A recent survey of marketers revealed that 61% of them rank lead generation as their toughest challenge. Many also believed that generating leads in an online marketplace is not as easy as it once was. So, how do you manage to improve it?
While it takes time and patience, it can be done. Read on as we discuss lead generation strategies you need to try.
Know Your Process
Your process should focus on the all-important factor of actually knowing what you want to achieve. The final goal is always simple, as you aim to move the lead to the conversion step in the sales funnel. What is harder is knowing the exact steps you take to get them to the lead part.
This is a unique process for every company. However, what all businesses can benefit from is knowing how to define and refine as they go. This involves knowing how they want the person to become a lead, either through joining email lists, WhatsApp groups, etc., then improving the process to get them there.
Select the Right CTA
A call to action (CTA) is an instruction that tells the reader what to do next. They can be as simple as telling them to submit details or click here. However, the CTA is now so overused in internet marketing and content that it pays to give it a little more attention and make it stand out.
You can entice customers by using one of two tactics. Firstly, you can offer them something for free. Tell them that they can get a demo or try something at no cost for performing your desired action.
A second tactic is to instill urgency. Get them to register to save a limited place or complete something in a limited time period to access discounts and freebies.
When you are not sure which type of CTA is having the most impact on conversion rates, try A/B testing. This is where you test two different types of CTA for a period of time, looking into data to see which works best. You can then keep the most successful one.
Work Backward from Sales
Most of the information you need can be found by working backward from your successful conversions. This allows you to backtrack through the sales funnel, identifying the trajectory of your most important sales. However, to do this, you need to have excellent data that includes all of the follow-ups you made, how many people didn’t convert, and the hours spent on the task.
Keeping a record of what didn’t work is just as important as what did. By comparing them to the leads and conversions made, you can see where the bottlenecks in the process are and make sure you don’t repeat them.
Use the Right Sign-Up Form
The length and design of your lead generation form can have a marked impact if people decide to sign up or not. There are several factors you should consider when designing one.
Firstly, removing any barrier to submitting the form. These can include annoying popups and captchas. You may end up with a little more spam, but it will be worth sifting through the rough to get to the diamond.
Secondly, drastically reduce the length of the form by only asking for the necessary fields. Ideally, you shouldn’t ask for more than three to five pieces of essential information. Customer lead generation and retention is a long process, so you will get the other details later in the sales journey.
Finally, make sure anything you add to make the process easier does that. In many cases, it is easier for people to type a field than scroll through a drop-down list of options.
Set Up Referrals
Referrals are a great way to expand the reach of your target market as they utilize social proof. This is when a person recommends a company or product to someone. It is proven to work, as over 93% of consumers rely on customer reviews when dealing with a company they are not familiar with.
How you ask for a referral can make a huge difference. In business, it helps to say how much you have enjoyed working with people and if they have any clients or customers that could benefit from their service. This allows you to politely tap into their network.
If you are dealing with the general public, offer incentives or rewards. People may respond to an offer of credit for future purchases or an added product.
Make Time to Respond
Two main areas allow you to develop lasting connections with your target market. These are through your customer service and social media. Though it may seem to take up a lot of time to fully follow up on them, it will pay off.
Even if your customer service requests seem to have been closed, make time to do a follow-up. You can ask people how their experience was or double-check the issue has been fully resolved.
Make sure any social media posts, including online reviews, are followed up with helpful comments. Even negative feedback can make you look good if you have the right response to it. Make sure one of your staff members responds to comments and posts every day so that social media does not become a one-way street.
Making a Plan for Lead Generation
Now that you know the tips for lead generation, create a plan to introduce them. Don’t feel overwhelmed, and don’t try them all at once. Use them to adapt your existing plan, only adding another once you have positive results from the last.
If you need assistance with digital marketing, then Red Stone Studio is here to help. With everything from design to SEO, we can help you in the digital economy. Contact us, and we can start to improve your lead generation immediately.
