the basics of lead generation
A strong lead generation plan should be at the base of each business marketing plan. After all, each business has a product or service to sell, and needs prospective customers to convince to use their particular product. Therefore, all the marketing a business does, from direct mail to search marketing, is for the purpose of generating leads. And if it’s not – it should be.
Even marketing geared toward building brand awareness of a company name is really for the purpose of lead generation. By saturating the market with your name and associating it with a particular product, you build top of mind awareness within consumers about your product. Than when Susie Consumer has a need for a product you provide, your brand name is the first that comes to mind. Next thing you know, you’ve got a lead you can turn into a customer with little to no persuasion and follow up.
Lead generation comes in many forms. Television commercials, billboards, and radio commercials are good ways of building brand awareness and eventually, generate leads. However, a more targeted approach is the way to go for an intense (and successful) lead generating campaign.
Other traditional tactics work a bit superior as lead generation. Telemarketing and direct mail grant you to target your audience a bit better. So if you’re selling office copiers, you can directly target offices with phone calls and mailings, rather than every household in America with a TV commercial.
Internet marketing is probably the hottest market for lead generation. Out of all marketing media, the web can grant you not just endless possibilities of creative advertising, but also the best way to REALLY capture your target audience. With pay per click advertising alone you can target your ads only to people searching for your product. The consumer clicks on your ad, goes to your website and fills out a form for free information, leading them to become a lead!
Of course, you’ve to offer something worthwhile in exchange for a consumer’s information. Lead generation is all about give and take. Your offer needs to be either off the wall creative, or just to good to pass up. You can use your blog to get people to sign up for updates, or offer free coupons to your services.
Informational packets are always a large thing as well – for instance, if you were an event planner looking to get business for the holidays, you may offer a free Holiday Office Party Planning Guide, complete with location and catering ideas, free invitations, coupons and discounts for various services and more. Information is power – if you’ve got information your prospective customers can use, don’t be greedy with it, share it in exchange for their contact information. The old adage ‘you catch more flies with honey than vinegar’ definitely applies.
Lead generation isn’t hard – you just have to be creative. Figure your target audience to the tiniest detail and then brainstorm like crazy to come up with ways of getting their contact information. Getting the information is half the battle – the second half is prospect cultivation, and that’s a whole other story!
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