The Basics of Lead Generation
Every single piece of marketing your company does is for the purpose of lead generation. Of you've got a product you want people to use; you have to find those people to sell it to. That's why a strong lead generation plan is a must of any business plan. If it's not, it needs to 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.
There are many techniques to lead generation. Billboards, radio and TV commercials and print ads are especially useful for building brand awareness. Unfortunately, they make it hard to really target your message to a particular audience, leading to a less successful lead generation campaign.
Telemarketing and direct mail are at least more traditional tactics that allow you to target your audience better. That way, instead of blasting your message to every household in America, you can call or mail the areas you actually want - like if you were selling office copiers, you'd really want to contact offices.
Of course, some of the best lead generation tactics come from Internet marketing. Out of all forms of marketing, online advertising probably allows you to best target your audience and be the most creative. With search marketing (such as Google Adwords) you can target your text, audio or video ads ONLY to those searching for a product or service you provide. This ad then sends the user to your website, where, if you have it set up right, you can capture them as a lead.
Of course, you have 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.
Information is power, so if you've got it, share it - the offer of a quality informational report will often draw in leads. For example, if you are an event planner in need of holiday business, put together the 'Ultimate Office Part Guide' that includes tips, tricks, coupons and invitation templates for planning a holiday part in exchange for a user's name, email and phone number. If you want their contact info, you gotta give in return!
There are two things to remember when it comes to lead generation: target your audience, and develop creative ideas to collect their information. Get their information, and you win the game. Of course, it's only game one, and you've got several more to go - after all, a lead isn't a customer YET, is it?
About the Author:
Author Ashley Lichty specializes in lead generation, copywriting and SEO at ProsepctMX.com. You can learn more about her at ProspectMX.
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