Lead generation is critical for all entrepreneurs. And once you master it, your business will thrive.
To help you with lead generation, below I have answered the most common questions entrepreneurs. However, let me start with some definitions.
Your “leads” are simply your pool of prospective buyers who might be interested in your product or service.
For physical stores, your lead list can be residents in a certain zip code or a list of shoppers with certain demographic characteristics. For online or virtual businesses, your lead list is often defined as the list of prospects that subscribe or “opt-in” to your email list or otherwise contact you so you have their contact information.
Whether online or in a physical store, communicating with your lead list is a primary marketing strategy for generating new and repeat customers. A general rule in marketing is: the bigger your list of leads, the more opportunities you have to generate new clients and sales. This is why lead generation is so important. Sound lead generation tactics grow your lead list. Great lead generation strategies grow your list with prospects that are most likely to buy.
Below are answers to the most common lead generation questions I get:
1. How Do I Create a Lead List?
There are many ways to start building your lead list. The easiest is to put an opt-in box on pages of your website where visitors can register their email addresses – typically in exchange for content or freebies. Most websites offer free guides, e-books, tools or a newsletter.
You can also offer free samples of a one-time discount coupon. Make sure the freebies are enticing. Once the website visitor opts-in to receive the freebie, he or she now becomes part of your email list.
2. Does My Target Audience Matter?
Yes. Know your niche and determine the people you want to target. This important element should be clear to you from the beginning. You will likely fail if you do not understand what type of customer best appreciates your product or service.
Once you truly know your target audience, you can do a better job of “talking” to them on your website. For example, you will use different verbiage to convince a 20 year old, single, suburban woman to buy your product than you would to convince a 60 year old, married, rural man to buy it, since each has different wants and needs.
3. How Will My Audience Find Me?
In order for your prospective customers to find you, you should be promoting your website in places where your targeted audience already frequents. For example. Let’s say your business sells electronic gadgets. If so, make sure customers find you on other websites that discuss electronic gadgets. You can advertise on these sites or submit guest blog posts and articles to them. You can do the same with social networking groups that discuss this topic. In many cases you can also pay the other websites to send an email promoting your company to all their subscribers.
Likewise there are other tactics to reach these customers such a direct mail, door hangers, radio spots of TV ads. Naturally, you must align your strategy to your specific product or service, and to your budget.
4. What Should I Put On My Site To Attract Visitors To Opt-In Or Buy From Me?
Content is key. When your visitors find your site helpful and informative, it will be easier for you to get them to opt-in or buy. They will see you as the expert and be hungry for more information from you. The key is to provide quality content that gives solutions to your audience’s problems.
Also, the more quality content you have on your website, the more other websites will link to you and thus drive new visitors. Likewise, these links will boost your search engine rankings, so you’ll get more organic search traffic.
5. How Do I Maximize Social Media In Getting More Opt-Ins?
Most of your customers are using social networking sites (event if you’re in the B2B space). Build your reputation as an expert in your niche when you are creating your social media presence. Become the “guru” of your circle of influence and continuously expand that sphere of influence.
Even brick and mortar businesses have a huge opportunity to build genuine, trustworthy relationships with clients and prospects on social networking sites. Offer tips, publish sales offers, share today’s menu, teach a skill, publish testimonials and so forth. These steps create opportunities to get followers and convert sales.
It’s All About The Relationship
A growing email and/or lead list is crucial for business growth, especially for businesses that operate online. You can publish a website or open an online store and HOPE that customers come. Or you can build top-notch content and opt-in system that allow you to communicate and build relationships with your prospective customers.
It’s a common phrase that “people do business with people they know, like, and trust.” Using social networks and content generation strategies (like newsletters and quality emails) you can develop strong bonds with people who you will never meet in person.
The strategies detailed herein will deliver prospects to your business that are interested, ready, and able to buy your products and services. It will take some time to implement these strategies, so get started now!
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