Generating leads means more than simply cold calling your geographic market. Instead, it means acquiring customers that have indicated an interest in purchasing the type of product or service you provide. There are a plethora of methods and channels for custom lead generation, however more and more marketers are finding leads online. Here are five tips to help you find better leads that are more likely to convert.
1. Have Systems for Tracking Data
High quality information yields effective, high quality decisions. In order to make sure that you have the best information possible, put systems in place to track data about your customers. There are a number of ways to manage this. For instance, placing analytics software on your website, using a customer relationship management software to track data on inquiries and leads, and implementing information gathering techniques into your sales process, are just a few ways to attain accurate and reliable information about your best customers.
2. Create a Profile of Your Ideal Customer
Being able to categorize and profile your customers on as many different data points as possible will allow you to find the most effective allocation of marketing resources. For instance, if you track your customers' location, age, gender, income, and spending behavior, you will likely notice certain trends appearing about your customers.
For instance, you may notice that mothers with very young children, and a household income of $100,000 or more consistently purchase your products. Knowing this allows you to spend your money on finding the right customers, and save you from wasting money on those who are not likely to convert.
3. Focus On the Buy-Cycle, Not the Sales-Cycle
For most businesses, the focus of their marketing program is the sales cycle. Dollars are spent on training the market team to deliver a pre-written script, and to respond to customer objections in specific ways. However, this often causes customers to feel pressured and uncomfortable. Instead, businesses should focus on creating a buying cycle that makes customers feel comfortable and positive about your business at every step of their purchase decision.
4. Use Content to Engage Customers
Rather than focus on hunting down customers without provocation, many companies are taking advantage of excellent content to connect with customers and make them fans before they ever even purchase. Placing content online, both on your own website, as well as positive reviews and guest posts on other high quality blogs, gives your clients free value. What's more, creating content is extremely inexpensive compared to traditional sales techniques.
5. Consider It a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Always take a long-term approach with your online lead generation and marketing efforts. After beginning a content marketing program, it can take up to nine months before you really start to see an exponential increase in your sales traffic and conversions. Be patient and be consistent, and you will see results.
1. Have Systems for Tracking Data
High quality information yields effective, high quality decisions. In order to make sure that you have the best information possible, put systems in place to track data about your customers. There are a number of ways to manage this. For instance, placing analytics software on your website, using a customer relationship management software to track data on inquiries and leads, and implementing information gathering techniques into your sales process, are just a few ways to attain accurate and reliable information about your best customers.
2. Create a Profile of Your Ideal Customer
Being able to categorize and profile your customers on as many different data points as possible will allow you to find the most effective allocation of marketing resources. For instance, if you track your customers' location, age, gender, income, and spending behavior, you will likely notice certain trends appearing about your customers.
For instance, you may notice that mothers with very young children, and a household income of $100,000 or more consistently purchase your products. Knowing this allows you to spend your money on finding the right customers, and save you from wasting money on those who are not likely to convert.
3. Focus On the Buy-Cycle, Not the Sales-Cycle
For most businesses, the focus of their marketing program is the sales cycle. Dollars are spent on training the market team to deliver a pre-written script, and to respond to customer objections in specific ways. However, this often causes customers to feel pressured and uncomfortable. Instead, businesses should focus on creating a buying cycle that makes customers feel comfortable and positive about your business at every step of their purchase decision.
4. Use Content to Engage Customers
Rather than focus on hunting down customers without provocation, many companies are taking advantage of excellent content to connect with customers and make them fans before they ever even purchase. Placing content online, both on your own website, as well as positive reviews and guest posts on other high quality blogs, gives your clients free value. What's more, creating content is extremely inexpensive compared to traditional sales techniques.
5. Consider It a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Always take a long-term approach with your online lead generation and marketing efforts. After beginning a content marketing program, it can take up to nine months before you really start to see an exponential increase in your sales traffic and conversions. Be patient and be consistent, and you will see results.