Customers are vital to a business’s success. Unfortunately, they don’t just appear on your doorstep.
The best way to get customers is to generate leads. Leads are people who are considering availing themselves of products and services from a particular company.
Businesses classify their leads into different categories since interest levels differ. Then they work on turning these leads into paying customers using a specific sets of strategies.
However, before you can worry about how to nurture leads and turn them into paying customers, you must find them first.
Leads do not come freely. You have to take a proactive role in generating them. This is the process of lead generation.
Lead generation is essential whether you own an established company or a newly opened business. Without leads, your business will not grow.
It’s unwise to reach a certain number of customers and say it’s already enough. Your goal should be to always have new customers buying from you.
New customers mean revenue, consistent cash flow, which is vital if you want to stay in business.
Different Strategies to Generate Leads
Businesses can get leads in many ways. There are several effective strategies for generating leads and most of them can be accomplished online.
Using digital marketing has been more reliable in generating leads than traditional advertising methods. It’s more cost-efficient than paying for TV commercials, posters, and flyers.
It’s also more effective than making cold calls or buying leads. Consumers usually find these approaches intrusive and unwanted. They have never expressed any interest in your company and may never do so.
Digital marketing works to catch people’s attention and pique their interest. It invites them to your website or social media platforms to get to know you as a company and brand.
Here are some digital marketing tools that can help generate leads:
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Search engine optimization (SEO)
One of the best ways for people to discover you is through the Internet. There is, however, a lot of competition. It consists of various websites also looking to generate leads for their company.
Optimizing your website can help you get to the top of search engine results pages (also known as SERPs). You can even get more favorable results if you apply local SEO by using keywords relevant to people in your area.
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Social media marketing
Many people use social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, making them excellent avenues to target potential customers, regardless of whether they are actively looking to buy.
Engaging posts can get people to share your content around. You can talk about your brand, products offerings, and industry expertise. Interested audiences may want to learn more, so including a call-to-action (CTA) is necessary.
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Email marketing
Compared to SEO and social media, using email to generate leads is an older method. Still, it can work well to promote your products and services.
You can acquire email addresses through people providing them on your website or landing pages. It’s less invasive since the receiver is already aware of your brand.
Generating Leads with Pay-Per-Click Ads
SEO is reliable, but can take time to work. Social media posts and promotional emails can be easy to ignore.
Meanwhile, pay-per-click (PPC) ads can get your brand to the top of SERPs as fast as possible. As the name suggests, you have to pay for these ads, but you only pay when someone clicks on it.
PPC ads are more cost-effective than most digital marketing strategies, perfect for businesses just starting out without a big marketing budget.
You can hire a marketing agency that specializes in PPC ads. Another option is to set them up yourself, as they are simple enough to understand.
There are, however, a few things to keep in mind:
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Focus on lead generation
All marketing campaigns should have an objective, including PPC ads. If you intend to generate leads, find out everything a PPC ad should have to accomplish that goal.
A landing page, made specifically for this purpose, should accompany PPC ads. It should support what you said in the ad. If you encourage people to know more about your brand, your copy should address that.
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Identify your target customers
It’s tempting to advertise your company to everyone. The more people see you, the higher your revenue will be. However, this is not always the case.
As explained here by Digital Authority Partners, focusing on a smaller pool of potential clients can give you better results. Determine the people who have a higher chance of using your products and target those near your location.
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Use the right keywords
PPC ads show up on the SERPs when someone uses the exact keywords you have specified for your page in their search. So, it’s essential to know which keywords your target audience will most likely use when looking for your products and services.
Avoid generic and over-popular keywords. Many other companies are using them, so there’s a lot of competition. Focus on specific keywords relevant to your industry, business, and area.
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Write high-quality copy
Good ad copy should include essential information like your company name, location, and services. It should also contain the keywords you have chosen.
Your copy should be compelling enough to capture people’s attention so they click your ad and head to your landing page. The landing page should also have persuasive copy to keep them reading.
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Include a CTA
Your copy will not be complete without a CTA. It may seem like a simple statement, however, it’s an effective way to encourage people to do what you hope for.
It is vital to choose the proper one. Leads do not become customers right away. However, you can include them in a campaign that will further convert them into customers when they click your CTA.
Final Words
Lead generation is not just for new businesses. It is just as important if you have been operating for decades.
No business should grow complacent with the customers they currently have. You may be lucky to have a handful of loyal customers. However, the majority of them come and go.
Lead generation is not optional.
It should always be a part of your marketing goals, along with spreading brand awareness, improving website traffic, and increasing sales. So it’s to your benefit to explore all possible options to earn new customers.
PPC ad campaigns are efficient, fast, and cost-effective. However, they’re not the only way to generate leads. They can can work together with SEO, content marketing, and social media advertising.
Exploring all ways of generating leads can help keep your business profitable for the long term.