In digital marketing, lead generation is the key to success. The process of lead generation is what provides a business with new potential customers and allows it to grow. If you still find yourself saying – but what exactly is lead generation and how do you even generate leads – don’t worry! In this blog we will dive into what lead generation is, why it’s important, and some of the common strategies used to generate leads!
What is Lead Generation?
Lead generation is the process of identifying and attracting potential customers or “leads” who have shown interest in a product or service offered by a business. These leads are individuals or organizations that could become paying customers in the future. Lead generation aims to start and nurture relationships with prospective customers, ultimately guiding them through the sales funnel toward conversion.
Why is Lead Generation Important?
Business Growth
Lead generation drives potential customers into the sales funnel, increasing the chances of conversion and revenue growth.
Cost-Effective
Compared to traditional marketing methods, digital lead generation is often more cost-effective and measurable.
Targeted Marketing
It allows businesses to focus their efforts on specific demographics or customer segments, ensuring a higher likelihood of conversion. Lead generation also focuses on retargeting customers who have shown interest in your business in an attempt to successfully guide them through the sale funnel.
How Do You Generate Leads?
There isn’t one singular strategy used for generating leads. Lead generation is a culmination of different strategies that are used together to produce the strongest result for your business. There are general strategies that will work for every business and then specific strategies and tools that can be used for different industries. Some of the general strategies can include but are very much not limited to:
Content & Social Media Marketing
Create valuable and entertaining content for your target audience such as blog posts, e-books, webinars, videos, and social media posts to address their needs and keep them engaged. Free downloadable resources like e-books serve as a lead magnet which can be used to capture contact information from potential leads. Social media content is a great way to reach and connect with your target audience. Sharing engaging content and running social media ads help your business become visible to and attract potential leads.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Optimize your business’ website for search engines to increase organic traffic. By ranking higher on search engine results pages (SERPs), your website will be more visible to potential leads actively searching for related products or services. SEO allows you to reach potential leads while they’re actively looking for related services without having to spend money on advertisements.
Email Marketing
Build and segment email lists to send personalized and relevant content to subscribers. Email marketing is an effective way to nurture leads and move them through the sales funnel. One of the main benefits of email marketing and having a segmented emailing list is that your business can target potential leads no matter where they are in the sales funnel. Whether they’ve just downloaded your e-book, left an abandoned cart on your site, or are recurring customers, you can send them emails that are relevant to the next step in the funnel you’re trying to move them to and entice them with relevant deals or information.
Landing Pages and Forms
Having dedicated landing pages with compelling offers and clear calls-to-action (CTAs) is an important step in not only generating leads but also seeing those leads become customers. Use forms to collect visitor information in exchange for valuable resources or access to exclusive content. Additionally, make sure that your landing page, and every page of your website, are not cluttered. Having an informative website is great, but if it affects a visitor’s ability to navigate and find the information or content they’re looking for, visiting your website will likely be where they leave your sales funnel without making it to the end as a customer.
A/B Testing and Analytics
Continuously monitor and optimize your lead generation strategies using A/B testing and analytics tools. Adjust your tactics based on data to maximize results. An important way to generate leads and convert them to customers is to pay attention to what has worked for previous leads that were converted to customers. A/B testing is a great way to monitor what ads or content are working best in getting your leads through the sales funnel.
If you’re looking to generate more leads and establish a successful sales funnel to guide leads through to increase your conversions, Blackbear Media can help! Get in contact with us so we can discuss what your business needs and how we can help get you there!
