Today’s consumers can quickly access endless information – social media, blog posts, videos, and podcasts. Loyal customers are the lifeblood of every successful business, so attracting potential customers and generating high-quality leads is a top priority.
Luckily, there are many ways to get more leads quickly and effectively.
Businesses of all sizes can use the following reliable ideas to generate leads. The key is testing and modifying them so they work for your customer base.
What is a lead?
A lead is someone who has shown interest in your company by positively interacting with your brand in some way. The following categories can further define leads:
Information Qualified Lead – IQL
Also called a cold lead, an IQL is a potential customer entering the sales funnel. They are looking for information about your business to see if you can provide what they need. An IQL will give you their name and email address to learn more about your products or services.
Marketing Qualified Lead – MQL
An MQL, or warm lead, has shown a continuing interest in your business. They are exploring how your products or services can solve their problems.
Sales Qualified Lead – SQL
These hot leads indicate they’re ready to purchase and become a customer.
What is lead generation in digital marketing?
In digital marketing, lead generation is the process of targeting potential customers and capturing interest in a product or service. The overall goal of lead generation is to convert the interested person into a buyer and loyal customer. In digital marketing, lead generation can occur via multiple channels, including social media, email, advertising, and downloadable content through a landing page.
6 Effective Lead Generation Strategies
1. High-value content
Content is a proven way to build search engine optimization for your website, show your knowledge as a business, and generate leads.
When using content as a lead-driving tool, remember that it encompasses more than just blog posts – it also includes guides, ebooks, white papers, graphics, and videos.
The content is then gated, and potential customers give you their contact information in exchange for access. Make the content relevant, valuable, and targeted to your ideal customer.
Gated content is effective because it makes a good impression on your target audience, improves your brand legitimacy, and provides high-quality leads genuinely interested in your product or service.
Read More: 5 Effective Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Small Business
2. Social media marketing
With 4.9 billion social media users worldwide, it’s an ideal place to hunt down leads. Social media platforms allow you to interact directly with your followers – and they let you create advertising targeted at highly specific audiences.
Social media is a great place to run contests and share gated content. And interaction is simplified thanks to multiple user-friendly CTAs.
Read More: Which Social Media Platforms Are Best for My Business?
3. Personalized email marketing
Another great way to generate leads is email marketing – especially when you personalize them to each recipient. A recent study found that personalized emails generate up to six times higher revenue than non-personalized emails and campaigns.
Segment your contact list by dividing them into smaller groups based on information like demographics, interests, or purchase history. Once you segment your email list into groups, you can send more relevant emails to those groups instead of sending the same emails to your entire subscriber list. This small touch helps drive more leads while building brand loyalty with potential customers.
Add links in multiple places to increase total clicks – and track which ones are being clicked more often. You’ll be more effective when you learn your subscriber’s habits.
4. Online ads
Display ads and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising are powerful tools to generate leads and reach potential customers where they are.
Display ads are images and videos that pop up as users browse social media, websites, and apps. They are valuable for targeting leads across the buyer’s journey and promoting new products, sales, and awareness.
PPC ads appear when users search for relevant keywords, so you can connect with people actively looking for the products or services you offer.
Use remarketing ads to reengage leads who have stopped short of a purchase.
Read More: Proven Ways to Boost Website Traffic
5. Referral marketing
Did you know that more than 99.9% of online shoppers read reviews? Did you know that 94% of consumers say positive reviews make them more likely to support a business?
Let existing customers be lead generators by encouraging them to write reviews in exchange for a discount or something of value. Referrals and online reviews are excellent ways to generate leads and increase sales. They also boost your authenticity and trust level better than some marketing campaigns.
6. Landing pages
Landing pages convince visitors to take specific actions, like signing up for your newsletter or scheduling a consultation. Creating landing pages that speak to different customer groups is a game-changer because you can personalize your message, address their unique needs, and build trust – which means more leads and sales.
Optimize landing pages to create a seamless experience, from the social media post or online ad to the messaging, to the call-to-action that seals the deal. And remember to track your results so you can tweak your landing pages for maximum impact.
Bottom Line
Which ideas are best for your potential customers? Every business needs to drive leads. And with these proven strategies, you can drive leads – even with a small budget.
Impact Group Marketing is a digital marketing agency with print production capabilities based in College Station, Texas. We provide small to medium businesses with digital marketing solutions, website design and development services, and business printing. Contact us today to learn more about our services.