Times have changed. Technology has impacted everything we do, including the way we buy and sell and even go about lead generation. And any savvy marketer knows you have to change with time and create appropriate lead generation strategies.
Today, customers are buying smartly. They take their time to research several businesses before eventually making a purchase. Statistics show that 90% of searchers are yet to make up their mind about a brand before scouring search engines. That is a lot different from what we experienced just five years ago. It is now a buyers’ market.
How do you attract customers to your business in such a smart buyers’ market, especially with the current crowd in the business world?
Short answer – sell smartly!
This article is aimed at helping you scale up your customer base by exposing some ridiculously simple yet effective lead generation strategies that work in 2019. Let’s get to it already!
What is Lead Generation?
Lead generation is the fuel that keeps any organization going. Yes, you have an excellent product or offer excellent services, however, you need to generate new leads from time to time to keep that business running.
From that explanation, I am positive you have an idea what lead generation means. More precisely, lead generation is the process through which businesses identify and attract new prospects in the hope of increasing their customer base.
Think of lead generation strategies as the fuel and your business as the truck. Without fuel, irrespective of the working condition of the truck, you can’t go far.
Is There A Perfect Lead Generation Strategy For Everyone?
No!
Most marketers fall a victim of this erroneous thinking. When it comes to the business world, there is almost no perfect measure for every business.
Why?
Businesses differ. Therefore, strategies differ with the nature of businesses. While a particular business may attract the most leads through search engine optimization (SEO), another business may excel in email marketing than SEO. Basically, the one-size-fit-all theory doesn’t apply here. You will have to study your audience and look for a lead generation strategy that is most effective for your targeted audience.
5 Ridiculously Simple Lead Generation Strategies
Here are 5 simple lead generation strategies that have been proven to being the prize home. You should totally check them out!
1. Content Is, Indeed, King
You must be familiar with the phrase – content is king. Well, I am here to remind you that it truly is. Irrespective of the lead generation strategy you employ, quality, not quantity, the content has to be carefully embroidered into it. Unless you have been living in a cave, I am sure you know that already. So, the question is what content marketing strategy is a fit for your business?
The content marketing pool is packed full of different strategies. And while it is okay to do what everyone else is doing, it is also okay to think outside the box. Virtually everything from infographics to articles and microsites works. As a smart marketer, I would advise you to try out all of these content marketing lead generation strategies to see which one sticks. And when you hit gold, don’t go away.
Lastly, consistency. The key to excelling in any marketing strategy is to be consistent. Time and time again, several studies have proven that businesses which blog consistently attract more traffic compared to those who rarely blog.
2. Don’t Ditch Networking
It is easy to be swayed by the massive viable lead figures you stand to gain through digital and social marketing. There is a truckload of potential in there. Nonetheless, it is important to learn the power of networking. Nothing beats the one-on-one feel. It doesn’t just increase your chances of getting the potential leads, it also shortens the time the leads spends in the sales funnel as they have come to know, like, and trust you.
This isn’t so easy with other forms of lead generation. Be sure to build a great network. Go for conventions, seminars, meetups, and the likes. If possible, try and pitch your product right there. Don’t be pushy, of course. The best way to get leads is to position yourself as an expert in your field. Networking gives you the opportunity to do just that.
3. Email Marketing is not Outdated Yet
Email marketing has surprisingly stood the test of time. True, the business world has changed a whole lot today, however, email marketing still serves as one of the top lead generation strategies for many B2B and B2C companies. A survey shows that up to 83% of B2B marketers currently use email newsletters for content marketing. That said, it is essential to learn the do’s and dont’s of email marketing to make the most of this lead generation strategy.
Experts advise you create a comprehensive list of your targeted leads and get in touch with them personally. Ditch whatever knowledge you may have, buying is definitely influenced by sentiments. A buyer who builds an emotional connection with you and/or your business will most likely stick with you for as long as they see results. And what better way to build an emotional connection than through personalized emails. Personalizing emails have been shown to cause a possible revenue increase of about 760%.
4. Organic Search Marketing Works Too!
When it comes to leveraging the potential in content and search marketing, SEO is the way to go. Although there are several other ways to push your business to the first page on search engines such as Google, SEO has proven to be the fastest and smartest way. Of course, it is way harder than it sounds. SEO tactics continue to change with time.
In fact, Google is continuously revamping its logic to make sure only the smart marketers stay on top. While it may be difficult, however, it is totally worth it. Why? Searchers are influenced by Google. They believe businesses on the first page are the best – and you can’t blame them. Who wants to spend hours scouring businesses on page 50 when they can easily pick one on page 1?
5. Leverage Social Media Platforms
As a marketer in this time and age, if you are yet to get into social media marketing, then I dare say you are losing a huge chunk of customers to your competitors. Social media marketing has got to be one of the most effective lead generation strategies today. Thanks to the internet and smartphones, billions of people across the globe now enjoy uninterrupted access to social media platforms. Whether you are targeting the millennials or the older generation, research shows a good number of people spend a greater part of their day online.
What better place to attract your targeted audience than a place that houses billions of people from all walks of life. It is no wonder B2B marketers reported that they generated 36%, 49%, and 64% leads from Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn respectively. Get on board before this ship sails!
The Takeaway!
Lead generation is the life wire of any organization. It is not enough to have a few repeat buyers, your business needs new customers from time to time to grow. Fortunately, you don’t necessarily need to go under the knife to achieve success. You are sure to excel with these lead generation strategies. Even better, you can save yourself the time and troubles buy utilizing a marketing automation system that can integrate these strategies in a heartbeat.
