IBM develops a long-term sales pipeline with Slipstream

IBM's Enabling Business Flexibility division required an ongoing lead nurturing programme, which included the following:

• Qualification of specific target companies that have engaged with IBM Identification and handover of short term qualified leads to sales
• Building and managing a dataset of medium and long term opportunities
• Communicate with prospects in the dataset using appropriate media and messaging to manage the relationship at each stage
• Handover of medium and long term opportunities once they mature into sales ready leads
• Full visibility of lead flow status across the end-to-end process.

Strategy

The broader objectives were to provide a continuous flow of new business through the sales pipeline, maximise effectiveness and efficiency of demand generation campaigns, and to integrate the sales and marketing teams. To achieve this, IBM partnered with Slipstream to build, execute, and manage a strategic lead nurturing campaign with the wider objectives of:

• Building pipeline which will contribute to short, medium and long term sales targets
• Gaining visibility and maintaining engagement with customers at all stages of the buying cycle
• Ensuring effective handover of leads between marketing and sales
• And ultimately driving revenue through sales