How Do You Generate New Leads?

In this article, we take a brief look into how do you generate new leads?

Intro – How do you generate new leads?

For a business to survive it must have a continuous supply of fresh leads which are normally created by lead generation methods. A lead is a person or persons interested in the services or product that you offer.

Lead generation is the process of sourcing sales leads and selling them to a company in that industry. Lead generation companies will create awareness campaigns with the aim to initiate your interest into a certain product or service that is offered by your business using a variety of marketing and technological methodology.

Types of lead

There are many sources of lead generation, and it is advisable to not depend on just one source. Business lead generation is the process of identifying new prospects and then utilizing a variety of tactics to ensure that they are turned into new sales opportunities.

With consumer habits changing, marketing had to change to keep up with the way we generate new leads.

Each business in order to survive needs a flow of high qualified leads. For a lead to qualify and be passed onto the sales team the customer must possess several key characteristics that influence the likelihood of them purchasing a product or a service that your business offers.

There are two types qualified leads, a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) which is normally someone who is generally interested and reached out normally via a contact form or social media. There is also a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)which is where someone is showing immediate interested and tends to be followed up very quickly by the sales team.

But how exactly do you generate new leads?

Lead Generation Companies

One way to generate new leads is to use a lead generation company. These are companies that will generate new qualifying leads which can then be sent straight to your sales team. They can also offer a variety of expert led services in this area.

Create a good landing page

Creating a landing page with clear call to action prompts is one way to generate new leads as this will normally have a contact form where a potential new lead can enter their information in and be added to your database, or newsletter sign up. From there you can then nurture the lead and covert them into a buying customer.

Email marketing

Creating an opt in email newsletter is a great way to generate new leads. It also gives you a chance to reach out to customers and begin the stages of building a relationship with them.

Offer something for free

By offering something such as a webinar, discount, free trial or a white paper (an authoritative report or guide on a relevant subject to your industry) you are engaging with the customer and generating new leads.

SEO

Using Search Engine Optimization is a great way to generate new leads. One of the first port of calls for customers now a days is Google and if you appear on the first page of results then the chances are that new customers will find you and get in touch. You can boost your SEO by posting lots of content such as blogs, and listing yourself on lots of online directories. Back links will also help generate some traffic and generate new leads.

Press release

A quick way to generate some new leads would be to issue a press release about the services and products that you offer. Many will also respond to a personal story in how you built the business or perhaps you do some charitable work that would boost and build your brand and business image. People will respond to your success stories from existing and past clients too.

Existing customers

When generating new leads, existing customers must not be overlooked in a source of them. You can set up a referral system for existing customers, employees and partners to refer sales leads to you this also builds up trust and relationships with your existing database.

Networking events

It is easy to forget how important face to face networking is when generating new leads, when we love in such a digital era. It is a great way to meet other businesses and potential prospects who you wouldn’t have otherwise.

Social media

Social media is called social for a reason and this is likely to be your best way to generate new leads. You can now create targeted ads on platforms such as Facebook to your key demographic audience. You can begin to engage with your customers, and it is a great way of sharing your content such as blog and offers too.

It is clear that there are many ways to generate new leads, and the aforementioned is just the tip of the iceberg. With the correct marketing plan you can implement a number of these t your lead generation plan.