Some research studies show that up to 80% of sales leads within an organization can be ignored, then lost or discarded, translating into unnecessarily wasted resources. Some leads may be ignored or discarded by the sales team because the target customer is not properly defined or the lead properly "qualified." Salespeople often complain that marketing is not generating the "right" type of lead. Yet even if there is universal agreement on the term "sales lead" for your company and leads are generated through marketing programs, the process of managing these leads might be flawed.

We've seen many marketers and media staying out front by simply acting. Here are six cost-effective performance marketing actions that can help marketers take advantage of today's remarkable conditions....

If there's one thing we've learned over the last 12 years in working with our clients, it's that it is relatively easy to hit a lot of singles and doubles, but pretty hard to hit out-of-the-park home runs. And, as in baseball, these singles and doubles add up to lots of runs -- bottom line increases in revenue and profits. So let's look at a 9-player batting order and see how many singles we can hit during these tough economic times.

In 2008, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) adopted an amended Telemarketer Sales Rule (TSR) citing consumer protection against unwanted marketing communications. As of December 1, 2008, prerecorded sales calls must provide an easy opt-out feature. More significantly, beginning September 1, 2009, automated sales communications can be delivered only to those recipients who have provided their "express written consent" to receive them. Having an existing business relationship (EBR) will no longer be sufficient approval for organizations to attempt to sell goods or services via an automated, prerecorded message.