No matter what kind of business you’re running, the ultimate goal is always the same – to generate more leads and turn them into high-value customers. And it’s not as easy as it seems. You need to build a relationship with your audience first, and this takes time and effort. What’s worse is that a lot of companies work really hard on their content but get very few leads. And when it does happen, they’re not qualified at all. With these best practices for generating leads, your business will be converting traffic into targeted prospects in no time!

Define your audiences

Understanding your audience is the number one way to lead generation success. Often, businesses fall short when creating leads online due to an absence of a specific audience definition. Usually, a business will have a wide scope of parameters in search terms and keywords, seeking to capture as much attention as possible from all online visitors. The reasoning, usually, is that by reaching a wider audience, they increase the probability of converting a certain percentage of them into customers. However, it is often incorrect that the wider the reach, the greater the lead generation. Usually, when the content creator creates content targeted at a vast audience, they fail to communicate specific ideas that their customers are interested in. Usually, there may be attention to the content, but without being specific, the viewers will not follow up beyond the article or post, and thus the business will report low lead generation. As a countermeasure, it is necessary to have a firm grasp on your target market, such that you can identify exactly what they may be looking for online, and consequently what will lead them to your business. Conduct intensive research on your target audience, identifying exactly what they search for online, topics they are interested in, and products they seek. With this information, you can create tailor-made content for them, which while it may not attract as much attention as before, will enhance the probability of your audience converting into customers. When the content is tailor-made, the viewer will more likely seek more information, or assistance regarding the subject matter, effectively becoming a lead.

Track leads throughout the lead generation tunnel

The lead generation tunnel follows your audiences from being visitors all the way to customers. A business running a successful marketing campaign will ensure that it monitors all steps within the lead generation funnel, identifying where they are successful and where more effort is necessary. Usually, the funnel starts with a marketing campaign, where the business reaches out to its target audience, and gathers visitors to its website. After gathering an audience, the business will then utilize targeted programs, which will identify prospective customers. When these prospects or targets get identified, the marketing campaign then becomes more targeted and personalized, seeking to maintain the relationship with the potential customers. Finally, the business will identify a successful conversion, when the identified target becomes a customer, either purchasing a product or service.

Optimize for mobile

The majority of internet users do so through their mobile phones. In recent years, access to smartphones and the internet has increased exponentially, and this provides a significant advantage to businesses seeking to grow through their online presence. With the portability of mobile phones, users can view their favorite content from anywhere across the globe, presenting a great opportunity for businesses. First, the business must ensure that its content is appropriately accessible on mobile devices, ensuring that the user interface is friendly for all users, regardless of the device used. Further, the websites must be quick to respond, since users tend to shun websites that take too long to respond, to the detriment of your business. Optimizing for mobile ensures that you have access to a vast pool of potential customers, who use mobile devices over computers.

Identify an end goal first

Crucially, lead generation will get determined by what your end goal is for the business. First, you need to clearly define what constitutes a lead. Identifying specific logistics of what defines a lead will help you more effectively track leads for your business. Clearly define the goal. The goal should appropriately encompass the timeline, target, and analysis of the generated leads. You should have a specific time period set for the targeted leads, such that you can identify whether the marketing campaign is effective or not. Further, have a specific target of the number of leads generated, such that you can refer to whether your campaign successfully fulfills the goal. Identify all the necessary inputs that ascertain high lead yields, including any financial investments, human resource allocation, and technological capability.

Create interactive and relevant content

You can only achieve high lead generation capabilities if you provide your audiences with adequate, entertaining, and informative content. The most important step in generating leads is capturing audience interest first, and this is only achievable through creating high-quality content. Research adequately on the topics of interest in your field, seeking to answer any questions your target audience may have. Additionally, ensure that you interact frequently with your target audience, as this will create a rapport that will enhance the chances of them converting into your customers. Have frequent Q&A forums on social media where you can answer all questions raised, or have quick responding customer service, which will inevitably make your business attractive to more people, and consequently, increase your lead generation. 

Display your contact information

Have your contact information easily accessible to your viewers as this will enhance your conversion rates. Usually, when a viewer comes across your content and likes it, they may seek to follow up with questions, or a comment. They may also want to purchase a product that you are advertising online. Consequently, having your contact information easily accessible and visible enhances the chances of your audiences reaching you, and consequently, you will gather more customers. Further, ensure that the contact information listed is up to date and that you respond as soon as possible whenever you get contacted by a potential client.

Create attractive engaging content

Human beings tend to engage more with people or things that leave a lasting impression. Usually, people or items that make them laugh or reminisce get held in high regard, and the viewer will often seek more content from the individual eliciting these emotions. Consequently, you can apply similar ideals in your marketing strategy, whereby you create entertaining and engaging content, guaranteed to keep viewers attentive and wanting more. With great content, your audiences will develop a feeling of attachment towards you and your products, and with this loyalty they will inevitably morph from viewers into customers.

Demonstrate social proof and testimonials

Successful marketing requires the input of customer testimonials, which have the potential to accelerate the business’ growth. Usually, whenever a user seeks a certain product, or reviews a specific service, they often look for feedback from other customers, usually in the form of reviews or ratings. Most previous customers will offer their views on a business’ comment section, and give a user rating where provided, which new and potential customers check to verify whether the product on offer actually satisfies their requirements and whether they are of good quality. Consequently, more users will seek products and websites offering unbiased customer reviews, through which they can make a choice whether or not to interact with a business. Usually, the better the customer ratings and reviews, the higher chance of acquiring new customers, since they trust in your product. Therefore, ensure that you highlight your customer feedback, and react appropriately to the comments offered by existing customers, as this will encourage lead conversion.

Provide freebies

Everyone enjoys free things. It is human nature to enjoy freebies, and businesses can take advantage of this inherent behavior to garner more customers. Usually, whenever there are promotions, such as “buy one, get one free” or “50% off”, more customers tend to buy these products and services, chasing after a good deal. Similar results are achievable through selling your products at slightly more affordable prices over the competition, making them more appealing to customers seeking value for money. Other means of freebies include free trials, through which potential customers can try out your product for a specific period, for instance, one month, and then afterward give them a choice on whether to proceed to purchase or cancel the subscription. Usually, at the end of the trial period, many of the users will sign up for the product, helping you convert leads into customers. Through these freebies and offers, you are likely to garner more sales as customers try out your products, and if they prove to be high quality, you can establish a larger market share with more buyers remaining loyal to your products.

Leverage call to action and lead capturing forums

Calls to action are words included in your marketing campaign, meant to guide users to view more content or purchase a product. A successful call to action gets placed towards the end of the page the audience is viewing, and usually contains a hyperlink that redirects the user towards the item you want them to review. Through these calls to action, you can efficiently reach multiple potential leads, since the viewer, if contented by the content already reviewed, will remain interested in finding out more about what your business has to offer. Making the pathway to the next step in the lead generation tunnel visible to the user is necessary for a business that wants to successfully gather potential customers through its marketing campaigns.

Personalize messages  

Having targeted messages, or personalized products will help you get more attention from the audience targeted. Usually, an individual will lean toward products they feel are centered towards them, and getting a personalized message guarantees their loyalty towards your products. For instance, you can denote romantic messages on products like chocolates, which will make them more appealing to individuals looking to make romantic gestures towards their partners. This measure, while seeming menial, has the potential to garner more attention to your product, and this increased attention will increase the sales and customers for your business, successfully generating leads.

Conclusion

As long as you’re generating high-quality leads and staying attentive, marketing can be a simple process. If you take the time to understand how leads are generated, this cycle can happen seamlessly. Leads generation is about preparing for success in the future. By following the best practices listed above, you’ll be able to create an effective content marketing strategy that works for your business now and in the future. If you are doing your lead generation on LinkedIn, it is essential to develop a LinkedIn profile that would get you noticed.

If you’re currently struggling with the basics, or don’t have time to manage your own marketing strategy, perhaps it’s time to get in touch with us for a free consultation and implementation plan. We are a small team of creative professionals that provide digital marketing services for small and medium-sized enterprises. We have the experience you need to get your business to the next level and can help you bring your marketing efforts to the next level. Our services include content creation, whiteboard explainer videos, web design and development, search engine optimization (SEO), and social media marketing.

We’ll work closely with your team to establish new marketing goals, plan ahead and execute your content strategy, provide insights into customer behaviour and demographics, and create a focused measurement plan.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or requests on info@agetakekreatives.co.ke.