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Advertising is a funny thing. When it works, it can attract a multitude of solid sales leads. And therein lies a problem—if a small or midsize business (SMB) isn't prepared for the ensuing results.

I recently responded to an FSI (free-standing insert) in my daily newspaper advertising a household service. I booked an appointment and the franchise owner spent almost 90 minutes in my home discussing my options. My husband and I were very interested, but because we didn't find a suitable color the owner promised to call us in two weeks after attending an industry tradeshow where manufacturers launch their new colors.

Weeks went by with no follow-up. Finally, a company representative called to see when I wanted to book the service. I explained the situation and asked her to provide some company references while I waited for the owner to call back. Again, no response.

I received a letter a few weeks later from the representative asking whether I was still interested in having the work done. This was now two months after the initial estimate. The letter proceeded to market a summer special, followed by this sentence: "We would love service you on your finishing project."

My reaction? Although the owner seemed impressive, the company lost significant credibility in its lack of follow-up to my inquiries, not to mention poor proofreading in the letter. Perhaps the FSI had been so successful that the company was unable to handle the increased volume of inbound calls. What a lost opportunity.

Here are three common sense things to prepare before small or midsize businesses engage in advertising campaigns:

1. Plan, plan, plan

Plan for the best-case scenario and estimate the increase in inquiries, whether the call to action is online, by telephone or email. This way, your business is prepared in advance and can handle the added volume.

If your staff is ill-equipped to manage the projected onslaught, bring on temporary staff or enlist the help of family or friends. It's always better to be over-prepared and hire too many people in the short term than to miss out on sound business leads. Smaller companies especially need to rely on word-of-mouth referrals, so unanswered inquiries or a lack of follow-up or delivery can kill your company's potential for growth.

Identify the steps involved in the sales cycle beforehand and ensure that each one is completed either manually or electronically. Assign quality control tasks to staff so they can ensure there aren't any gaps.

2. Develop a system

Ensure that you use your existing database or other system to note every communication or action with prospective customers. Note any required follow-ups and get back to customers as soon as possible.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

image of Elaine Fogel

Elaine Fogel is president and CMO of Solutions Marketing & Consulting LLC, and a marketing and branding thought leader, speaker, writer, and MarketingProfs contributor. She is the author of the Beyond Your Logo: 7 Brand Ideas That Matter Most for Small Business Success.

LinkedIn: Elaine Fogel

Twitter: @Elaine_Fogel