What digital marketing services does Ribelle offer?

Ribelle offers SEO, PPC advertising, social media marketing, content strategy, web design, and reputation management. We also specialize in industry-specific marketing services for roofing, HVAC, dental, plumbing, fitness, garage doors, and vehicle upfitting.

Do you work with businesses outside of North Carolina?

Yes. While we are based in Eastern North Carolina and serve cities like Raleigh, Greenville, Wilmington, and New Bern, we also work with businesses nationwide.

How do I know which service is right for my business?

We start with a free consultation to understand your goals, industry, and target market. From there, we create a custom plan that may include SEO, PPC, or a mix of services depending on how quickly you want results.

Can Ribelle deliver quick results?

SEO builds long-term growth, but we also run PPC campaigns to deliver instant leads while your organic rankings grow. This way you get results this quarter, not next year.

The $83,000 Mistake: How Lead Follow-Up Can Make or Break Your Business

They were spending $6,200/month on ads and letting 825 leads die in their CRM. Not because their marketing was bad. Because nobody was picking up the phone fast enough.

Vince Calabrese

11/6/20252 min read

a CRM screen with with over due lead follow-up numbers in re with the words "The $83,000 Mistake"

Introduction to the $83,000 Mistake

In March, a manufacturing client approached us, clearly frustrated by their advertising results. "Our ads aren't working. We need more traffic," they said. After reviewing their performance metrics, it became evident that the real issue lay not in their advertising strategy but in their lead follow-up process.

Analyzing the Numbers

The numbers spoke volumes: over the past six months, they generated 847 leads but converted only 22 into customers. This dismal conversion rate of 2.6% raised a red flag. Upon digging deeper, I discovered several alarming statistics:

The average time to first contact was 4.3 days.
Only 31% of leads were contacted more than once.
A staggering 67% of leads reached voicemail with no follow-up.

Despite their investment of $6,200 per month in advertising, they were allowing 825 potential customers to slip away, unused within their Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. The real issue was not insufficient ad spend but rather a broken follow-up mechanism. Their focus was misplaced, leading to a significant $83,000 mistake.

Implementing Effective Follow-Up Strategies

After presenting the data, I proposed a robust follow-up strategy to turn their situation around. First, we introduced immediate SMS responses. This allows leads to receive instant acknowledgment after expressing interest, setting a personal tone and keeping them engaged. Additionally, we established automated qualification questions that filter leads based on their needs and prioritization, ensuring the most promising leads are addressed promptly.

Finally, the implementation of a multi-touch follow-up sequence was critical. By sending timely emails, text messages, and even personalized calls, we re-engaged leads who might have otherwise gone cold. It's crucial to remember that consistency in follow-up creates a sense of reliability and encourages potential clients to trust your brand.

Concluding Thoughts

The lesson from our manufacturing client's experience is clear: advertisement effectiveness without proper lead management can lead to wasted resources and lost opportunities. By identifying the real reason behind their low conversion rates, the $83,000 mistake became a valuable lesson in optimizing follow-up processes. Don't fall into the trap of attributing failure solely to advertising while neglecting critical follow-up efforts. Prioritizing lead management could potentially turn your advertisements into profitable customer conversions.