7. Response Planning and Management

A lead-generation campaign is composed of two parts: planning the campaign and managing the responses that come in as a result. Sometimes, the first part is called the front end and the second, the back end. Different companies use different terms and conventions, but to most marketers, there’s no ambiguity about which part is sexier, cooler, or more fun. The front end—where creative strategies, compelling offers, eye-catching graphics, and snappy winning messages are crafted—wins hands down.

But surprise: The boring old back end is where your business future lives. The back end has so much leverage that even small improvements can have immediate, significant results on the return on investment (ROI) of lead generation.