This month began with a day devoted to trickery, an annual tradition in which people good-naturedly try to deceive each other with phony stories and elaborate pranks.
And while VSA is all for a good April Fools’ joke, our attitude toward work is the exact opposite. There is no deception whatsoever when it comes to developing lead generation campaigns for our clients. Instead, we strive to be completely transparent throughout every aspect of the partnership, from pricing, to expectations, to process and methodology, to performance, to data visibility, to acknowledging when a program just isn’t working.
Transparency makes sense from a business perspective—recent studies have shown that 94% of B2B customers prefer companies that demonstrate sincerity and openness. A partnership can’t survive or thrive without trust. But it’s also about doing the right thing for our clients.
“We’re all about running programs for our clients the same way we would want a program run for us—and that means transparency in everything,” says VSA CEO and Founder Valerie Schlitt. “We’re never going to lie or tell you something just because you want to hear it.”
Here are six of the ways VSA ensures full transparency in all our client programs:
1. Pricing
VSA charges its clients a fixed hourly rate, which means there are never any hidden fees or budgetary surprises. Unless a client requests an adjustment to their calling hours, the total cost is the same from week to week, even if we schedule far more appointments for their sales reps than expected. Any other program costs, including the standard onboarding fee and (if needed) list development, are clearly outlined before the contract is signed.
2. List integrity
There’s nothing more gratifying during a B2B telephone lead generation campaign than setting an appointment with a prospect … unless it’s not a legitimate prospect. Some lead generation companies, to boost their appointment totals, might augment their calling list with job titles that are more likely to agree to meetings based on past trends, even if their needs aren’t relevant to the current offering. And an unscrupulous lead gen firm might even go as far as including shills on the list posing as potential customers, who will agree to an appointment with no intention of actually buying.
VSA would never knowingly pad a list with unqualified candidates just to increase the odds of scheduling an appointment. We use a variety of list-building resources and a dedicated team to develop or enhance client-specific lists that maximize the chances of speaking with qualified decision makers.
3. Expectations
Any lead gen firm that guarantees you “X” number of appointments per month, or a specific conversion percentage or ROI, just to gain your business probably isn’t worth doing business with. VSA’s vast experience calling into complex industries such as healthcare, technology, and education allows us to be realistic regarding expectations at the start of a campaign.
Aligning on expectations is a key to long-lasting, fruitful partnerships. If we think scheduling appointments for your campaign will be a challenge, we’re going to tell you—even if we know that’s not what you want to hear.
4. Weekly reports and status updates
VSA clients never have to guess how their program is faring. It’s all right there in the data, which is shared with clients weekly (or in some cases, daily) via detailed tracking and reporting. We’ll never try to misrepresent the numbers or conceal any unfavorable results.
This complete visibility allows us to work with clients to address concerns and make strategic adjustments when needed. And if the results still don’t match your expectations, we won’t sugarcoat the situation just to make you feel better.
5. Open communication and feedback
VSA strives to establish truly collaborative partnerships with our clients, encouraging them to ask questions, express concerns, and offer feedback. That’s why we’re always available to talk, via regularly scheduled weekly meetings or whenever you need to reach us.
Each VSA client is assigned a dedicated Program Manager, who becomes the custodian of their campaign and a friendly, familiar point of contact. Clients are also introduced to the Business Development Representatives calling on their behalf, so you know exactly who is representing your brand to prospects.
6. Knowing when to say when
VSA is quick to look for solutions when a program is struggling, whether that means addressing the list, the messaging, the BDR team, the calling platform, or any number of possible strategic adjustments. But sometimes, for whatever reason, we realize a program simply can’t be saved.
While some lead generation firms might suggest trying “x,” “y,” or “z” at that point (knowing full well the program isn’t working), we understand there comes a time when it doesn’t make sense to push forward. Whether that means pausing a program temporarily to allow time for a strategic overhaul or stopping it altogether, we will always be upfront about the status of your campaign.
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Without trust, a lead generation partnership is doomed to fail, and VSA knows you can’t establish trust without full transparency. That’s why we remain committed to being open and honest with all our clients at every stage of their program.
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you grow your business, give us a call. We promise we’ll tell it to you straight.