How does lead generation work?

Lead gen, at its heart, is straightforward:

1. First, generate traffic to your digital spaces. This can be through means like Google Ads or smartly targeting your audience with your social media content.

2. Next, convince these visitors to leave behind some contact info — email, phone number, the usual suspects. Also, be bold enough to ask them questions to help you determine how best to support them.

3. From here, your marketing teams gets to work furhter, guiding these leads down the sales funnel, hopefully culminating in a sale.

Sounds like a numbers game, right? Well, kind of. More leads = better? Not always. Quality is the keyword. Imagine paying for 1,000 leads, but only 10 convert. Compare that to a meticulously crafted campaign bringing 50 leads with 30 conversions. Yep, the latter sounds juicier. That, right there, is the difference between any lead and a qualified lead.

Start with a solid inbound marketing plan:

Here’s the thing: knowing where your audience is in their buying journey is everything. Because bombarding a clueless prospect about your product? Not cool.

Visualize it this way:

• Awareness: "I've got a problem, but no idea why." This might get a blog post or an infographic.

• Consideration: "Okay, I see the root issue. Let's explore some solutions." Maybe a free comparison chart, white paper or test.

• Decision: "I've picked my solution. Now, who's best to provide it?" These prospects could benefit from demos or reviews.

This isn't just marketing fluff. A diverse content spread targeting every buying stage is the backbone of inbound marketing. And the payoff? It's sweet. HubSpot data points out that businesses who play this long game see 50% more sales at costs slashed by 33% compared to those who don't nurture. The cherry on top? Once you invest in creating this content, it can keep working for you, bringing returns for years.

So… how can you attract qualified leads?

Crafting a powerful action plan isn't a one-size-fits-all. Depending on your industry and specific business goals, what ignites conversions for one company might not stir a whisper for another.

1. Identify your target audience and make buyer personas

Every successful strategy starts with a deep understanding of who you're trying to reach. As much as we'd love to think our product or service is for everyone, it’s not. Dive deep into buyer personas. It's about honing your content so it sings to that perfect potential customer — someone primed to not just engage, but convert. Need more on this? Check out our guide on identifying your target audience.

2. Work together with your sales team

Sales and marketing - the power duo. When these teams sync up, magic happens. Coordinate your lead generation and conversion efforts. From fielding common prospect queries to understanding the hurdles they face, your sales team is a treasure trove of insights. Use these insights to craft topic clusters tied to customer priorities, building multiple digital funnels designed to attract and convert ideal prospects.

Not sure how to align your marketing team with sales? Check out our blog post about this.

3. Determine which content you will create for each customer journey’s phase

Your content game needs to be on point. Tailor your content to where the prospect is at:

• Awareness: Think blog posts or insightful guides.

• Consideration: How about free checklists, ebooks, or assessments?

• Decision: Now, they're teetering on the edge of a purchase. Free trials, demos, and exclusive offers can provide that gentle nudge.

And how to get there? Listen to your top clients, analyze existing data, or delve into market research.

4. Match your offer with intent

Every page on your website serves a purpose, and the visitor's intent varies accordingly. So, align your offers to match:

• Homepage: Feature your primary CTA prominently. If you're focused on lead-gen, maybe a free trial or consultation works best.

• Contact us page: Keep it simple with just a contact form, avoiding direct email addresses.

• Products and services page: The CTA here is to make that purchase, but a live chat widget could help fence-sitters with their questions.

• Testimonials page: This page attracts serious prospects, so perhaps use a chat widget or consider gating some success stories.

• Blog posts: Since the intent here is more on learning, offers like guides, checklists, or newsletter signups can work wonders.

5. Optimize your website landing pages

Your landing page is your digital storefront, the magnet pulling in those precious qualified leads. Here's how you can make it irresistible:

• Copy check: Keep it crisp, compelling, and customer-centric.

• Headline hustling: Your headline should captivate. Test, tweak, and test again.

• Video value: With 76% of sales teams swearing by video, why not include a short, compelling clip?

• Simplicity sells: Strip down distractions. The more straightforward your page, the better the conversions.

6. Drive traffic and target your ads

Before you can capitalize on the leads, you need traffic - and not just any traffic. Qualified traffic is the gold standard.

• Blog posting: Crafting high-quality content, tailored to your target audience, will pull traffic organically. Remember, it’s all about what your potential clients are searching for. You can also use this content for your paid campagins.

• SEO: Align your content with the search intent of your audience. Know where they are in their buyer journey and cater to it.

• Social media: An enormous platform with potential leads. Engage, share, and post links back to your blog. Remember, LinkedIn can be a B2B goldmine.

• Influencer collaborations: Leverage the followers of influencers in your niche. Be it a guest post or a video; they can drive a highly relevant audience to your site.

• Paid traffic campaigns: While driving traffic is essential, the emphasis should be on qualified leads. Don't just focus on the initial conversions; track how many become long-term customers. Quality over quantity.

7. Experiment with different campaign angles

Here are some examples to guide you:

• Run conversion campaigns: Instead of just leading prospects to your site, target them with specific conversion-oriented campaigns across various platforms.

• Experiment with lead form ads: Platforms like Facebook and Google offer in-platform lead forms, increasing the chances of lead capture.

• Host contests & giveaways: Who doesn’t like free stuff? But ensure that what you're giving away aligns with your business to attract the right audience.

• Run referral programs: Happy customers can be your brand ambassadors. Engage them!

8. Leverage offline opportunities

The world outside the internet holds vast potential too.

• Capitalize on events: Sponsor, attend, or host them. Ensure you're present where your potential clients are. Extra tips for:

  • Sponsoring: It's more than just branding. Embed your contact details on banners, promotional items, or establish a stall. Engage directly with attendees and invite them to subscribe to your newsletter.

  • Attending: It's not just about collecting business cards. Forge genuine connections with industry peers and professionals. But remember, always put the relationship first and the potential leads second.

  • Hosting: Go beyond the ordinary. Think workshops, interactive seminars, free coaching sessions, or even community nights. Make it easy for attendees to connect with you, either through an email signup sheet or a raffle registration.

• Direct mail: In an age of digital spam, a well-crafted postcard can be a breath of fresh air. Design it with care, and always integrate a compelling call-to-action, be it an in-store offer or a unique online promotional code.

9. Harness the power of automation

Once you've gathered leads, you need to nurture them.

• Implement automation tools that track content consumption, categorize leads, and streamline your nurturing process.

• Email marketing, with its astounding ROI, should be a tool in your arsenal. It's about guiding your leads, step by step, through their journey.

10. Excellence in customer service

Last but not least, always remember that excellent service speaks louder than the most aggressive marketing campaign. When customers are satisfied, they become your unofficial brand ambassadors, driving organic leads your way.

Track, follow-up, and optimize

Beyond generating leads, it's crucial to manage them effectively. To truly harness the power of your lead generation process, you need to:

• See everything: Every click, every view, every conversion. Tools like UTMs will be indispensable. By understanding what's working, you can double down on successful strategies and abandon those that aren't fruitful.

• Track conversion from lead to customer: It's not just about quantity but quality. Discover which strategies not only attract leads but more importantly, convert them into loyal customers.

• Follow-up: A lead rarely converts on the first encounter. Persistence is key. Tailor your follow-ups based on the offers they initially engaged with. Ensure close collaboration with your sales department to optimize this process.

• Optimize constantly: Armed with the insights from tracking and follow-ups, revisit and refine your strategies. The world of digital marketing is ever-evolving, and so should your tactics. Periodically analyze your data, test new approaches, and adjust your strategies to ensure you're always at the forefront of lead generation.

Next step: does your leadgen strategy set the bar?

Lead generation is essential for business growth. By following the strategies outlined in this blog post, you can generate qualified leads and nurture them through the sales funnel to convert them into paying customers.

Are you confident about the effectiveness of your lead generation strategy? Take a moment to check your approach with our leadgen checker. Answer a set of 10 curated questions and discover how your strategies stack up in the competitive digital arena.

Remember, it's not just about generating leads; it's about building lasting relationships.