For a business to stay afloat, it needs consistent revenue streams. The question is, what’s the secret to having this steady flow of revenue? Two words: lead generation.
This entails finding new opportunities or prospects you can introduce to your sales pipeline. You’ll still need to generate, nurture and manage these leads.
But, the focus of this article is on getting new leads. Here’s how:
12 Lead Generation Strategies
1. Create meaningful content
Content should top your list of lead-generation strategies. This technique is helpful in two ways. For one, it makes your website easily discoverable by your target audience. Then once the right visitors land on your site, they’ll be convinced to stick around for longer.
So, how do you create content that attracts leads? Well, this requires you first to understand your audience. This way, you can create customized content that keeps them returning for more.
2. Use webinars to generate leads
Webinars are one of the most underrated strategies for generating leads. This is surprising, considering how resourceful they can be.
To put things into perspective, the average conversion rate from a webinar is 55%. So while it requires a little planning, the rewards you’ll reap are worth it.
Here’s what you should do to generate more leads through webinars:
- Start by defining your target audience – you can do this by creating a profile of your ideal buyer. Identify their needs, frustrations and preferred outcomes from attending your webinar. Collecting such data makes creating webinar content tailored to your audience easier.
- Create a landing page with carefully thought-out text – your end goal is to get your ideal customers to sign up for the event. And the only way you can achieve this is to use a personalized message.
- Provide both on-demand and replacement options – the modern-day consumer likes to consume content at their own time and convenience. As such, ensure that your webinar is accessible either on-demand or via replay.
3. Use retargeting ads
Fun fact: the average click-through rate (CTR) for regular advertisements is 0.07%, while that of retargeting ads is 0.7% (10 times higher). This shows that retargeting ads have a higher conversion rate than regular ones.
So, what is a retargeting ad? This ad is only shown to those who’ve visited your website but didn’t take action. To increase the chances of generating a lead, include an enticing offer. Or, better yet, include a clause that evokes a sense of urgency.
4. Leverage AI and automation tools
Given how fast technology is advancing, many facets of marketing will be dominated by AI soon, and rightly so. AI and automation technology save you from performing a ton of manual work when generating leads.
For instance, integrating chatbots into your website allows your brand to be present round-the-clock. Plus, it encourages visitor engagement, contributing to a positive user experience. This, in turn, increases the prospect’s chances of taking action, be it purchasing or subscribing to your email list.
To help you get started, here’s a list of automation tools that help with lead generation:
- Getresponse – ideal for building and managing email lists
- Zoho Desk – automates customer support services
- Wordtune – aids in content creation
- Clickfunnels: Funnel builder software
Related: 9 Best AI writing tools
5. Use broadcast advertising to reach your target audience
Broadcast marketing means advertising your brand on different media, such as television or radio. But one of the most effective platforms for lead generation is podcasts.
Here’s the thing, podcasts usually concentrate on a particular theme. So the listeners who choose to stream a given podcast already have an interest in that sector.
This allows you to convert listeners into leads. It would be best if you found suitable podcasts for your niche, and you can focus your lead generation campaign there.
6. Social media marketing
You can do much with social media networks to attract and nurture new leads. One such technique entails investing in paid social media advertising.
Although this doesn’t come cheap, it enables your posts to reach a greater audience than the handful of people reached through organic posts. And the best part is that platforms like Facebook and Instagram will allow you to reach target audiences using paid ads.
Another tactic that helps is creating a rapport with the influencers in your industry. They already have dozens of followers. This gives you a chance to advertise your brand to the masses.
7. Use Answer Forum Questions
A lesser-known technique for generating leads is answering forum questions. But it’s very effective and improves your lead generation in two ways.
First off, it provides an opportunity to interact with potential customers. Secondly, it lets you showcase your expertise and knowledge in a specific niche. This, in turn, fosters trust with Internet users and could potentially result in a conversion.
So how do you put this into practice? Head to websites like Quora and Reddit. Next, identify a category related to your niche and answer user questions.
Once you’ve responded to the query, mention that you offer a product/service that can solve the user’s pain point and add a call-to-action button.
8. Familiarize yourself with SEO practices
Were you aware that 75% of Internet users never scroll beyond the first page? And this is where search engine optimization comes in. This shows just how important it is for your website to rank at the top of search engines.
SEO requires you to improve different elements of your website to improve its visibility and generate more traffic. Here’s how to get more SEO leads:
- Researching relevant keywords and include them early on in your content
- Aligning your content with users’ search intents
- Using an attention-grabbing title and meta description
- Updating your website content regularly to keep it relevant to your audience
9. Add a live chat feature to your website
Not many website owners consider this a crucial aspect of their website. But as statistics show, they should certainly pay attention to it.
Kissmetrics performed a study to determine the impact it has on a user’s experience. According to the study, up to 38% of visitors said they’d decided to buy because of the information provided through live chat. Another 63% said they were more willing to revisit a website that has a live chat feature.
10. Generate Leads on LinkedIn
Did you know that at least 80% of leads sourced through social media networks come from LinkedIn? This proves how valuable it can be for lead generation. So how can you position your brand to attract quality leads on this platform? Here are a few suggestions:
- Create a well-optimized profile for your business or brand – when writing the summary sections on your profile, be sure to use thought-provoking content. It should be compelling enough that other professionals will want to interact with you.
- Engage – just like any other social media channel, LinkedIn is meant for engagement. So if you have a good following on other platforms, encourage them to check out your LinkedIn page and engage you. On the same note, look for industry-relevant groups and join them.
- Post insightful content and updates – common mistake business owners make treating their LinkedIn profile like a wallflower. But this shouldn’t be the case. Instead, post relevant content and do so regularly. This will help you foster credibility with potential leads.
11. Consider a referral program
This may feel like one more taxing thing you have to do. But, it’s one strategy that can lead to high-value leads.
Think about it; your current customers are your best ambassadors. They might know friends, colleagues and family members interested in your product. But instead of waiting for your clientele to advocate your brand, make this process easy using a referral system.
This program compels customers to refer your brand to others by enticing them with an offer. This could be a discount, click-to-share link or any other well-timed ask for every client they bring on board.
12. Use Email Marketing
Although I’ve listed this point in last place, this doesn’t make it any less effective. Quite the opposite. It turns out that email marketing generates 40 times more leads compared to Twitter and Facebook. So how can you tap those leads using email? Here’s a detailed guide:
- Create short and catchy emails – you can achieve this by using simple fonts, designs, and concise and well-spaced text. This will surely increase your open rate, allowing prospects to learn more about your business.
- Use attention-grabbing subject lines – though short, the subject line can make or break your emails. So you’ll want to use one that’s compelling enough. I recommend testing different subject lines to determine which one gets the highest open rate.
- Use a strong CTA button – some of the best CTAs are action-oriented and evoke a sense of urgency. Use words such as “download”, “register today”, “attend”, or “try now”.
Lead Generation: Conclusion
Have you been thinking about getting new leads for your business? Well, some tried-and-tested hacks work well. Examples include creating meaningful content, retargeting ads, implementing a referral program, and SEO, to mention a few.