Effective Lead Generation Strategies to Boost Your Business

Do you feel like your business is hitting a wall when it comes to lead generation and finding new customers? 

Are you tired of using the same old techniques that don’t seem to be working anymore? 

If so, it’s time to reconsider your lead-generation strategies and take your business to the next level. 

In this article, we’ll explore effective lead-generation strategies that have been shown to grow businesses and open up new markets. 

Learn how to generate leads, convert customers, and advance your business. 

What is a lead generation strategy?

According to 85% of B2B companies, lead generation is their most important marketing goal.

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But what is it, and how does it work?

Have you heard of the professor’s analogy where he asked his students to fill a jar as effectively as possible with water, sand, rocks, and other materials? He prioritized the most important objects and put them first in the jar to best use the available space. 

Inbound marketing resembles the professor’s jar. 

Thus:

• Which primary rocks underpin your plan?
• What pebbles benefit your business?

Many organizations overlook the importance of prioritizing their customers as the “rocks” in their plans. 

After compacting the jar, the professor added water. 

Similarly, watering the jar represents a necessary step to completing the process.

When integrating today’s lead generation strategies into your inbound marketing plan, your company should adopt a similar mentality. 

Any organization can create high-quality leads with the 4-layer technique. 

Let’s take a look at them below.

A Lead Generation Strategy’s Four Pillars

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Your content is your rock. 

If you want to get leads, you need captivating content. 

Fill up your jar first. 

You will need tools such as your blog, SEO, AdWords, and social media to generate traffic.

So now that you’ve got your rocks - your content - in place, let’s look at the next step - your pebbles. 

Let’s unpack the four Ls of lead generation

1. Lead Capture

Call-to-action (CTA) buttons like “Sign up here” have become practically synonymous with “we’re going to spam you.” 

So marketers need to find new ways to get this information.

Lead magnets are the best marketing method for this “give before you ask” technique.

2. Lead Magnets

The key to a successful customer lifecycle is optimizing the visitor-to-lead conversion process. 

Use lead magnets to fish for signs of interest from website visitors, such as email opt-ins, subscriptions, and social media followers.

The goal is to get visitors’ permission to follow up. 

3. Landing Page Conversion Techniques

The most crucial element of your landing page is that it delivers on your ad creator’s promise. 

If your ad says, “Get 50% off computers here,” you must assure the visitor on your landing page as soon as possible that you will deliver.

4. Lead Scoring

You need to distinguish between leads that are worthwhile pursuing and those that might not be a suitable fit for your organization. 

OK, I know what you’re thinking:

How do I do this?

But that’s where lead scoring comes in. 

It’s comparable to assigning a score to each lead based on their age, location, previous interactions with your business, and other relevant details.

The point-scoring approach to lead identification and analysis will save your business time and money in reaching your target market and converting opportunities into sales. 

Now let’s look at the two main methods of lead generation: outbound and inbound.

What is inbound lead generation? 

Imagine your company as a magnet that attracts clients with ease. 

That’s the power of inbound lead generation! 

It is the art of drawing in and holding the attention of potential clients through enticing content, social media, search engine, and email charm.

And here is the scoop:

According to Hubspot, organizations that rely heavily on inbound marketing have a 61% lower cost per lead.

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The aim is to generate informative and interesting content that will attract potential customers to your website or landing page, where they can find out more about your products or services and possibly turn into leads by filling out a form or contacting your company directly.

What is outbound lead generation?

Outbound lead generation is push marketing.

You (the company) approach potential customers to introduce them to your brand. 

Any B2B prospect who has expressed interest in a company’s goods or services but has yet to transact is considered an outbound lead. 

The prospect must be enthusiastic about what you have to offer to qualify as a lead. 

Examples of outbound marketing include TV commercials, cold calls, paid advertisements, and direct mail. 

Another interesting thing about outbound lead generation is that it generates as many leads as inbound marketing.

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Here are two examples of outbound leads:

• A marketing qualified lead (MQL)is a person who has shown interest in your product through your website or social engagement.
• A sales-qualified lead (SQL) is a prospect that has been evaluated and deemed ready for the sales team to pursue and convert into a paying customer. They have moved through the funnel and are ready for the next stage of the sales process.

But how does outbound lead generation work?

Outbound lead generation means tailoring your content and digital marketing strategies to attract your desired customers. 

Both your sales and B2B marketing teams do this. 

Inbound vs. Outbound Leads

The question of whether one thing is superior to another has been the subject of debate for years. We have a tendency to take sides.

Which is better? Chicago-style pizza or New York-style pizza? Pepsi or Coke?

Professionals in sales and marketing have also debated the advantages of inbound versus outbound lead generation (also known as lead gen). 

Both types can be used as components of your lead generation plan, but it’s crucial to understand how they differ, how they are similar, and when it is best to use each.

Similarities

Here are a few similarities between inbound and outbound leads:

• Purpose

They allow you to reach potential customers and generate interest. Once you get the information, nurturing them into loyal customers is essential.

• Return on Investment (ROI)

Predicting the exact return on investment for both inbound and outbound leads is difficult. 

Both may need time and money to attract and nurture the lead. But both may have strong ROI potential.

• Understanding Markets

Understanding your inbound lead audiences is vital to targeting content or advertising correctly. 

Likewise, understanding your outbound lead demographics will help you target only those leads who could use your product or service.

The Differences

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Some key distinctions exist between inbound and outbound lead generation:

• Speed

Inbound leads rely on organic channels and growth, such as word of mouth or search marketing to attract potential leads. 

Outbound leads also need research to identify potential leads, but most contact methods for these leads are faster than inbound strategies.

• Level of Awareness

Finding outbound leads is like cold calling, meaning many leads need more awareness of your company. While some outbound leads may know your company, they are unlikely to know your target audience compared to inbound leads, whose audience is easier to track and measure. 

• Targeting

Outbound leads require researching and identifying the companies or people you want to target. Inbound leads have less control over their target markets. 

• Trust

Inbound leads must trust you before contacting you.

However, an outbound approach should focus on credibility and rapport after contacting a lead. 

• Timing

Those that come to you, or “inbound leads,” are already thinking about or ready to purchase.

Yet, if you’re making cold calls to potential customers, you might reach out to them before they’re ready to commit.

• Lead Quality

Both inbound and outbound leads have the potential to be high-quality leads.

But, inbound leads are often of higher quality or more promising. 

It’s because they know your business and have decided to contact you. 

• Cost

Outbound lead campaigns often cost more over a shorter period of time. 

Inbound leads typically cost less over a longer, more extended period of time. 

• Control

Inbound leads give you less control over your leads than outbound leads.

But what do you need to run a successful outbound lead generation campaign?

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7 Proven Outbound Lead Generation Strategies

To run a successful outbound lead generation campaign, you need certain elements. Here are some:

Cold Calling for Maximum Lead Generation Results

This outbound lead generation tactic has existed for ages. 

And why is that? 

Well, because it works!

According to SmallBiz Genius, 82% of buyers have booked meetings with salespeople after a series of contacts that started with cold sales calls.

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This may not be a scalable type of outreach, but there are many benefits, especially with the help of outbound lead generation services or sales intelligence software.

Cold calling is personal, and SDRs learn much from one call. 

Email Your Way Out

In a MailChimp survey, 89% of marketers say email is their primary lead generation channel.

Email is vital for:

• Initiating contact
• Nurture leads generated from other channels
• Follow-up and retention
• Distributing content
• Handling inquiries and responding to prospects’ questions and requests
• Corresponding with potential customers regarding sales appointments

Unleash Sales Success with Social Selling

Social selling, one of the most important lead generation techniques in B2B, helps salespeople connect with and nurture leads by raising the visibility of their own brands.

In fact, 78% of salespeople engaging in social selling outperform their non-participating peers in terms of sales.

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It entails: 

Sharing content and adding value to prospects.

Outreach via Multiple Channels

An outbound campaign can also be carried out online, on social media, by email, or even in print. It broadens the audience for your business by generating leads through outbound marketing.

The objective is to target more prospects through various channels who may not have previously heard of your business.

Business Success with Pay-Per-Click (PPC)

Although some lead sources generate leads organically, PPC is a more expensive method of lead production. 

It’s a quick way to establish your brand and get in front of potential customers who may have already expressed some interest.

Now, let’s talk numbers:

For every $1 spent on Google Adwords, you can earn an average revenue of $2.

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Yes, you read that right!

PPC could result in a profitable return on investment and help your company grow like never before.

Boost Lead Generation with Content Syndication

Syndicating your existing content to multiple distribution channels is cost-effective. It helps you fully optimize your content’s value.

For example, if a blog post performs well on your website, turn it into a YouTube video or podcast for another audience.

Cold Approaching for Sales Leads

The “cold” approach is an old outbound sales lead generation strategy with advantages.

In that the connection is made in person, a cold approach is identical to a cold call.

However, some prospects may find the visit refreshing after receiving many cold calls and emails.

Research and a sales strategy should be in place before companies try this tactic.

7 Winning Inbound Lead Generation Strategies

Your company must have the correct answer for the right customer at the right time to drive prospects to your website as part of your B2B inbound marketing strategy.

With this in mind, what are the most critical techniques to improve your company’s lead-generation efforts?

The Effectiveness of Content Marketing in Creating Leads

Wouldn’t you have more visitors to your office if you offered them coffee? 

The same is true for providing valuable content to the leads visiting your website because they will have a good perception of your brand if you do.

In fact, content marketing costs 62% less and produces more than three times as many leads than outbound marketing.

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With fresh and relevant content, you can retain or convert your leads, so content marketing is one of the most critical tactics in a successful inbound marketing strategy.

Maximizing Social Media: From Brand Awareness to Action

Social media plays a massive role in attracting new and returning customers to your brand and the valuable content you create on your website. In fact, marketers who use social media marketing claim it has increased their lead generation by 68%.

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It is a great place to offer a range of personas and influencers who will benefit from it through engagement with social media groups specific to your industry. 

Convert More B2B Leads into Customers with Free Trials or Demos 

One of the most significant barriers for buyers is the need to purchase a product or service without first trying it out. 

Offering a free trial or demo of what your company sells is a fantastic way to attract sales-qualified leads. 

These leads can be converted into paying customers once they have tasted your product.

Effective Paid Advertising for Targeted Conversions  

Paid advertising platforms such as Facebook Ads, Google Adwords, and LinkedIn are great ways to target new customers when developing an inbound lead generation strategy.

These platforms offer detailed analytics to see which ads are most effective and where traffic comes from, improving your inbound lead generation strategies.

Maximizing Email Marketing: Convert Prospects to Customers with Ease 

You must ensure you use all your other inbound marketing methods to attract people to your email list.

And once you’ve grown your list?

Remember that no one wants to be spammed with endless sales pitches, so make sure your emails add value.

Retargeting Ads: Win Over Prospects and Boost Your Sales

Prospective customers typically browse many websites and read dozens or even hundreds of articles to help them decide. 

Retargeting statistics show that most website visitors leave without making a purchase and frequently never come back, so the digital marketing sector developed this clever strategy to entice them back. 

Remarketing strategies can actually increase your conversion rate by a staggering 161%.

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By displaying tailored adverts to people who have already shown interest in your goods or services, remarketing helps you stay top-of-mind and develop brand recognition. This increases the possibility that these people will visit your website again and eventually make a purchase.

Boost Lead Generation with Chatbots

The latest chatbot statistics say that 37% of companies reached their business goals thanks to chatbots. 

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Chatbots can efficiently qualify leads by posing pertinent questions to visitors to your website. 

These inquiries should be founded on your company’s objectives and your idea of a qualified lead or ideal client. 

By doing this, you can ensure that your sales staff receives the best leads.

Website Optimization

The only 24/7 salesperson working for your company is your website. 

As more transactions occur online, your website frequently serves as the public’s initial introduction to your company or brand. 

Your web presence and performance directly impact your business, given that 88% of people are less likely to return to a website after a terrible first impression.

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To guarantee that you leave a favorable and long-lasting impression on potential customers, it is vital to invest in improving your website and online marketing efforts.

Now let’s look at some killer tips for your lead generation strategies.

17 Killer Tips for Lead Generation Strategies 

When a stranger shows an organic interest in your business, transitioning from stranger to customer is much more natural.

Once you’ve attracted an audience, it’s time to convert those visitors into sales-qualified leads.

Discover the keys to lead generation expertise with these 17 game-changing strategies that will turbocharge the growth of your company and leave your competition in the dust.

Maximize ROI: Track & Analyze 

You need to be able to track the ROI of any form of lead generation (whether it be Google Ads or social media ads). 

As well as allocating the proper budget to convert your leads into customers.

Generate Offers for various Phases of the Purchasing Cycle 

Imagine this: 

An excited buyer who is just beginning to delve into the wide sea of opportunities. Their thirst for knowledge and information is insatiable at this early stage. You may help with that by arming them with informational tools like captivating ebooks and manuals that quench their thirst for knowledge. 

By offering insightful information, you position your company as a reliable counselor who can help them along the way.

But hold on tight. 

A later-stage buyer more familiar with your company might be ready to take advantage of a free trial or demo.

That’s why it’s crucial to map the buyer’s journey and tailor content to each stage.

By using a strategic approach, you can be sure to always be one step ahead and reach the right audience with the right message at the right moment.

Maintain Consistency and Keep Your Promises

Over time, keeping your promises (no matter how small) can earn you an enviable reputation for reliability, dependability, and trustworthiness. 

You can develop and strengthen consumer loyalty.

Use each CTA for one Landing Page 

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CTAs should send visitors to a page where they receive a specific offer. But without other offers or distractions, that page should be a personalized, dedicated post-click landing page.

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So ensure you’re presenting a consistent message throughout the marketing funnel and providing value to everyone interacting with your brand.

Get Involved with Your Sales Team

Many salespeople need more marketing support to rely on a steady flow of inbound leads while still meeting quotas. 

Fortunately, inbound lead generation offers many ways to help.

Use Social Media Effectively

An effective way to generate more leads is to drive traffic to your company’s website and take the customer directly there. 

Post a blog, share an offer or discount to entice people, and get them to click on it.

Use the Power of Your Partners 

As long as it’s done strategically, cross-promotion is excellent for lead generation. 

However, one of the difficulties is finding the right brand. 

If it’s too similar, your audiences may already overlap, but if there’s little audience overlap, you risk advertising to an irrelevant or uninterested group of people.

Keep an Open Mind and Frequently Iterate

Being open to your customers, prospects, and other stakeholders is critical to surviving and thriving in this evolving and dynamic business environment.

The Power of Pinterest: A Huge Purchase Rate and Lead Generation Success Story 

According to Later Blog, there are over 300M engaged users on Pinterest, with a huge purchasing power of up to 75%. 

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While other social media channels may have more monthly active users than Pinterest.

There’s no denying that Pinterest has incredible influence over its users, making it a lead-gen platform you can’t afford to ignore. 

Video Marketing: From Expert Tips to Win Your Audience Over! 

A recent study by Wyzowl shows that as many as 91% of consumers want to see more online video content from brands. 

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“Going live” or live streaming video has become extremely popular recently. 

It is compelling when you have something to present or explain in great detail, as you can provide unique content and connect directly with your audience.

Competitor Monitoring: Innovate and Win!

Always keep an eye on your competition. 

Did you see them launch a new offering, product, or site? 

You should know what they are doing. And you need to know. 

So you can stay ahead of the curve and beat them with wins. 

Streamline Your Landing Page Content 

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Typically, people will skim over the content on your landing page to see how it can benefit them. 

It is more likely that they will act if there is less text for them to read.

Make sure that the text is short and concise. 

You could even use bullet points to highlight essential benefits. Use images to create an eye-catching landing page.

Dominate Lead Generation With Killer Content

If your content is impressive, people will share it. 

Create engaging, knowledgeable content that allows people to grow and develop. It could be blogs, a video about the company, or even great infographics. 

Crush Social Media with Contest Promotions

Social media contests and sweepstakes have become famous for capturing potential lead information. 

Users often upload pictures, refer their friends, or answer a few basic questions to enter the contest or sweepstakes.

Your audience grows, your brand becomes more well-known, and your engagement rates soar with each interaction. 

Boost Engagement with Time-Delayed PopUp! 

A delayed popup appears after website visitors have remained on your page for a predetermined amount of time.

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It’s usually triggered by a user moving the mouse to the browser bar or hovering over the back button.

Exit-intent pop-ups serve as a last chance for visitors to convert before leaving a page. 

Elevate Your Strategy with Post-Click Landing Page Links 

A post-click landing page is a separate page that is not related to the rest of your website’s navigation and uses persuasion techniques to persuade users to take a particular action. 

This action can take many different forms, such as downloading an ebook, signing up for a newsletter, or registering for a free trial.

Include one in your content or email signature.

You can also add “forward to a friend“F” links, which is free marketing for you!

A/B Testing: Your Secret Weapon for Success 

In a world where markets and trends are always changing, the clients you draw now might not be the same as tomorrow. Make use of the power of A/B testing to stay ahead of the curve. 

You can adjust to shifting trends, improve your techniques, and ensure your company stays at the forefront of success by routinely testing with various variations of your landing pages and emails. 

Maintain a pulse on your audience, and let A/B testing serve as your beacon for constant improvement.

What’s next?

Are you prepared to broaden the reach of your company?

Look no further. 

We have provided you with the best lead creation techniques that can open up previously unimaginable growth prospects. But we recognize that navigating this environment can be challenging. 

That’s where we come in, ready to lend a helping hand.

AI bees can tailor lead generation solutions to your company’s data. This will entail identifying which leads are more likely to convert, which marketing strategies are working, and which leads are fake. 

After understanding your business goals and needs, our team will develop the perfect lead generation roadmap. 

So, let’s get in touch to discuss your lead generation plan today!