.

While last week we discussed what forms are and how to offer them to visitors to your Web site, the other half of the equation is to get them to complete the form. In essence, raising their hands to show interest. This is the critical step when a site visitor becomes a lead in the sales pipeline.

In order for site visitors to complete a form, they must believe they are getting more in return than what they are giving up. A good place to start is to ask the simple question "what are visitors to my site looking for?" Potential lessees are likely looking to see if they can be approved and/or what their financial obligations will be. Potential customers may also be shopping for equipment. Vendors are likely looking to see if you can fill a need for one-time or recurring customer financing needs.

Now that the site visitor's need is established, forms can be used to satisfy that need and capture the lead. Consider offering one or more of the following on your site through integrated forms. Remember, your site doesn't have to be able to perform complex calculations and logic execution. You can always respond to the completed form by phone or e-mail if needed.

• Approval likelihood analysis
• Payment estimation
• Locating desired equipment
• Comparison of financing products
• Inquiry on "special" financing needs
• General inquiry

The next important decision you'll make is what information to ask for. As with any lead-generation, you want to balance what information you really need with the time required to fill out the form. Remember, the customer is sending an inquiry, not a credit application. These are likely all you need to start working the lead and brief enough to convert a high percentage of site visitors...

• Contact name
• Contact phone number
• Contact e-mail address
• Amount of financing needed
• Substance of the inquiry: estimated credit strength, time-in-business, type of equipment needing financed

Use drop menus, checkboxes and radio buttons whenever possible. For instance, drop menus could be used to designate what type of financing the prospect is looking for, such as equipment financing, working capital, real estate, etc. Radio buttons may work well for the customer to distinguish the amount of financing needied by offering ranges for the customer to choose. Use drop menus, checkboxes and radio buttons to make it fast, simple and error-proof to complete the form on your site.

That's it. Keep it short and work the leads. There is no need at this stage in the process to lose leads because you are asking for their mailing address, FEIN, pet's name, etc. If you find that you are getting too many unqualified leads, you can always go back and tweak your form. Also, you can set up auto-responders based on certain responses, for instance if the transaction size is too big.

Offer to scratch the customer's itch directly on your site to continue the lead-generation process without requiring the customer to pick up a phone or compose an email. Doing so will cost very little and increase the number of leads you receive.

S a m p l e  d e a l  o f  t h e  w e e k
Start-up finances sleeper cab truck, earns deferred payment and free fuel card