Lead Generation

Lead generation: A Beginner’s Guide for Impressive Results

Gone are the days when the only way to generate leads was cold-calling people up to promote your products or services. The digital era that we presently live in provides us with multiple choices when it comes to lead generation. Technology has made it possible for potential customers to find the best products and services they require. At the same time, it has made it possible for companies to reach their customers through social media, search engines, and blogs. Companies have also been gifted with tools that can compile and analyze available data to identify leads that are more likely to be converted. This has allowed them to use their sales force to its optimal level by prioritization.

What is Lead Generation?

Lead generation refers to the process by which potential customers are identified by extending the outreach of your products or services. A lead is hence any person who could potentially become your customer in the future. The leads that are generated through lead generation are nurtured till they are ready to buy. 

How to generate leads?

Technology has made it easier for us to reach our target audience and yet the vastness of the Internet is a double-edged sword. With many new ventures trying to reach their customers, there is always the chance that your voice would get drowned out. The customers are confronted with a variety of choices they have never experienced before. If your product or services do not stand out, it will be harder for you to reach your target audience. So how can we reach those customers? And how can we make them listen?

Outreach

Widen your outreach. Reach out to potential customers through different platforms like email marketing, social media marketing, SEO, and PPC. The customer needs to be familiar with your product or service. They must have this information to decide whether they need it. Create content that your target audience may find useful and with expertise in SEO, this content would reach your leads. Through their search results. Search results can bring in many potential customers as most people do a quick search whenever they need to require a product or service. 

Collect Customer Information

Getting a certain amount of reach through social media handles would help in generating leads. The leads who follow and appreciate the content become potential customers. Reach out to such leads and pitch your offer. Collect their info and keep up the connection. Another way to do this is through blogs or other long-form content that you create to attract leads to your website. If the information you provide through such content is appreciated your outreach would widen. Consider locking some of the content so that the customer would be required to provide general details like an email address to gain access to the content. This would provide us with the option to move on to email marketing.

Customization

The key to a successful sales pitch is customization. When generating leads, keep in mind the fact that most people appreciate tailor-made content. This can be done by analyzing your target audience and the feedback the existing customers provide. 52% of people around the globe believe that companies need to take action on feedback provided by their customers. Apply the data and knowledge you gathered in your sales pitch. Emphasize how your product or service can satisfy the needs of a customer. Focus on the USP of your product and mention any features that may give you an edge over your competitors. An analysis of your competitors is also essential for this. Anything from more reasonable pricing to better quality could become the reason why your product is better than those offered by your competitors. 

Events

Another popular way to generate leads is by hosting events. The world has gone online with Covid-19. Why not use this chance to host a webinar? Invite dignitaries who can give informative sessions and use this chance to get your services noticed. If an attendee feels that the event had quality they would likely become a potential customer. Events could also be giveaways which could be conducted through your social media handles. Such events can attract the attention of people. But on the downside, such events and the buzz they create are temporary and only the quality and utility of your product or service can make these leads stay on as regular customers.

Referrals

Give rewards for referrals so that your existing customers can bring in new customers. From a customer standpoint, these days it is more difficult to find quality products and services. A friend, a family member, or an acquaintance suggesting a product can be convenient for many people. Hearing about the first-hand experience of a person before buying something is strangely reassuring. If your existing customers can be persuaded to suggest the product to a friend, it could greatly aid your lead generation. Such leads would be easier to convert too. Announce special events to promote referrals or consider giving out free products or other offers for a successful reference.

Conclusion

The global market is open to the customer like never before and the customer is the king today. No amount of strategizing and marketing can help you consistently generate leads unless your product has what it takes to stand out in a competitive market. This may be a no-brainer, but nothing beats quality products and personalized customer care. Most customers these days seek instant gratification and they want to be treated with great care. This is where customer care services come in. Having a personalized customer care system can double the level of satisfaction a customer feels. Globally, 54% of all consumers say that they have higher customer service expectations than they did just one year ago. Increasing the satisfaction of your existing customers would ensure that they talk about their experience to their acquaintances and hence popularise your product.