Lead generation, in a nutshell, is collecting information from people who are potentially interested in a good or service. In return, the lead generation company promises to route their request with the companies that can best meet their needs. While most lead generation companies operate in specific verticals, virtually anything that requires a salesperson to complete the transaction can be a lead. The information can either be collected digitally with websites and forms, or by more manual means, such as direct mail or advertisements with a phone number.
Now that you understand what lead generation is, how do you start? Find your niche and the types of leads your business will be generating; will they be for student loans or home improvement? The basics of generating leads usually starts with a good SEO and paid advertising strategy, but it should depend on what works for your company. Use the method you know best, and branch out from there as opportunities arise. You will want to create diverse content that will drive people to your site to actually become leads in your system.
Make sure you have content for all stages of the lead's journey. There are people just starting out who will be interested in learning more or reading a newsletter; there are also those who are ready to pull the trigger on such things as a quote or consultation. You can also choose if you want to generate generic leads that can be sold to one of many buyers or run branded, proprietary campaigns for specific clients.
Some different ways to generate leads are:
- Use blogging for SEO to get people signed up for future content; use a CTA to drive them to a landing page.
- Google Ads can be used to drive traffic to landing pages or content.
- Social media marketing can be used for gated content, such as ebooks or webinars.
- Use email marketing for nurturing leads that are not ready to pull the trigger yet.
- Advertisements on the TV or YouTube can drive traffic with video marketing.
- Speaking of YouTube, start a channel and make educational content that drives people to your site, or use Instagram TV or Snap Stories.
- You can even go old school and use mailers if your leads are into that.
There are hundreds of possible ways to generate leads with different strategies or types of content to attract consumers. Think of it like fishing; being from Wisconsin the prize fish here is a Muskie. If you are looking to catch one, you wouldn't go out to a small pond or go with bait and a pole used for catching sunfish or swordfish. You need a certain type of bait, a pole with a stronger line and probably a trip up north. Just like with leads, what are you going to use to catch them and where are they going to find you?
If you generate leads in the insurance industry, generation strategies used for home improvement may not work. Formulate your strategy based on your niche and the value you provide in the process. Always be tracking and testing; find out what is working and what is not. Look into what successful lead generation companies are all doing; learn from the masters, young padawan.
Verticals are like snowflakes - each one is different and so are the needs of the leads. Different verticals have different methods of generating and routing leads, and there are many different verticals out there. Home improvement, mortgage and insurance are some bigger ones, with the smaller including swimming pool or weight loss leads.
Keep in mind that selling the leads is a totally different ball game than just generating them. We have an excellent 5 Step Guide on how to sell leads, if you are interested. Other than that, make sure the leads you are selling are high quality and that you are matching consumers to the service providers that can best meet their needs. You need to be aware of the regulatory environment as well, when collecting and selling people's information, especially with the GDPR that passed last year and more consent legislation slated for this year.
To learn more, check out our whitepaper about 10 Things You Should Consider Before Starting A Lead Generation Company. If you are serious about lead generation, this whitepaper has many great tips and tricks to help you out.
boberdoo.com has been building lead distribution systems since 2001. We do not buy or sell leads. boberdoo is committed solely to providing the best software and service to lead companies to help their businesses grow. If you are in the market for lead distribution software, we would love to show you exactly how boberdoo works. Give us a call at 800-776-5646 or fill out the form below. If you are interested in learning more about lead generation or distribution, check out our blog where we post weekly about different things in the industry.