Lead generation is the process of attracting potential customers to your business and increasing their interest through nurture, all with the ultimate goal of converting them into customers. It's a sales and marketing method that starts after a company sends a communication requesting a user's action and is considered a replacement for cold calls to a prospect. By doing so, you're helping your company grow, while increasing the credibility of your marketing department by showing tangible results and demonstrating that you're a valuable part of the revenue team. Some ways to generate leads are through job applications, blog posts, coupons, live events, and online content. When you implement a lead generation program, you increase brand awareness, build relationships, generate qualified leads, and ultimately close deals.
The higher the quality of the leads you direct your sales team to, the more leads will translate into sales. In online marketing, lead generation generally involves collecting a visitor's contact information (called a “lead”) through a web form. Potential customers are people who are potentially interested in buying your products or services. Lead generation allows you to reach potential customers early in the buyer's journey, so you can earn their trust, build a relationship, and be by their side until they're ready to make a purchase. A small business owner looking for social media marketing advice is looking for something completely different than one that compares agencies to outsource. For the first small business owner, his e-book titled “25 Instagram Marketing Tricks from Experts would be ideal, while for prospect number 2, a case study showing his agency's effectiveness at social media marketing would be more relevant. The more valuable it is to your audience, the more you can ask them to turn it in return.
If you've created a short tip sheet, ten fields might be too big. On the other hand, if you've compiled an industry report full of valuable information from leading experts, your potential customers could totally agree to fill out a 10-field form. Once visitors start arriving on your site, the next step is to convert them into leads through an online form. To learn more about how to grow your business with lead generation, complete the Lead Generation for Marketers module on Trailhead. Once your sales pipeline is filled with high-quality leads, you'll need to direct them to your sales team. A sales representative can offer this prospect an exclusive offer that gives them the opportunity to buy more products for less than face value. All prospect responses should be recorded in a spreadsheet or CRM and then used to track and tune campaign performance.
If you're going to use these platforms to communicate with potential prospects, then you'd better first do your homework by finding out more about the person you're contacting. As soon as potential customers enter the marketing funnel, you should start grading them to see which ones deserve additional time and effort. Lead ratings are based on key factors related to individual leads, such as their location, industry, or company size. By using your data to find the right leads and give them useful tips, you'll position your brand to consistently add value to the businesses of your ideal leads. Understanding the different types of leads and how new leads turn into qualified leads is just the beginning. Lead generation is a critical part of the sales funnel for many B2B companies, as their products can cost thousands of dollars and web visitors are less likely to buy your product or service directly from the website.
