The days of handing out some brochures and flyers might have been simple ways to boost marketing...
Nobody wants to be that sales guy. You know, the one who always pops up at the exact wrong time, desperately trying to flog their wares to anything that moves. Not only do they cause irritation to their unsuspecting prospects, but their bottom line suffers too. And the same goes for marketing. Clunky websites, confusing forms and obtrusive ads are all ways to instantly alienate customers.
Instead, savvy marketers are doing things differently. With the help of inbound lead generation, they’re ensuring their leads come to them – not the other way round. Here’s how.
What is lead generation?
Let’s take it back to basics. A lead is someone who’s shown interest in your company’s products or services. Meanwhile, lead generation is the art of creating those leads. Whether it’s through kick-ass content, a killer social campaign or cleverly targeted ads, lead generation means attracting – then converting – strangers into prospects.
From there your sales team can take charge. Using the data generated by these new leads, they can launch a personalised selling strategy that complements your inbound marketing campaign. Pretty neat, huh?
But lead generation isn’t just about bombarding your audience with cool stuff. Everything from your blog posts to your online forms needs to offer value. Here’s how to make them sing.
1. Create kick-ass content
To get people coming back again and again, you need to offer value. That’s why creating relevant, exciting and useful content is so important. By pushing out genuinely engaging content assets at all stages of the marketing funnel, you become a trusted adviser. And when it comes to making important purchasing decisions, that’s what your audience will remember.
2. Supercharge your CTAs
Your website is where the magic happens. It’s where you dazzle your audience with spectacular content, but it’s also where you encourage them to to take action. The CTA might be as simple as asking your site visitors to sign up to a newsletter, or as complex as getting them to answer a survey. But whatever the action, your CTA needs to be smart, impactful and straight to the point.
3. Show your landing page some love
We all know first impressions are important, so why do many businesses sideline their landing page? You might not always be on hand to greet every prospective customer, but your website is. So make sure your landing page is clear, concise and creative. And don’t slack when creating those inviting CTAs.
4. Don’t forget the forms
The words on a form might be small, but they’re mighty. This microcopy can be the difference between your prospect going through with a purchase, or giving up at the first hurdle. So make sure every word counts. When designing your forms, think about how many questions to include, but also how they’ll look on the page. Remember, you want to help your customer – not scare them off.
5. Make the most of all channels
Don’t limit yourself to your website. From blogging to social media, there are so many new channels out there to engage with customers. Stuck on where to start? With the help of buyer personas, you can pinpoint the perfect channels for your message. Just remember to link them all together with clear links and CTAs.
