Lead generation is one of the prerequisites to achieving online business success in Nigeria and other parts of the world.
There are a lot of ways to generate leads, but what actually matters is how to generate quality leads.
Maybe, you’ve printed flyers, you have blasted your social-media followers, but you’re still not getting the lead flow you need to grow your company.
Then you began to research to learn the best and most effective way to turn an ordinary visitor to a lead or qualified lead.
Well…
This article would give you a basic understanding of what lead generation is.
If you want to learn more in-depth…
Then click here to attend our digital marketing training course today!
So it’s right if you see this article a fundamental lead generation guide for starters and beginners.
Before we begin, let’s understand all the basics of lead generation. The who, what, why and how?
So shall we begin!
Who is a lead?
Many companies define who a lead depending on their sales cycle. But the standard definition is — a qualified potential buyer who shows some level of interest in purchasing your product or services.
What is Lead Generation?
Lead generation is a marketing method that involves stimulating strangers and capturing interest in a product or service for the purpose of developing sales pipeline where they are transformed into interested customers.
Lead generation often uses different digital channels and has been experiencing extraordinary changes in recent years from the rise of new online and social media techniques.
In particular, the wealth of information easily accessible online has led to the rise of the “self-directed buyer” and the rise of new methods to uncover and qualify potential leads before crossing them to sales leads.
Why is Lead Generation so important in your digital marketing?
Another way to think of lead generation is “customer avatar”. This involves collecting vital information that helps you to better understand who your customer is.
You can collect information like — a site visitor’s first and last name, email address, and company gleaned when they:
- Fill out forms for downloaded content
- Share contact information for a coupon
- Subscribe to an RSS feed or email list etc.
If you are an inbound marketer, you would agree with me that these type of data are very important to help you understand your leads.
Because such leads had declared an interest in your product or service, this passes that person as a “qualified lead” than most traditional marketing tactics.
Instead of a leap in the dark, companies that use lead generation data are already a step ahead. In fact, according to the Hinge Research Institute, 60% of their leads online are twice as more profitable than those generating less than 20 percent of their leads online.
Along with higher conversion rates, lead generation can also be a cost-effective solution because it concentrates on aligning both sales and marketing teams — virtually blocking any communication gaps (a typical deadfall of many companies).
In fact, I have a more detailed article on the importance of lead generation. (Click here to learn more)
With that said…
We can both agree why you need lead generation in your digital marketing effort.
A lot of people have asked… “What are the most effective Lead Generation tactics?”
In this article today…
I have come up with some various tactics and strategies you can actually use to generate leads.
Lead Generation Guide | 10 Simple Ways To Generate Leads
1. Use Lead Magnet or Tripwire
What is a Lead Magnet?
A lead magnet is basically something that you’re using as an ethical bribe on your lead generation page to incentivize potential buyers to want to give you their name, email, phone number, address or whatever info it is that you’re asking for.
For instance, if it’s an ebook you want to use as the lead magnet, write it from a neutral perspective and give actionable insights.
Share the eBook socially and ask your network to share it as well.
If you need lead magnet inspirations, check out these lead magnet ideas by Optinmonster.
Although…
There has been some misconception about Lead Magnet and Tripwire.
Well, I will break it down!
What is a Tripwire?
Tripwire commonly mean turning a lead into a customer by making them a low-cost (could be as low as $1 to $10), relatively painless offer, then having the opportunity to upsell them once they are in your sales funnel.
People might sometimes join your email list but might not want your core offer. Yes, even after you nurture the relationship by sending relevant contents.
Your first step should be to make a simple and affordable offer.
Doing so will help potential customers overcome the fear of buying from you thereby gaining their trust.
If you think about a relationship with a customer as a slope, the value ladder is a straight line.
The customer will visit the website, subscribe to a newsletter, and then boom! That ladder goes way up at an almost 90-degree incline.
Then a customer may make a purchase for $100, $500, even $1,000.
[bctt tweet=”Tripwire commonly mean turning a lead into a customer by making them a low-cost (could be as low as $1 to $10), relatively painless offer, then having the opportunity to upsell them once they are in your sales funnel.” username=”DMSInstitute”]
If you are looking for ways to develop your Tripwire Marketing, here are 5 top tips.
- Begin with a lead magnet.
- Make the Tripwire offer.
- Contact your list with your Tripwire.
- Introduce your core products or services to your buyers.
- Start again and repeat.
To succeed with tripwire marketing, check out this blog post on how to kickstart your tripwire marketing. You should also consider attending our digital marketing course to get your hands dirty.
2. Use Media Coverage
Some companies often neglect organizing a brief, or press conferences.
Instead, they prefer bombarding journalists with press releases.
By getting your name out in the media, you begin to develop a following, increase your personal brand and come off as an expert in your domain – all that can help you get leads.
Having an owner of a company reach out to them and tell their story in a real and authentic manner.
Don’t bombard journalists with plenty emails or press releases because they are likely not to make use of it.
If you find it deem to organise press conferences, invite the various media outlets, it would be a plus to your brand.
[bctt tweet=”By getting your name out in the media, you begin to develop a following, increase your personal brand and come off as an expert in your domain – all that can help you get leads.” username=”DMSInstitute”]
3. Use Newsletters or Email Blast
This is absolutely one of the simplest ways to generate leads or lead generation.
Always make sure that you put a newsletter sign up on your website. Whenever a reader comes to the website and such reader gets impressed, the person will automatically sign up.
[bctt tweet=” Always make sure that you put a newsletter sign up on your website. Whenever a reader comes to the website and such reader gets impressed, the person will automatically sign up.” username=”DMSInstitute”]
With these newsletters, not only do you have a captive audience but email pathways are a great way to avoid getting lost in all the Internet noise.
Do not just focus on your products and services alone, instead, share with something interesting and informative.
Email marketing is also part of the customer lifecycle — a method of getting new customers.
A customer who has not developed a relationship with your business, product, brand or services need to be convinced in order to build trust with their money before they can purchase your offers.
You need to ask yourself this question;
How can I use email marketing to convert leads and potential customer into paying and active customers?
Here is an article I wrote that answers the question above. It will show you how to turn your email leads into paying customers.
Next up…
4. Use Blog or Content
Your blog either has that all important ‘it’ factor, or it doesn’t.
You’re either generating significant leads from your posts or not.
If you’re not, you’re also missing out on an exponentially beneficial competitive advantage that other businesses are enjoying.
Having a blog is one of the best lead generating tools you can use, as it not only allows a company complete control of what is said but also an opportunity to have the undivided attention of the reader.
Blog creation is very easy. you can quickly read my blog article on how to set up a website or blog all by yourself or attend our digital marketing course to learn it hands-on with our help.
Make sure that your blog is well optimized enough to generate leads by having a sign-up section of your newsletter and by using the margins to promote your products and services.
[bctt tweet=”Having a blog is one of the best lead generating tools you can use, as it gives you an opportunity to have the undivided attention of the reader.” username=”DMSInstitute”]
Here are a few tips to get your blog post to generate reasonable leads for you:
- Put a lot of effort into your opening.
- Write a long-form content (At least 2000 words).
- Use CTAs in your articles (e.g CLICK HERE, BUY NOW, READ MORE).
- Scheduling post — use a posting schedule for your blog articles.
- Make it media rich as possible — use videos, picture, audios etc in your blog post.
- Use the walk away satisfied test.
- Don’t forget lead generation system maintenance.
Click here to read more on these subjects.
5. Use Twitter
Twitter is not made for just getting followers, retweets, and replies only. It’s also an important marketing channel for generating qualified leads.
Twitter is also a tool for generating leads.
Use it effectively to reach out to top influencers in your industry and get into conversations with them.
You can also follow trending subjects that pertain to your business and interject your thoughts into the general discussion by using the # symbol.
Their followers, who are probably some of your potential customers, will see your interactions and follow you or visit your website.
I covered how to generate leads on twitter more detailed in one of my blog post.
However, here they are in bullet points.
Here are a few Twitter Lead Generation Tips to leverage:
- Allot time each day to your Twitter tasks.
- Tweet content of value to your network.
- Make a committed Twitter landing page.
- Join in Twitter conversations.
- Generate traffic to your website via educational content.
- Build trust and convert your network.
- Reduce the list of people you follow.
- Link your blog to Twitter.
- Supplement your organic reach with paid tweets.
- Use relevant hashtags.
Social media is the digital equivalent of “word of mouth”.
So:
Talk, tweet, act like you would in real life (even though it is in only 140 characters, though there updates that Twitter has increased to 280 character counts) when sharing information or talking with others about your business (and theirs).
Don’t “pitch,” converse. Do pay attention to what people are saying in your niche. Do measure analytics to gauge your business progress and track any milestones.
Twitter is surely a great place to get customers and increase sales fast. But you have to carefully implement all of these tactics listed right above.
[bctt tweet=”Twitter is not made for just getting followers, retweets, and replies only. It’s also an important marketing channel for generating qualified leads.” username=”DMSInstitute”]
READ: 10 Tips On How To Generate Leads On Twitter To Drive More Sales
6. Develop Video
Video has become a veritable tool for SEO as well as lead generation.
This time, it’s not about commercials or advertisement. The world doesn’t need any more of these.
What people always want stuffs that are entertaining, informative and educative.
There are video sites like YouTube allow you to put links directly into the video.
When you upload those videos always link them to the specific landing pages on your website. So, spend some time on developing a great idea that promotes your business and engages your customers, prospects, and readers.
READ: 7 Common SEO Mistakes To Avoid In 2017 And How To Fix Them
7. Use Webinars
One of the strategies for lead generation is the webinar.
A key feature of a webinar is its interactive elements — the ability to give, receive and discuss information.
Conducting a webinar is an inexpensive way to get your message across to many customers and prospects.
There are many services that allow you to broadcast a webinar quickly and easily. But the fact remains that if you can continue to host a webinar on a periodical basis, you would be able to generate more quality leads.
Maybe at the end of every webinar, you can suggest your participants download an eBook, sign up for your newsletter or visit your site.
[bctt tweet=”A key feature of a webinar is its interactive elements — the ability to give, receive and discuss information.” username=”DMSInstitute”]
READ: 6 Effective Online Marketing Strategy To Target Your Audience
8. Leverage Strong Brand
Building a strong brand either online or offline would be a plus to your lead generation strategy.
It’s important that you know the various ways you can market yourself online before thinking about generating quality leads to your business.
Customers love trustworthy companies or individuals.
They like it when a company has a strong and clear message and that message is consistent across all of their marketing platforms.
So, don’t try and be everything to everyone.
Focus on communicating that through your branding and your conversion rates will go up, resulting in more leads.
[bctt tweet=”Building a strong brand either online or offline would be a plus to your lead generation strategy.” username=”DMSInstitute”]
READ: 6 Steps To Building An Online Marketing Strategy In Nigeria
9. Networking Events
With the emergence of digital marketing globally, there have been a lot of events, conferences, and seminars.
These events serve as a medium to network with other top industry insiders, providing you with a lot of advantages.
Even events that didn’t directly pertain to my business have provided me with some of the most valuable contacts and leads.
You’ll meet more people, expand your network and gain referrals.
[bctt tweet=”Even events that didn’t directly pertain to my business have provided me with some of the most valuable contacts and leads.” username=”DMSInstitute”]
READ: Ultimate Lead Generation Tips To Increase Your ROI In 2017
10. Use LinkedIn
The fact remains that LinkedIn has become one of the most used social media platforms amongst Nigerian business owners.
It’s not encouraging to see a lot of people mistaking LinkedIn as just a resume website. LinkedIn is professionally all-encompassing, hence many businesses have leveraged it.
As for those that are yet to figure out if LinkedIn could be good for their business, let alone of developing an effective LinkedIn strategy for it. I have come up with this write up to give you insights and key tactics that would be of value to your social media marketing strategy.
However:
LinkedIn is a good channel for not just individuals but also for businesses and brands to network and connects with people.
One of the things that LinkedIn does is that it widens your professional network, aside from the fact that you can still use the platform to generate and nurture leads.
Businesses that have the right LinkedIn strategy have accrued to themselves benefits of being on the social platform of the world’s largest business network.
[bctt tweet=”LinkedIn is a good channel for not just individuals but also for businesses and brands to network and connects with people.” username=”DMSInstitute”]
If you are looking for how to generate leads on LinkedIn to increase sales…
Then:
Below are some of the LinkedIn strategies that will drive more customers to your business fast.
- Optimize your LinkedIn profile
- Seek for right LinkedIn connections
- Collection of leads
- Take part in discussions
- Always be active
Click here to read more on how to generate leads on LinkedIn.
In conclusion:
Lead generation is one of the most important and effective prerequisites to achieving online business success.
What is the point of having a business online that cant even generate qualified customers?
No point!
Lead generation is an important strategy and that’s why I have published many articles talking about lead generation on this blog.
Here are some useful lead generation guides that will help you attain success online.
- Ultimate Lead Generation Tips To Increase Your ROI
- How To Generate Leads On LinkedIn | 5 key Strategies You Should Leverage
- 10 Tips On How To Generate Leads On Twitter To Drive More Sales
- Lead conversion strategy in Nigeria: How to convert my website visitors to customers
- Importance of lead generation
- Lead Generation and Customer Acquisition Strategies
- Lead Generation Strategy: Get leads with this 7 content strategies
- Lead Generation Tools: Sophisticated Tools to Generate Leads
- 5 Ways to generate qualified leads using Facebook
If you find some of these articles unhelpful, why not click here to attend our digital marketing training course today, let’s help you perfect your lead generation skill now.
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