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Developing and regularly tweaking your lead generation plan is crucial to the expansion of your business, regardless of whether you run a startup or an established B2B firm. Success will be challenging if you aren't generating interest in your goods and services, luring in new clients, and building brand awareness.
Therefore, if you're seeking the greatest lead creation techniques, we can be of assistance. This book will walk you through 13 of the most effective lead-generating tactics that small businesses of all sorts may use. Additionally, we'll break down actual instances of each tactic so you can see how to apply these principles in the real world.
What Is a Lead Generation Strategy?
Although the term "lead generation" is commonly used in the context of small company marketing, the fundamental idea is actually rather straightforward: Any technique or activity used to draw clients to your organization with the intention of having them engage with it in some form is known as a lead generation strategy.
In other words, your lead generation approach may involve posting advertisements on social media sites like Instagram and asking consumers to subscribe to your email list in order to receive more information about your company. Every time a person submits their email using this online lead creation approach, you receive a lead. The ultimate purpose of lead generation techniques is to provide you with these leads so that you may further contact or retarget these people to persuade them to make a purchase from or partner with your company.
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Best Lead Generation Strategies to Generate B2B Sales Leads
Finding the best lead generation tactics for your company may be challenging since there are so many options to consider and not all of them will be effective for your company. In light of this, you should consider your industry, business size, the nature of your operations, and, of course, your specific goals in choosing the ideal methods for your company.
The ideal strategy to produce leads for your company will likely need some trial and error, as with many aspects of marketing. In light of this, let's examine some of the most effective lead generation tactics now in use so you can decide which will work best for your company.
1. Your website should have a live chat option
As one of the best methods for generating online leads, you may also think about including a live chat function. In a recent survey, real-time chat was rated as one of the most crucial aspects of an e-commerce page by 44% of participants. Even better, 62% of users and 63% of repeat visitors indicated they were more inclined to visit a website with a live chat feature.
Due to its real-time accessibility, live chat may, for your business, be a terrific lead generation strategy to spark the attention of potential clients and promote repeat business.
Visitors to your website may communicate with you directly through live chat features rather than by phone or email. The convenience of asking inquiries at any time benefits potential clients, and you can then get in touch with them immediately to respond to queries and assist in generating new business. And in this situation, a small gesture, like a "Chat Now!" button on a company website, may greatly improve customer service on your site and help build relationships with new visitors and prospects.
Example: More and more organizations are integrating live chat on their websites, from the e-commerce platform BigCommerce to large corporations like Amazon to small online boutiques. You may communicate with a chatbot or a live agent using the live chat feature, which often appears in the lower right corner of the screen.
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2. Take a search engine optimization course
No matter how well-designed or informational a website is, only 10% of search users browse past the first page of search results when seeking for information. This makes it challenging for any company to get its website in front of potential leads.
Due to this, SEO is still one of the best lead-generating techniques, especially for internet businesses, B2B companies, and even B2C companies. Although creating the ideal SEO plan is not always simple, the first step is making use of the resources at your disposal (the majority of website builders provide SEO optimization tools) and keeping search engine visibility top of mind.
Therefore, as a starting point, you may make sure that your website:
- gives accurate information
- addresses questions that are often asked
- Contains concise and straightforward writing
Although it is free to learn SEO best practices on your own, investing in a consultation with an SEO specialist might provide value to your company if it operates in a highly competitive sector. But for the majority, spending money on content marketing and hiring writers who understand SEO should be sufficient to give you a distinct advantage.
Example: If you type "business website builder" into Google, you'll see a variety of website-building businesses, like Squarespace and Wix, who have optimized their own websites to appear on the first page of Google results, increasing the likelihood that they'll receive leads from search.
3. Hold distinctive conferences or training
Holding an event or seminar gives you the chance to develop long-lasting, meaningful relationships with potential clients, making it possibly the most enjoyable and interactive of our top lead generation tactics.
Holding a seminar or event that is specifically connected to the industry in which your company or service excels is one approach to do this. By contacting potential clients and consumers with something far more helpful than a chilly sales presentation, you'll be able to appeal to them directly. Additionally, participants get the opportunity to network with one another, your staff, and other repeat customers in addition to learning from you.
And while though organizing an event or seminar may seem like it would need a lot of work and money, there are different methods to approach this tactic based on your industry, target market, and financial constraints. In place of a lecture or event, you could:
- Organize a happy hour.
- Run a booth at a conference or organize an add-on event.
- Organize a webinar or expert conversation.
Overall, this is one of the greatest lead-generating techniques for both B2B enterprises that can attend conferences or regional business events related to their sector and startups that need to build their brand.
An such is IBM, which offers free webinars to experts on a range of topics (shown below). Providing your contact information and registering is all that is required to gain access to the free webinar.
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4. Rethink deals and discounts
It's possible that you've provided discounts or other incentives to get new clients to make a purchase. This won't help you, though, if no one is aware of your company and the fantastic bargains you're providing.
As a result, if you want to be innovative with your discount plan, you may consider collaborating with sites that focus on offers and discounts, like Groupon, and leveraging them as a lead-generating method.
Similarly to this, you may also consider forming a package deal with other comparable companies who have more experience in the same industry. These websites will do the labor of locating the eyeballs you need to get your product or service in front of since they are all about attracting new customers—and with a budget and reach that you might not have.
Deals sites may not have the highest profit margins, but for companies that just need to establish their name and brand, this is a top lead-generating approach. Additionally, you may eventually turn leads into devoted consumers by providing amazing bargains right away.
Example: Utilizing Groupon is yet another excellent example of a lead creation method. You may offer your product or service on Groupon at a discount and receive access to their specific demographic as well as their marketing and advertising strategies.
This approach works really well for local companies as well as startups, particularly when using a platform like Groupon that groups various listings according to region.
5. Give an evaluation or a report
A five-minute lead creation quiz is another method of exchanging emails for knowledge. If your company offers a professional service, you may create a fast questionnaire and then base your comments, advice, or quote on the responses you receive.
This is wonderful for several reasons: First off, this is another of the top B2B lead-generating methods since it may be difficult for many decision-makers inside a business to resist the desire to obtain quick insights or assessments. Additionally, this tactic gives prospective customers a glimpse into the job that your organization does.
The best part is that you discover a lot about the respondent as a result. Additionally, these surveys don't need to be extremely tailored in order to get results. A straightforward questionnaire can result in the production of a number of pre-packaged findings that provide just enough insight to be used again and act as a teaser of your business's more extensive services.
Although this tactic works best for service-based firms, it may also be used to some product-based enterprises. For instance, you may take a "fit quiz" to determine your bra size at the online bra startup firm True and Co. You must provide your email at the conclusion of the quiz, though, in order to learn your size and your matches.
With this quick evaluation, True and Co. are generating leads while giving you information about your size and product recommendations.
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6. Use CTAs and optimize your website
The day when only media enterprises, IT companies, and businesses with a digital focus needed to dazzle with great websites is long gone. You should have a website that combines gorgeous, clever design with speed and efficiency even if you operate a physical business.
Having said that, you shouldn't just have a website for the sake of having one; rather, it should inform visitors about your business's who, what, where, and why and push them to act in some way. You should consider what you want visitors to your website to do and how to persuade them to take that activity.
Create a call to action, or CTA, that directs visitors to a "location" or "contact us" page if you want them to come into your business in person. On the other hand, if you want a visitor to your website to make a purchase, you should design a CTA that directs them to specific product pages or perhaps even a landing page with a discount for first-time buyers.
For instance, we use CTAs that say "view your loan possibilities" to encourage visitors to fill out our application on the Fundera homepage (example below).
7. Make downloadable resources
Are you an authority on the subject? If so, you should make the most of your information. To attract leads, you can provide free eBooks and white paper downloads (along with other related materials) that highlight your industry knowledge and your company.
Essentially, resources like white papers and eBooks enable potential leads to get specialized expertise or information on-demand in return for their contact information—it's a profitable trade. These kinds of resources may also double as an instructive sales presentation that goes beyond marketing text and industry-specific terminology.
Additionally, if your item is of the highest caliber, you may discover that peers share it, which can help your company's reputation and brand name go well beyond your own on-site marketing activities. Making downloadable assets is really one of the top B2B lead-generating techniques for all of the aforementioned reasons.
Example: Oracle, a provider of enterprise management software, provides white papers for download in return for contact details from potential clients. You may get Oracle's white paper on attracting ideal clients by entering your contact information, as you can see below.
8. Take a new approach to direct mail
Even though it can seem like an old-fashioned method, giving direct mail campaigns a fresh twist can be an incredibly effective lead-generating tactic.
You can: Rather than sending an unwanted freebie "to the present resident," consider:
- Send out enticing fliers with great deals.
- Use referral codes that are data-driven.
- Hit smaller, more attentive crowds
You may spend more money on the tangible object you're sending out by being picky with your direct mail campaigns. You may also attract fresh leads to proceed by providing better discounts, coupons, or other incentives. Direct mail might not be your final step in acquiring new clients; rather, it can be your first attempt at persuading someone to visit your website or phone you.
Example: Wayfair, an online retailer of home goods, collaborates with the USPS to include a 10% off discount for Wayfair purchases in the confirmation letter you receive after mailing an official change of address form.
Instead of merely sending direct mail coupons to a more broad audience, Wayfair is now focusing on a very narrow group of people—people who have recently moved—who are more likely to use their services and really take advantage of the deal.
9. Start an organization newsletter
You can consider using email marketing as a strategy for your small business, similar to content and social media lead-generating techniques.
Your email marketing plan might be compared to a content strategy combined with social lead generation strategies. If everything goes according to plan, you will have a captive audience for updates about your business or sector. You aren't vying for attention in a sea of social media updates since they receive updates directly in their email.
Given this, it's critical to offer persuading reasons for people to sign up for your newsletter in order to maximize the effectiveness of your lead-generating efforts. Exclusive deals, opportunities, and information all have a powerful allure. The benefits of focusing on a captive audience, however, might immediately result in the acquisition of really valuable leads, therefore it's crucial to make sure you maintain sending out those newsletters.
Email marketing platforms like MailChimp and Constant Contact provide tools to help with this kind of lead-generating approach if you're not sure where to begin.
Example: Fairfield and Greenwich Cheese Company, a local Connecticut cheese business, distributes an email newsletter (snippet shown below) to let their audience know about a new cheese that is now available as well as to market other goods and dish ideas.
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10. Broadcast advertisements to your target market
Due to the recent surge in the popularity of podcasts and the demand for advertising from content producers, it is now possible to convert listeners into leads, maybe with even higher potential than with a conventional radio ad. You already have a decent notion of what this audience will find fascinating and applicable to their life because podcasts often concentrate on particular subjects, and listeners pick which ones to stream.
In order to focus your lead generation approach there and work with the podcast to run your advertisements and attract people to your website or store, you may determine which podcasts best speak to your target demographic. Once more, this is a well-liked method for generating online leads—especially when used in conjunction with our first plan, in which you provide podcast listeners with a referral code good for a discount on their purchase.
Another variation on this lead-generating method, given the prevalence of streaming websites, is to make video advertising that may run in YouTube's or other streaming platforms' "commercial slots." Choosing a podcast or program depending on the audience allows you to better target the clients you're after—those who are most likely to be interested in your product or service—even if it may seem like a simple advertising technique.
As an illustration, the popular "Stuff You Should Know" podcast from iHeart Media has advertising for the online learning platform Great Courses Plus. This podcast is a good venue for the Great Courses Plus to sell its courses since it attracts listeners who are eager to learn about novel and interesting topics.
11. Use social media in a creative way
Although using social media in an organic way, particularly in local markets, can be one of the finest lead-generation techniques for startups, there are other ways to use these platforms that may be more effective for your company.
First and foremost, you could spend money on sponsored social media advertising, which is quite cheap and frequently more effective than organic postings, which normally only get a small number of followers. Currently, social media networks like Facebook and Instagram allow you to retarget users who have already interacted with your business as well as target extremely precise audiences with paid ad solutions.
Numerous of these platforms furthermore include one-click email submission, which enables users to easily enter their contact information with only the press of a button and provides companies a hassle-free approach to gathering information on potential prospects.
12. Create a referral program with incentives
Even today, word-of-mouth marketing is crucial, and technology has significantly altered the ways that consumers share information about the companies they love. Since they are now simpler than ever to define and track, client referral programs have in fact grown even more beneficial as successful lead-generating tactics.
As a result, you can choose to design a referral program with incentives to generate leads for your company. For instance, if you offer goods or services online, you may create unique referral codes for certain customers and prospects. This way, both your devoted customers and prospective customers can benefit from referral discounts.
This idea could be applicable to a physical business, but it works particularly well as a lead-generating approach online because customers can quickly email, text, or message their referral code to a friend.
Example: Casper, a mattress manufacturer, uses this tactic (as shown below). Casper enables you to share a referral link with friends. When a purchase is made using your special link, you receive a $75 Amazon gift card and the people you recommended get 15% off their purchase.
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13. Produce and distribute quality content.
Investing in content for your website is a great lead-creation tactic, similar to SEO.
In essence, if the material you produce is properly optimized, content-based lead generation marketing tactics enable you to boost your visibility in search. Search engines reward you more for producing more high-quality material.
In the end, search engines favor websites that provide rapid and straightforward inquiry answers. For instance, if you write a blog article that outlines the who, what, where, and why of a subject in which your business excels, you'll benefit from high search engine placement.
Additionally, you'll gain from lead generation strategies that link your content to your real location as the search gets more local. Afterward, you can be well on your way to controlling local online marketing.
In contrast to a website from a real brewery or restaurant, the top (non-ad) results of a google search for "craft beer in NYC" are content-based websites like Eater and TimeOut that have published compilation posts of the greatest craft beer bars in NYC. In this instance, those websites are utilizing content marketing to sell their brands and generate leads.
Additionally, if you want to be truly innovative, you can choose to build partnerships with influencers that can assist promote your business as a reliable third-party voice. One of the biggest marketplaces in digital advertising is influencer marketing, and according to 67% of study participants, influencer marketing campaigns helped businesses access more specialized focused audiences.
Numerous of these platforms furthermore include one-click email submission, which enables users to easily enter their contact information with only the press of a button and provides companies a hassle-free approach to gathering information on potential prospects.
Final thought
Ultimately, there are many effective lead-generating techniques out there, including the ones we've covered here. The ones that will be effective for your business are what matters, though. Therefore, bear the following advice in mind as you begin developing your small company advertising and marketing strategies:
One strategy won't work for everyone, so don't be scared to try another one if the first one doesn't work. The most effective lead-generating techniques won't be the same for established companies and startups.
Old tactics can still be effective, but for the greatest results, make sure you modernize them with a fresh twist.
Although you should prepare to invest some money, lead-generating strategies don't have to be pricey.
Do your best to be inventive since you never know what could work for your particular company.
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