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Lead generation is one of the most important goals of marketers, but they don't fall from the sky. According to HubSpot, 61% of marketing specialists say this is their most challenging job.
When we talk about leads, we mean people or companies that can become prospective buyers. You can obtain them through different channels, such as advertising, referrals, social networks, consulting, product testing, among others.
Now, how do I generate leads if I don't have a robust marketing infrastructure? Inbound marketing is a holistic methodology that harnesses the power of personalised content and statistics to attract potential customers who can solve a need or problem with your product or service.
Here are some ways to do it on a budget:
1. Optimize your social network profiles
According to UK Tech, 66% of marketers saw benefits in their lead generation by spending 6 hours a week on social media. Keep your profiles active, especially LinkedIn, which has been shown to generate 80% of its leads from social platforms. Use tags that are relevant to your business and your users, and make sure you integrate these tools into your website.
2. Find prospects you can help on social networks
Connect with a wide variety of people, especially those whose profile resembles your personal shopper or those who you think might benefit from what you have to offer. In the case of LinkedIn, you can request recommendations from current customers to support the quality of your product or service.
3. Offer free advice in a blog post
Your blog articles should be conversational for contacts interested in the topic, and answer their questions and doubts. You can use this space to offer free advice, share your knowledge and take advantage of this opportunity to generate and nurture leads.
4. Ask your current customers for references
Referrals are powerful, so much so that users who approach you after a referral are 4 times more likely to become buyers. Approach your satisfied customers, thank them for the value they bring to your company, ask if they know of any contacts or companies that might be interested in what you offer. If they give you their details, be sure to thank them with a personalised note or a small gift.
5. Work with your personal networks to identify potential leads
It is possible that among your close contacts you find people or companies that you previously did not think could be a lead or refer to one. Be sure to mention your solutions among your social groups to leave the doors open to potential stakeholders.
6. Interact with your new leads at events in your network
Attending virtual or face-to-face events should be part of every company's routine. This is an effective way to identify leads and project your solutions. Remember that even though you represent a company, you are human and allowed to have fun.
Maintain a philosophy of helping those who need it, take business cards with you and offer them to new acquaintances. Suggest connecting those you recognize as potential clients to LinkedIn immediately.
How to create reports that demonstrate the valueof your marketing efforts.
7. Check again your lost or closed opportunities
Go back to those contacts who at some point claimed they were not ready to buy. Be sure to contact them every 6 months, know if their priorities and business goals have changed. These prospects are more qualified than your new leads, so a personalized communication can lead to the purchase that was not achieved before.
However, avoid being insistent and let the contact establish the conditions of communication.
>>Lead vs. Prospect vs. Opportunity: How to move from one to the other?
8. Create a mail sequence
When making an email marketing strategy, the purpose of the message is more important than the amount of emails. Make sure each one has a clear intention. For example:
Mail 1: Talk about pain points.
Mail 2: Explain a message of value
Mail 3: Name a large customer (e.g. a success story).
Mail 4: Qualify your message.
Mail 5: Include a message about the product.
Mail 6: Speak to him for the last time in this period.
9. Create informative articles for other websites and blogs
If you already write about topics in which your company is an expert, it's time to share these posts in your social network and email channels. But another important strategy is to create content for websites or blogs that are prominent in your industry and can help increase your company's reach.
10. Integrate a meeting scheduler into your website
If you don't have designated sales representatives or marketing staff to send mailings, coordinate schedules with prospects, and schedule meetings, include a meeting scheduler on your website so your users know your availability in real time and can automatically schedule meetings.
11. Interact in a live chat
Chatbots allow you to customize messages according to your users' questions, to provide immediate answers, qualify leads and schedule meetings. You can integrate it into tools like Conversations box, Slack or HubSpot.
12. Conduct a webinar or online workshop
When it comes to transmitting knowledge and authority, a webinar or online workshop is a great way to do this while generating interest. Choose topics that are relevant to your buyer persona and can be of help or interest in solving a specific problem.
>>Webinars were important, now they are a necessary sales tool
Try these tactics and start increasing the number of contacts that become potential customers. If you have doubts about how to achieve this, which strategy works best in your business or you want more guidance, at Innova Marketing Solutions we give you a hand. Click here and ask for your free advice.