How to Create a Pipeline to Generate Warm Leads

Finding customers to buy your product or service and closing the deal is at the core of any business. Leads can come from various approaches, ranging from cold calls to social media ads to word of mouth, but not all are created equal. Leads are generally divided into “warm” and “cold,” with warm leads typically being more ripe for conversion.

Organizations need to generate leads to sustain their profits and scale their businesses. Understanding lead generation, how to create a pipeline, and how to measure progress is crucial for your operation's success.

What Is Lead Generation?

When selling a product or service, businesses must begin by attracting the interest of potential customers. The lead generation process involves receiving a customer's contact information to, in turn, pursue a sale. 

“Lead generation can be tricky because not every lead is a good fit for every business,” said Drew Blumenthal, Founder and CEO of Digital Drew SEM. “We research our target audience thoroughly and create detailed customer personas. That helps ensure that the leads we get are relevant and high-quality.” 

In the past, businesses were limited to snail mail, cold calls, advertisements, and the classic word of mouth to find potential buyers. Today, the internet allows for a much wider range of options. Sales representatives and marketing teams can use social media platforms, email, blogs, videos, and e-books to attract new leads. 

Once individuals gain interest in your offerings, they become warm leads who are more likely to make a purchase.

Matt Watson, CEO and Executive Director at Watson Creative, believes that generating warm leads is all about value-based connection. 

“We focus on building trust through thought leadership –webinars, articles, speaking engagements, and in-depth case studies that showcase our expertise and track record,” said Watson. 

He continues that another part of their strategy is leveraging client success stories because of the value. Potential clients can see how much their team cares about ethics, innovation, and other themes that lead to a successful business relationship. 

When building the opportunity for a new business relationship, there are two types of leads that companies should keep tabs on. 

Warm Leads vs. Cold Leads

Identifying different levels of customer interest requires segmenting your leads. Dividing leads into warm and cold categories allows businesses to better determine how much time and effort it will take to convert them into sales and how to market the product or service more effectively. 

Cold leads are individuals who aren't aware of or haven't shown interest in what you offer. These leads are starting the sales funnel and becoming aware of your business's product or service. Cold leads may become aware of your business through social media ads, promotional emails, or cold calls from your sales team. While some cold leads may convert into sales right away, it's more likely that they will progress into warm leads.

Warm leads are potential customers who know what you offer and why they should buy it. They may follow your business's social media platforms or subscribe to your newsletter. In some cases, warm leads may compare your offer with your competitors. Because warm leads are further along in the sales funnel than cold leads, they are more likely to convert into customers. You can use a direct call or message to push them to strengthen your relationship with a warm lead or convince them to purchase. 

The main differences between the two types are their level of awareness and engagement with your product or service. Warm leads are more familiar with what you offer and are closer to purchasing. On the other hand, cold leads are just learning about your products and services, meaning you must put more time and effort into making them potential customers.

“When potential clients see that we share their ethos, whether that’s in creative excellence, ethics, or innovation, it lays the groundwork for a partnership that’s mutually rewarding,” said Watson. 

Some marketing teams may further segment their leads by adding a hot leads category. Hot leads are just about ready to buy but may need a slight nudge in the right direction to keep them from choosing a competitor.

5 Ways to Create a Pipeline To Secure Warm Leads

First things first: Develop a lead generation pipeline to effectively secure warm leads. There are various ways to build a pipeline that leads to conversions. Here are some potential approaches to creating a lead generation pipeline:

1. Cold outreach: Cold outreach is the first step in the pipeline. Find cold leads by clearly identifying your target audience and creating lists of potential customers. Create messaging that demonstrates how your product solves their problems. Contact your cold leads through emails, messaging, and cold calls to alert them of your offerings and familiarize them with your organization.
2. Social selling: Social media is a powerful lead-generation tool. Instead of posting ads and spamming your target audience, upload applicable content and work to build meaningful relationships with your leads. Let them know your organization is in place to help with their business needs. Platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook are excellent options for connecting with your target audience.
3. Strategic partnerships: Partnerships are also valuable tools. Working with businesses that complement your offerings is an excellent way to tap into new audiences. Working with popular brands or influencers to promote your product or service is another way to expand your pool of leads. An example of a strategic partnership is Starbucks opening cafes inside Barnes & Noble bookstores.  
   
   For Starbucks, they sell more products in more locations. The partnership is equally beneficial to Barnes & Noble as potential customers will spend more time in the stores and test out books while sipping coffee.
4. Performance marketing: Performance marketing allows you to pay for specific advertising outcomes. Businesses can use targeted ads on social media platforms to reach targeted demographics or users interested in particular keywords. Individuals who click on these ads go to carefully crafted landing pages to move the warm lead further down the sales funnel.
5. Content marketing and SEO: Another way to build a loyal customer base is to create helpful content like downloadable infographics, e-books, and templates that complement your offerings. Use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to help your content rank higher in search results online.

5 Metrics To Track in Your Lead Generation Pipeline for Warm Leads

Effective lead generation depends on being able to measure your progress. Tracking your lead generation with the right key performance indicators (KPI) will make a big difference.

Here are some of the best metrics to watch throughout the lead generation pipeline:

1. Lead volume: The first metric to measure is knowing how many warm leads your pipeline generates. Use trackers that analyze how a potential customer interacts with landing pages, websites, and forums. Measuring your lead volume over specific periods will help determine how many sales to expect.
2. Lead quality: Determining and tracking lead quality is another metric that will illuminate the number of future conversions to prepare for. There are various ways to categorize leads as warm leads, which may require creating a scoring or sorting system.
3. Lead response time: Lead response time is the average time it takes a sales representative to follow up with a potential lead. A fast lead response time can equate to more sales and better customer relationships. Conversely, slow lead response times may mean customers lose interest in purchasing or move on to a competitor.
4. Conversion rate: Tracking the conversions your sales team generates is vital for success. Your conversion rate gives you a clear picture of how many warm leads turn into sales. Low conversion rates indicate you must change your approach and sales funnel. A high conversion rate shows the strategy is effective and sets the bar for improvements.
5. Sales cycle length: Measuring the length of the sales funnel from end to end will provide insights for improvements. A slow average sales cycle might mean disorganization or bottlenecks are holding back your warm leads from making a purchase. Breaking down the sales cycle into steps and tracking the average time for each step is an effective way to determine where to make changes.

“Lead nurturing is all about delivering value at every touch point: email drip campaigns, retargeting ads, exclusive offers, and consistent follow-ups,” said Blumenthal.

Generate More Warm Leads With the Right Staff

A steady stream of warm leads is crucial for organizational success. 

“The best relationships are built on understanding, and when a lead feels heard, the conversion follows naturally,” said Watson. “It’s a long-game approach, but it leads to stronger, more sustainable partnerships.” 

Building up and tweaking a lead generation pipeline can help your company increase its sales and profits. For best results, be sure to also add the best sales and marketing professionals to your team.

Finding the right members for your marketing and sales teams is essential for continued warm leads and an optimized sales funnel. Using a B2B reviews & ratings platform like Clutch is an excellent way to hire top talent and increase your profits. 

About the Author

Anna Peck Content Marketing Manager at Clutch

Anna Peck is a content marketing manager at Clutch, where she crafts content on digital marketing, SEO, and public relations. In addition to editing and producing engaging B2B content, she plays a key role in Clutch’s awards program and contributed content efforts. Originally joining Clutch as part of the reviews team, she now focuses on developing SEO-driven content strategies that offer valuable insights to B2B buyers seeking the best service providers.

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