Lead capture by providing self-service quotes

Dale Underwood, of Echquote writes compellingly of how the rise internet has dis-intermediated the sales department:

By 2005 it got to the point that there was almost no reason to directly contact any sales person to find product information. Just Google it.

Usually, lead is captured at the website in exchange for a free report, or whitepaper. However, Dale has a better idea, provide budgetary quotes instead. In doing so, it serves a dual purpose of:

1. Qualifying prospects
2. Capturing leads

It is a masterful stroke, since most people do not have time to read whitepapers, and people wish to self-disqualify if the price was out of their budget.

The old truism that one should “never, ever, ever give the customer pricing until [one has] created value” is gently flipped around, by providing sales with a stream of leads to whom their value proposition could be explained to.