Consider the most expensive purchase you have ever made. How many times have you found out about a business or product, and then became a customer right away? 61% of marketers believe that generating leads and traffic is their biggest challenge.
Table of Contents
- What is lead generation?
- Lead generation basics
- How to get leads from your website
- There are many ways to generate leads online
- How to generate leads offline
What is lead generation?
Lead generation is the process that captures the contact information for potential customers. It often takes multiple encounters with a business before a person becomes a customer, so with their contact information, you can initiate these encounters–and make them impressionable–through useful content.
It is important to build trust and keep you in mind so that leads eventually choose to buy from you.
Businesses that deal with:
- Big purchases: Real estate, financial services and solar
- Law firms: High returns on new leads
- B2B SaaS has a slower sales cycle
- Coupons for Ecommerce
How to generate leads: The basics
Each lead generation strategy will look different for each business. However, the following four principles should be applicable to all businesses.
1. Offer
The lead magnet, also known as the lead magnet, is a key component of any lead generation strategy. It should be something your prospects feel worth exchanging contact information for. It should be of value and relevant to your products or services to ensure you are attracting quality leads.
These are just a few examples of such offers:
- Content (reports, checklists, guides, cheat sheets)
- Free tools (calculators, graders, quizzes)
- Newsletters
- Swag
- Trials are free
- Demos
- Consultations are free
The best offer depends on which channel you promote it on (such search engines or social media), who you target, their intent, and what their mindset is.
2. Form and landing page
After clicking the button to accept the offer, the landing page is where the user lands. This page includes all the features and benefits of your offer as well as the form that the user must fill out to get it.
Here are some tips for landing pages that generate leads:
- Be sure to use the same messaging as the advertisement or other content that leads to it.
- Limit the number of fields in your form.
- To ensure that your forms populate leads in your CRM, test them.
- You can use anything but "submit" for your CTA button language
3. Thank you page
After submitting their contact details, the user will land on the thank you page. This is done by making the URL of the form submit button the thank-you page.
These are the qualities that make a thank you page a good one:
- Confirm to your customer that the transaction has been completed.
- Thank them for showing interest in your company.
- This contains the offer, such as a link or steps to get it (like checking your inbox).
- Promoting a secondary offer
- Tracks conversions.
4. CRM and tracking
The first step in generating leads is nurturing them. It is important to nurture and follow up with leads so that they become customers. A spreadsheet might be useful if you are a small business. Even then, it can be difficult to track each lead's progress. This is because you need to tailor your communication to each lead's stage and touchpoint. Automating personalized and meaningful communication can be made easier by using customer relationship management (CRM), or lead management software.
How to get leads from your website
There are many ways to generate leads from your website. However, most of your leads will be generated through it. Optimize each page for lead generation, and drive relevant traffic to the site.
Step 1: Optimize your website for leads
Every page of your website should offer a way for visitors to sign up as leads. You can achieve this in a sophisticated way by using a combination of strategies. Take this example:
- Anchor text Text links in the body of your pages can help you capture high-intent leads, who will actually be reading your content line-by-line.
- Buttons Use active language and appropriate contrast color to make them stand out.
- Embedded Forms: Instead of sending users to a landing site every time, you can embed forms in one or two fields on any page. For example, at the bottom or side rail to sign up for your newsletter.
- Chatbots To collect information from users in the event of disconnect, you can use chatbots to connect them to live people. You can also have a bot that promotes an offer and captures it all in one chat.
- Popups Non-annoying pop-ups are great at capturing leads. Popups can be embedded directly in the pop-up or linked to a landing page. Popup software allows you to target specific blog categories with targeted offers.
- Sticky widgets Sidebars/bottom rails that remain on any page.
Step 2: Match intent with a match offer
Remember that visitors' intents will differ on different pages, so tailor your offers accordingly.
- Homepage A prominent call to action should be placed above your homepage for your main product/service, and below it secondary leads-generating offers. If you're a lead generation-focused company, your primary offer could be a free consultation or trial.
- Contact us page The only lead-generating offering on your contact page should be a form. Instead of providing your email address, you should replace it with a contact form that will send an email notification.
- Products & services page: Be careful when designing your services and products pages. These pages should have a CTA that allows you to buy the product or service. However, it is possible to add a live chat widget to help those who might have questions.
- Testimonials page. You will get qualified traffic to your testimonials page, but it is important not to interrupt their research with other offers. This page might have a chat widget or you could try gating success stories. People who are interested enough to complete a form to see the story will be very interested in your company.
- Blog postsIntents to buy are going to be lower that intent to learn. Blog posts that include lead magnets should have lower-funnel content, such as checklists, guides, and newsletter signups.
Step 3: Drive traffic to the lead-generating website
Now it is time to optimize your website to generate leads. Qualified traffic is not just any traffic. This means that you want to attract the most qualified traffic. Combining SEO and business promotion strategies such as:
- Blog writing: Create high-quality blog posts that contain information your target audience is searching online. To find the most relevant topics, use keyword research tools.
- Backlink Building: Well-targeted content can be found on search engines. However, earning backlinks from other trusted sites will help that content rank higher and attract more traffic.
- Local SEO.Optimizing local listings is a great lead generation strategy. Make sure to prioritize your Google Business Profile. Follow our tips for optimizing your listing.
- Social media: The power of social media to generate leads! Regularly post links to your blog posts. Engage with your followers, share other's content using hashtags and host contests. More traffic = more followers Here are some tips to get LinkedIn leads for B2B.
- Collaborations with Influencers:Partner With a Popular Influencer in Your Market. This can drive traffic to your website and social channels from relevant audiences, whether it's via a guest post or a video.
- Email newsletters: Sending out informative, useful, and interesting emails that include links to your website or landing pages. Your email list is already a source of leads for your company. However, it is important to keep them coming back to you and engaging with other offers so that they can go further down the funnel and keep your brand at the top.
- Paid traffic campaigns Most ad platforms offer traffic objectives that allow you to drive traffic to your site. However, these platforms often have lead generation or conversion objectives which can be much more beneficial. These will be discussed next.
25 Ways To Get More Traffic to Your Web Site
There are many ways to generate leads online
Although the above strategy is vital for generating leads, it is essentially a passive one. Turn your website into an engine that generates leads for your company, then let users go to places where they can choose their adventure.
While this is important, here are some additional lead generation ideas that are more targeted and active. Have a look at these:
Run conversion campaigns
Instead of directing people to your website for the sake of finding your lead magnets (such as checklists, guides, and other free tools), you can direct promote those offers through paid media campaigns via search, social, display and YouTube ads. These are the conversion campaigns I mentioned a few minutes ago. You should create landing pages that are specific to each channel and target audience for these offers.
You can nurture these leads and save money. These leads can be nurtured. Online advertising allows you to target highly qualified leads that are highly nurturing.
Try lead form ads
Many ad platforms provide a lead-form ad. Facebook offers lead ads and Google offers extension lead form extensions. This means that users clicking on an ad don't go to your landing page. Instead, a form is displayed on that platform. Although this lower-friction approach is more effective in generating high volumes of leads than landing page campaigns, it's important to ensure that quality lead quality.
This is an example of a Google lead form ad.
Host giveaways and contests
Contests and giveaways are a great way to get leads. Everyone loves free stuff. Make sure you offer something that is relevant to your business and have a way to collect contact information from contest entrants. You'll only gain followers and not leads if you do this.
Although they might not generate the highest quality leads immediately, giveaways and contests can help you build an audience and brand affinity.
Run referral programs
Set up a referral program for your customers. This is a great way to engage customers and bring in new leads.
There are many ways to generate leads offline.
Your lead-generating powerhouses, such as your website, search engines, social media, and search engines, are not necessarily online. This does not mean that you should abandon all offline marketing strategies. These old-fashioned offline strategies are still effective in generating leads.
Profit from events
- Sponsor local races:Sponsor events relevant to your business. For example, a bike shop sponsoring an event at a local race. Your contact information should be included on signage and swag. You can also set up a booth where potential customers can meet you and sign up to your newsletter.
- Attend industry events.Industry tradeshows and networking events can help you connect with a lot of potential prospects. These people can be followed up with and nurtured in the following days and weeks. You can also benefit from building relationships with industry professionals and business owners to help with your lead generation efforts. However, don't let that be the end goal. For more information on networking strategies and tips, please visit our website.
- Hold your own events: You can host events at your place or with a brick and mortar business partner if you don’t already have one. You can think of tutorials, seminars and free sessions. Sign up at the event to join your email list, or gather contact information for a giveaway.
Print ads are a great option
Print ads in local newspapers can help you break through the online clutter. Consider the publication's frequency and volume of distribution, as well as the reader characteristics and cost to find the right publication for your print ads. Although contact via print ads or postcards may be more difficult than online CTAs, you might find that those who do take action despite the friction are better leads.
Direct mail
You can stand out among your competitors by sending a well-designed, targeted care package or postcard. Make sure to include a clear CTA – to redeem a coupon in-store or to visit a landing page on your website, or to use a promo code.
Image source
Don't forget the swag
You can reach your leads by giving away useful and free items that include your brand and contact details. You can give away sunglasses, hats and drink koozies. Pens, notepads, pens, and other useful items. Swag can be handed out at your store, at special events or used for competition prizes. Flyers, signs, and car wraps can be used on your property.
Reach out to local media outlets
You can use your local community to pull the right levers for your small business.
- Local radio ads You can target your audience by time of the day and even by audience.
- Local TV: Many local news stations regularly feature small businesses on morning shows… sometimes for no cost! Find out how you can get on air by contacting local radio and TV stations.
- Local media:Have an event or cause that is worthy of attention, tips for the community, or a cool founder story? You can pitch the media to get PR.
Provide excellent customer service
While referral programs are great, what is the best way to get a referral? A customer was so pleased with your service that they recommended you to other people. You'll attract new leads by offering products and services that are exceptional.
Final tips for generating leads
In this post I said that generating leads is just one part of the equation. Good lead management is key to turning those leads into customers. Here are some tips to ensure a successful lead generation process
- Track all:Use UTMs and campaign IDs or any other tracking method to understand which offers are generating the most leads, and which ones are not.
- Track conversions from lead to customer: It's important not only to keep track of the leads that generate the most leads but also to see the conversion rates for the lead-to-customer offers.
- Follow up on leads: Lead generation is all about turning them into customers. This is not something that happens in a single encounter. Follow up with your leads at least twice.
The big list of ways to generate leads:
- Reports
- Checklists
- Guides
- Cheat sheets
- Webinars
-
Newsletters
- Calculators
- Graders
- Quizzes
- Additional tools available for free
- Swag
- Trials are free
- Demos
- Consults
- Case studies
- Courses
- Anchor text
- Buttons
- Forms embedded
- Chatbots
- Sidebars and bottom rails
- Blogging
- Backlinks
- Listings
- Social sharing
- Collaborations with Influencers
- Paid conversion campaigns
- Ads for lead forms
- Giveaways and contests
- Referral programs
- Sponsor events
- Participate in events
- Host events
- Print ads
- Direct mail
- Swag
- Signage and car wraps
- Radio ads
- TV advertisements
- Local press
- Customer service
The post How To Generate Leads: 41 Strategies that Work (Paid and Free!) WordStream was the first to publish this article.
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By: Kristen McCormick
Title: How to Generate Leads: 41 Strategies That Work (Paid & Free!)
Sourced From: www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2023/01/12/how-to-generate-leads
Published Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:50:53 +0000
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