Lead gen or more specifically creating high quality leads is massively important for any company regardless of size, but it can also be very difficult, particularly if you’re a small company with limited resources.
So just how do you go about it effectively?
Customer referrals
By far and away one of the best ways to generate leads is to get your customers to recommend you. Happy and loyal customers are great brand advocates and let’s be honest it’s an extremely cost effective way of generating leads even if you create an incentive scheme.
Team up & Networking
Team up with non-competing businesses and work out a reciprocal referral scheme. If you are happy to refer clients to them, then they will be happy to refer to you.
Attend networking events. Effective networking is key, attend groups that are more than just a breakfast and a chat and work on developing quality business relationships.
Make the most of your website
For many companies your website is your shop front. Make sure it’s working well for you. Highlight your USPs, showcase your products and services, show a bit of personality and above all, make it easy for people to contact you!
Get out there
Events are normally on the ‘nice to have’ list not the ‘must have’ list. Yes, they eat in to your ‘working day’ and yes if you’re exhibiting they can be expensive BUT on the flip side everyone who is there wants to be there and it is a great opportunity to interact face to face with your target audience. Where else but at an exhibition or trade show do you benefit from prospects and clients coming directly to you en mass over the course of a day?
Email Marketing
I’ve said it before; email marketing is great! If you have clean opted-in list, email is a highly effective way to get your message out to interested parties. You can email special offers, newsletters, tips or anything else that helps build a lasting relationship. And what’s better, is it’s relatively inexpensive.
You can email special offers, newsletters, tips or anything else that helps build a lasting relationship. And what’s better, is it’s relatively inexpensive.
Digital Advertising
Advertising via Facebook, Linkedin and the like has become huge in recent years and it’s easy to see why. Not only can you target specific groups (decision makers, geographical, interests) but you can clearly track results along the way. By targeting your advertising to the most relevant groups, not only do you save money but you also stand to increase the success of a campaign.
So there you have it, the above isn’t an exhaustive list of Lead Gen tactics but they are a great starting point for any company serious about increasing their number of quality leads.