This step by step guide provides instructions on how to track and convert potential customers to paying customers
Lead Tracking Overview
What is a Client?
Clients are customers who are or will be paying. For a portrait photographer a client could be any of the following:
A customer who has an invoice for your services.
A customer who has scheduled their session on your calendar.
A customer who will be using your services.
Etc.
What is a Lead?
A lead is a potential customer that you are actively working with to convert to a paying customer. For a portrait photographer a lead could be any of the following:
A potential customer who called you on the phone and is interested in more information about your services.
A potential customer who emailed you and is interested in more information about your services.
A potential customer who chatted with you and is interested in more information about your services.
A potential customer who filled out a StudioCloud CloudForm on your website requesting information and was automatically added in as a lead to StudioCloud and automatically received an email with the information they requested.
Etc.
What is a Prospective Client?
A prospective client is a potential client that you are not actively working with but that you see value in marketing to them in the future to try and convert them to a paying client. For a portrait photographer a prospective customer could be any of the following:
A list of potential clients that you received such as from a conference or from a third party.
A potential client that postponed their session indefinitely.
A potential client that has decided to postpone their session indefinitely but may re-evalute their decision if they receive the right marketing special.
A potential client that has decided not to use your services for that specific session but may consider your services for other types of photography sessions you may provide such as anniversary, newborns, family photo sessions, etc.
A potential client that you think would be worth marketing to in the future.
Etc.
What is Lead Tracking?
Lead tracking is a process by which you track each lead to convert as many leads to paying customers as possible. The basic concept of lead tracking is it is similar to a white board with different stages. As you do each stage you move from left to right until the lead is either a paying client or prospective client that you will market to in the future.
Below is an example of a whiteboard being used to track leads. StudioCloud mimics this concept using client pipelines. Below is an example of the lead tracking pipeline where each post it note on the white board is a lead.
Why Use Lead Tracking?
Lead tracking leads to an increased number of sessions because potential clients do not fall through the cracks.
Here is an Example of a Lead Tracking Pipeline?
Here is an example of a lead tracking pipeline for portrait photographers where the goal is get the client to schedule a photo shoot session. As soon as the session is scheduled the lead tracking pipeline is marked completed and the client moves from the lead tracking pipeline to a session tracking pipeline.
Here is how the lead tracking pipeline would be setup in StudioCloud
Pipeline Name: Lead Tracking
Pipeline Stage Name: Call Lead - Attempt #1
Pipeline Stage Name: Call Lead - Attempt #2
Pipeline Stage Name: Call Lead - Attempt #3
Pipeline Stage Name: Client Scheduled A Session
Pipeline Stage Name: Client not interested at this time
Here is how the lead tracking pipeline would be setup in StudioCloud with actions and deadlines
Lead Pipeline Name: Lead Tracking
Pipeline Stage Name: Call Lead - Attempt 1
Pipeline Stage Action When Pipeline Stage Activated: Email lead a welcome email.
Pipeline Stage Deadline:2 days after initial contact
Pipeline Stage Action When Pipeline Stage Marked Completed: Email lead a “tried to call you” email.
Pipeline Stage Name:Call Lead - Attempt 2
Pipeline Stage Action When Pipeline Stage Marked Completed: Email lead a “tried to call you” email.
Pipeline Stage Deadline: 4 days after contact
Pipeline Stage Name:Call Lead - Attempt 3
Pipeline Stage Action When Pipeline Stage Marked Completed:Email lead a final email, convert lead to prospective client, and mark pipeline as completed
Pipeline Stage Deadline: 6 days after contact
Pipeline Stage Name: Client Scheduled a Session
Pipeline Stage Action When Pipeline Stage Activated: Lead converted to client and pipeline marked as completed
Pro-Tip: This pipeline stage can be done automatically when a session is scheduled. Refer to the "How do I mark a pipeline as completed?" section below
Pipeline Stage Name:Client On Hold
Pipeline Stage Action: None
Pipeline Stage Deadline: None
Pipeline Stage Name:Client Not Interested At This Time
Pipeline Stage Action When Pipeline Stage Activated: Lead converted to prospective client and pipeline marked as completed
Pipeline Stage Deadline: None
Here is how the lead tracking pipeline would work if the client scheduled a session on the first call
Call Lead Attempt #1 Client Scheduled Session
Here is how the lead tracking pipeline would work if the client scheduled a session on the 3rd call
Pro-Tip: The client can automatically be converted to a lead and the lead tracking pipeline can be marked as completed when a session is scheduled. Refer to the "How do I mark a pipeline as completed?" and "How do I convert a lead to a client?" sections below for more details.
Call Lead Attempt #1 Call Lead Attempt #2 Call Lead Attempt #3 Client Scheduled Session
Here is how the lead tracking pipeline would work if the client wasn't interested in your services at this time
Pro-Tip: The client can automatically be converted to a lead and the lead tracking pipeline can be marked as completed when a session is scheduled. Refer to the "How do I mark a pipeline as completed?" and "How do I convert a lead to a client?" sections below for more details.
Call Lead Attempt #1 Client not interested at this time
Here is how the lead tracking pipeline would work if the client had an unusual situation occur and was put on hold
Option 2 is to go to the lead table and the lead table view which is a table view of leads.
Click on the Client component
Click on the Clients tab
Click on the Only Leads menu bar button
The lead tracking pipeline will be listed under the Client Pipeline column
Option 3 is to use the client tracking table which lists all of the leads with their current active pipeline stage.
Click on the Client component
Click on the Client Tracking tab
Click on the All Client Pipelines menu bar button
How do I mark a pipeline as completed?
A pipeline can be marked as completed by having a specific pipeline stage that marks it as completed or by enabling a calendar type setting which marks the client pipeline as completed when the client is scheduled on the calendar with that calendar type
How do I convert a lead to a client?
A lead can be converted to a client using any of the following methods:
To manually convert a lead to a client select the convert button at the bottom of the edit lead window.
A lead will automatically be converted to a client if they are added to an invoice.
A lead will automatically be converted to a client if they esign a contract
A pipeline stage action can be enabled to convert a lead to a client when that pipeline stage is marked as completed
A calendar type setting can be enabled that will automatically convert a lead to a client when the client is scheduled on the calendar with that calendar type.