Lead Generation and Inbound Marketing

It is no secret that the process of lead generation has evolved. What was once an institution largely dominated by only telemarketing and e-mail blasts, it’s now been transformed into a process of relationship building and identity creation. Consumers’ eyes have grown weary of the massive amounts of generic advertisements and cookie-cutter e-mails they receive on a daily basis and are better poised to accept something that is unique, compelling, and personal to them. So how do we create this experience to generate more and better leads, you ask? Well, a great place to start is with some good old-fashioned inbound marketing.

Now, when using inbound marketing as a means for lead generation you are going to want to focus on a few things:

1. Content Creation: This process spans everything from informational blog posts to well-designed infographics, and even animated videos and webinars. The ultimate goal here is to create content that will attract, acquire, engage, and build trust with your target market.

2. Social Media: Once you have created some pieces of quality content, it is time to promote them via social media. Regardless of the industry, your audience is out there and using some social platform, or a host of them, so it makes for a great soapbox to get your brand’s voice heard. By sharing your unique content, you will naturally start to draw in consumers to view your website.

3. Website: Now that you have gathered interest and got fresh visitors to your site, you are in the home stretch. However, it is important to make sure your website is properly optimized to ensure you can gather these leads into your sales funnel. To do this, you want to have a dedicated landing page with forms to capture information (name, e-mail address, phone number) – but by all means keep it simple and easy!

4. Engagement: Then it’s time to follow up with the new contact. Is that person ready to talk business? Or is it too early to engage on that level? Either way, continual, personalized follow up is the way to stay in front of the lead, earn the lead’s attention, and ultimately land the sale.

Lead generation is no longer about blanketing your target market with endless, faceless advertisements, but rather providing your audience with useful and personalized information. Master these elements and you’ll keep your sales team nice and busy – even if that’s just you!

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