From Fax Machines to Fancy Funnels: Lead Generation in the UK ERP Market – Then vs. Now

Ah, the late 1990s. A time when Oasis ruled the airwaves, dial-up internet was the sound of the future, UK businesses were still figuring out what an "ERP system" was and I had my first job in Lead Generation for Exel Computer Systems. Back then, lead generation for ERP software wasn’t just a task—it was an adventure, full of fax machines, paper cuts, and networking events where you’d literally exchange Rolodex cards.

Fast forward to today, and the world of lead generation is unrecognisable. It’s a slick, digital dance of data, CRM tools, and automated marketing funnels. Let's take a trip down memory lane, comparing the ‘90s way of doing things with the high-tech wizardry of today. It certainly seemed a lot easier back then.

1. The Lead Database: Filofaxes vs. CRMs

• 1990s: Your lead database was a glorious Filofax or, for the high-tech crowd, a Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet. Every prospect’s details were meticulously handwritten or typed up by your trusty PA (remember those?).
• Today: CRMs do all the heavy lifting. You can pull up every detail about a lead from their pet’s name to what flavour of crisps they prefer, all thanks to sophisticated AI. Back in the ‘90s, if you knew a lead’s favourite crisp flavour, you were either Sherlock Holmes or just a bit creepy.

2. Outreach: Cold Calls vs. Clicks

• 1990s: You’d spend your day cold calling—armed with nothing but a headset and the optimism of a door-to-door salesman. You knew you were really killing it when you got through an entire conversation without the receptionist hanging up on you.
• Today: Cold calls? Pfft. Now, it’s all about email campaigns, social media ads, and LinkedIn messages. You can reach thousands of leads at the touch of a button. Plus, with today’s software, you know exactly how many people opened your email, clicked on your link, or marked it as spam.

3. Networking: Physical Events vs. Virtual Everything

• 1990s: Networking events were the place to generate leads. You’d suit up, grab a stack of business cards, and spend the evening shaking hands and trying to impress people with your knowledge of ERP (even if you were still learning what those three letters actually stood for). Half the night would be spent figuring out if "solutions architect" was a real job or just something someone made up.
• Today: Now, networking events are webinars, LinkedIn groups, and virtual conferences. You can “attend” from the comfort of your living room, pyjamas on, and still generate leads—while simultaneously binging the latest Netflix series. (Try doing that at a 1998 business event without raising a few eyebrows.)

4. Marketing Collateral: Brochures vs. Blogs

• 1990s: Marketing collateral was heavy—both literally and figuratively. You’d send out beautifully bound brochures that weighed more than the fax machine they came with. “Collateral” meant printing off a 40-page document, sending it in the post, and hoping your prospect didn’t just use it as a doorstop.
• Today: Content is king, but it’s all digital. Blog posts, white papers, and case studies are sent via email and downloaded on demand. Prospects can access your entire product offering on their phone while waiting for their latte. Meanwhile, marketers track every click, scroll, and share. In the ‘90s, your best bet for tracking engagement was to call and ask, "Did you receive our brochure?"
  
  

5. Targeting: The Phonebook vs. Data-Driven Personalisation

• 1990s: Your targeting strategy? A phonebook. (Remember those?) Or worse, you’d just ask, "Who might be interested in an ERP?" and start dialling every company with a name that sounded vaguely techy.
• Today: It’s all about hyper-targeted ads and personalisation. You can target leads based on their industry, company size, job title, and even their latest Google search. (If someone’s searching “ERP software to stop my business falling apart,” chances are they’re a good lead.)

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6. The Pitch: PowerPoint vs. Interactive Demos

• 1990s: Your sales pitch was a PowerPoint presentation (after you figured out how to stop the projector from overheating). You’d show off slides that were more clipart than content, while your prospect politely nodded and tried not to fall asleep.
• Today: Now, it’s all about interactive demos. You can take prospects on a virtual tour of your software, showing them exactly how it works for their business. Meanwhile, AI tracks their engagement and sends you detailed reports so you can follow up with laser precision. Plus, your prospect can’t fall asleep—they’re too busy clicking through the demo themselves.

7. The Close: Faxing Contracts vs. Digital Signatures

• 1990s: Closing a deal meant faxing over a contract (after a heated argument with the fax machine about why it wouldn’t dial out). Then you’d wait, patiently, for the signed document to be faxed back, hoping no pages went missing in the process.
• Today: Deals are closed with digital signatures. You send the contract via email, the prospect signs it on their phone, and it’s all done in minutes. No more battling with office equipment, and no more standing by the fax machine like it’s a one-armed bandit in Vegas.

Conclusion: It’s a Lead Generation Revolution

In the ‘90s, lead generation for the UK ERP market was a test of endurance. You needed patience, persistence, and the ability to endure a five-minute modem connection just to send an email. Today, it’s all about automation, personalisation, and data. Leads are generated with less sweat and fewer fax-induced migraines.

But one thing remains the same: the need to connect with real people. Whether you’re swapping business cards in a dimly lit conference hall or sending LinkedIn connection requests from your couch, the art of building relationships will never go out of style—no matter how many digital tools we have at our fingertips.

So, here’s to the brave souls of the ‘90s who paved the way. We walked so our AI-powered marketing platforms could run!

If you’re still trying to get your head around the digital age of ERP sales, then get in touch! We’ve spent the last 15-years helping ERP Companies unplug their fax machine and thrive in a world of LinkedIn, Tik Tok and Snapchat – the latter I didn’t even know about until our Marketing Executive introduced me.