Lead generation is a term that has been used to describe the process of generating leads.
Let’s first define a lead.
Hubspot(r), defines lead in the following way: “Any person who shows interest in a product or service of a company in any shape or form”. Lead generation is the process of converting website visitors into leads.
Lead generation is just the beginning of optimizing your sales funnel.
What is the Difference Between Lead Acquisition and Lead Acquisition?
Lead acquisition is the second phase, and is not synonymous with “lead generation”. The article by Hubspot above and ActiveProspect(r) explain this, too. divides the customer acquisition process as follows:
- Lead generation is the stage where traffic turns into raw leads
- Lead acquisition is the process of acquiring raw leads and qualifying them for contact.
- Lead conversion is the process whereby qualified leads are converted into customers
Small businesses can benefit from 10 lead generation strategies.
All of that being said, the strategies for generation, acquisition and conversion will overlap and synergize in some way. In this context, the strategies that follow will focus primarily on generation while also laying the foundation for better acquisition.
Install basic SEO
It is important to start with some SEO basics. It will form the basis of many lead generation campaigns, whether for small business or otherwise.
SEO, in short, is a series of practices designed to optimize websites and web pages for search engine results. Over 200 ranking factors are included, including on-page and off-page elements, as well as technical aspects.
For small businesses, it is unlikely that you’ll need to tackle every factor at once. If you are taking a DIY route, you might only need to focus on the basics in order to generate leads. Consider the following among others:
- Reduce load time by cleaning your pages. Google has found that slow loading speeds directly correlate with bounce rates. Slow speeds will cost your leads.
- Image optimization. Reduce the size of your images by reducing them to less than 100kB. This will help to ensure that they load faster. Add descriptive alt texts and file titles as you go to help convey the message of your images.
- Assure the technical health of your website. Lastly, clean up the code of your website and make sure your XML Sitemap and robots.txt files are in order.
Backlinko’s guide is a great resource for those who need assistance with SEO technical.
Simple Local SEO is the Second Step.
Local SEO is another SEO sub-group that needs attention when developing lead generation strategies. Local SEO is different from general SEO, which focuses on search engine visibility.
Local SEO relies heavily on Google My Business (GMB), and it can be extremely valuable for small businesses. 99Firms (r) found that nearly half of all searches included location, and that the majority of searchers looked for local businesses. It’s also a very effective strategy, with 78% of local mobile searches resulting in purchases.
Start by implementing the following to optimize your local SEO:
- Claim your GMB listing
- You can also claim your business listing on Yelp or other directories.
- Encourage your customers to leave feedback
- Engage through GMB activity
- You can use GMB to drive traffic to your site
Use CRM
After establishing the foundation, you can then use CRM software to generate leads. There are many reasons why smaller businesses should use CRM.
In our context, we will firstly consider the challenges of lead conversion and acquisition specific to each industry. Moving industry is a great example, as the content strategy for acquisition requires a high level of expertise. CRM can help with this by offering lead management and better information organization.
Each CRM solution is different, based on the industry it targets, and other factors. Consider the following when choosing your CRM solution:
- Focus on industry. CRM solutions that are tailored to your industry perform better.
- Focus on CRM. The CRM subsets are Operational (also called Analytical), Collaborative (also known as Collaboration), and they all serve different purposes.
- Features you need Finalize, examine carefully your candidates and ensure that they possess the features required for your lead generation strategy. A solution with too many features can be expensive and difficult to use.
Blog about your blog
Let’s move on to the direct lead generation strategy. The blog is the first and most accessible for smaller businesses.
The benefits of doing so include:
- Boosting your SEO. Your website will rank higher on search engine result pages if you have a blog with informative and polished content. This will be done primarily by creating engagement signals that also benefit your customer acquisition process.
- Acquiring links. Blog content can also earn you backlinks from others in your niche. It also boosts SEO and brings in referral traffic who are already interested in what you have to offer.
- Matching the search intent of users. Final, the importance of matching the search intent to the user is crucial for SEO and lead generation. Most searches are informational, and blog posts with informational content will typically match this intent.
Email Marketing is a Great Way to Promote Your Business
Next, you may consider email marketing. Both CRM and email platforms have automation features to help you.
Warm emails are the best way to generate leads.
- Subscribe to a newsletter and get notified
- Loyalty programs and offers to nurtured leads
- Regaining lost leads with personalized content and offers
This digitalized version of cold calls is valuable, as LiveAgent (r) a href=”https://www.liveagent.com/blog/how-to-use-coldemails for lead generation/”>finds/a>. LiveAgent found that this digitalized version of cold calling is valuable. It is important to not spam, to humanize the copy and make an enticing, clear, concise offer.
#6 Be Active on Social Media
Social media is a vital part of any lead generation strategy. Social media offers a great way to generate leads and gain exposure with their massive user base.
Statista (r), for example, finds that social marketing benefits include, in order of importance:
- Exposure to increased radiation (88%)
- Traffic increase (79%)
- Leads generated (69%)
Examples of how to benefit from these benefits include:
- Promote informational content to drive traffic to your site
- Developing trust requires that you engage with your audience and answer their questions.
- Virtual events such as competitions, giveaways and other virtual events
#7 Run Events
Few activities, whether virtual or not, will receive as much attention on the subject as events. You can choose between the two types depending on your budget, content strategy, and scope of operation.
- Webinars can be hosted. Webinars are a great alternative to in-person events. According to research, they are not only effective tools for generating leads but also produce high-quality lead.
- Create livestreams, Q&As, AMAs, etc. The same goes for creating content. It depends on your strategies and resources. If you are able to create such content, this will help both garner attention and strengthen bonds with your existing leads.
- Organise or participate in local events. Local events are a great option, especially if you have a local focus. These are still the most effective ways to build brand awareness and foster trust in your local communities.
#8 Pay Attention to Paid Advertising
Paid marketing is a good way to generate leads, and it should be part of your digital strategy. Your budget will determine how much you invest, but keyword research and audience analysis should make it profitable.
Two primary types of paid advertising that you should be aware of are:
- Pay-per-click ads. Pay-per-Click (PPC), first, can complement your SEO efforts. You can bid on keywords that you cannot rank organically for.
- Paid social media ds. Paid social media ads complement social media marketing. Use audience analytics tools to target ads to specific audience segments. These can be third-party or built-in, such as Facebook’s(r) Audience Insights.
#9 Boost Your Inbound Marketing
Let’s review both inbound and outside marketing. Let’s begin with inbound marketing. This is the most important of all the suggestions above.
Inbound marketing is marketing that uses quality content to attract leads instead of contacting them directly. SEO and content are great examples of inbound marketing. Cold calls and emails, on the other hand, are outbound marketing.
Consider the following to boost your inbound-marketing efforts:
- Refine your keyword selection. Consult your audience insights as well as keyword research before deciding on your keywords. This step is crucial to all inbound marketing strategies.
- Boost your content marketing. You can use these insights to improve your content marketing. Deliver your content based on the user’s search intent and the customer’s journey. Place links to your forms wherever you can to capture leads from new visitors.
- Link-building is important. Consider offering guest content on other websites in your niche. This is an affordable way to get backlinks that will increase your SEO score and generate engaged traffic.
#10 Don’t Neglect Outbound Marketing
Outbound marketing can also generate leads, despite its reputation for being intrusive. While you may want to prioritize inbound marketing over outbound, you shouldn’t completely discard it.
Outbound marketing includes:
- Marketing traditional: billboards and print ads.
- Cold Calls
- Cold emails and messages
These practices might seem ineffective but they are anything but. Neil Patel says cold email still has high open rates, and click-through rate. He also notes, citing LinkedIn, that cold messages sent via LinkedIn are three times as effective as those sent by email.
The conclusion of the article is:
Lead generation strategies for small business come in many forms: digital, physical, local, and global. All of them begin with solid SEO and functional, effective websites, but they may expand to include events, social media, and other marketing strategies, depending on the resources and budget available. Your small business will generate leads quickly if you follow the strategies above.
