As far as lead generation goes, you have to educate yourself on the topic in full. If you’re going to have a competitive edge, you must know more than your competitors. Keep reading for what you need to know.
Be careful about buying email lists to use for lead generation. A lot of companies swear their lists are fresh, but quite often 30% or more of the names you are purchasing will be out of date. Prior to purchasing, negotiate with the list selling company in regard to this. You should get a partial refund if a percentage this high is noticed.
Don’t fall victim to the belief that generating leads requires a big budget, because it doesn’t. Talking to people over the Internet is very economical and you can be very effective if you know how to do it. Target your audience precisely, perfect the call to action and make it as easy as possible for people to plug in to your offer.
Do not pre-judge your lead gathering technique. Though you may think you are not going to get great results, or you are overly confident about the success, you cannot be sure. The only way to know if your lead generation is working is to put it into action without preconceived ideas about results.
Pick up the phone and dial. Pitching your product or service to the local community and businesses will drive more business than you expect. Someone will always want to buy what you are selling if it is a good product.
Career fairs are a great place to generate leads if your business has a downline. While you do have to invest in a table, you will have a most captive audience. Be sure to stand out from the crowd by offering something more than just brochures and your pretty face.
Talking with businesses in the area that are similar to yours can be very helpful. If you are a professional landscaper, share what knowledge you have about seasonal flowers. Yoga instructors can give tips for easy stretches that can be done quickly through the day. Who are the people around you that can benefit from your knowledge?
When trying to optimize your lead generation efforts, it’s important to remember that visitors can happen upon any page of your site. Therefore, placing complete contact information and sales info on every page should be a top priority! If you consider every page a potential landing page, you understand what the visitor needs to see there.
Consider volunteering to help build leads. Choose a group which somehow relates to your niche, such as Cub Scouts if you are a dentist or a French club if you happen to be a tutor. Volunteering shows you have a good soul and can help build a positive reputation.
While generating leads is not a complicated matter, there is a precise science to it. Making an irresistible offer, getting it to the right viewers and giving them a good enough reason to act “now” are the three major components of lead generation. Think these over and develop ways to perfect that pitch package, and you should start generating more leads instantly.
Consider the stage of the buying process that your target market is in. An example might be someone who is in a rush to buy a home, and if you’re a real estate agent you would need to advertise to these types of urgent buyers. Someone who is just looking at moving into a smaller home, would need a different type of sales pitch.
Word-of-mouth referrals may seem like an old fashioned approach to gaining more customers, but they are like gold when it comes to generating leads. If you want to raise the stakes a little bit, come up with an offer or deal that potential customers can’t refuse. You may even be able to come up with content that goes viral in order to generate even more leads.
Create landing pages for each type of marketing campaign you engage in. For example, have a page just for those you target with direct mail – are they local? Then mention that on the page. Your email newsletter won’t be going to local people, but they will be tech savvy, so focus on that.
Create a Facebook page to get your company out there. This allows you to use social media to draw people to your website to generate leads.
When speaking with a potential lead, concentrate the conversation on them, not on you and your product. You need to show the potential lead that you care about them and making their life better. This means listening is your best tool. Concentrate on trigger points and position your brand as a potential solution. This will definitely turn this person into a significant lead.
What local publications could you write in? For example, if you are a plumber you could write a piece for your neighborhood newspaper on how to unclog a toilet the right way. If there are any homeowner-specific publications, you may find that they generate even more leads than a general paper.
Find local forums and blogs to comment on. Share your expertise, even discuss local events or your favourite restaurants, and then include a call to action and your link in your signature. Just remember to have a persona which is confident and professional, don’t burn bridges in your community!
Engage your customers. It is not enough to get them to your site. Once you’ve captured a faint bit of interest, you must nurture it. Responding to questions and concerns in a timely and friendly manner will help you do this. If you don’t do this, your leads may disappear as quickly as they came.
Can you turn this new knowledge into profits? Go slow and take your time coming up with a plan, then go out and apply these techniques to ensure success. Don’t wait, do the best you can do.
