From using bards at taverns during the colonial times to advertising on millions of screens within seconds in the present technological era; spreading the word or generating leads for your business has always been a vital step in increasing sales and consequently, the profitability of your business. With the intense competition and incredibly intuitive technology we all have access to, generating leads has gotten a bit more complicated than sending bards into a tavern. Not to worry. This quick guide will outline all the techniques you can inculcate to quickly and effectively rack up those leads.
“Spreading the word or generating leads for your business has always been a vital step in increasing sales and consequently, the profitability of your business.”
Know your audience
Using the previous analogy, you cannot expect to turn a profit by sending a bard into a catholic school. Researching your audience is essential before drafting a marketing strategy to rope them in. Think hard about who you are approaching and what do they want.
Keep it brief
The average attention span of a human is the time it takes for them to take a deep breath. That’s about 8 seconds! Make sure you convey your message as briefly and accurately as possible.
Equivalent exchange
Everyone is hesitant to give away their personal information and may click away immediately if you press the need for it. A good way to extract information is to offer them something in return. A newcomer discount, or a free trial. This lets them make a fair trade (information for benefits). Furthermore, anything you give away may very well entice them to become a regular client. Win-win
Make the customers feel comfortable
Opening up to new experiences is always nerve-wrecking, even if it is simply switching your brand of toothpaste. Use soft words and a friendly tone to make your customers feel at home.
Forge relationships
Generating leads is one thing. Maintaining them and possibly getting them to advocate for you is another. Open up to your customers about your own story. You can do this through emotive posts about how you started and how far you have come. Your website’s about us section also helps in this regard. Let your clients meet the people behind the products they are buying. This enables both parties to forge lasting bonds that may very well last a lifetime.
Personalized messages
Address your customers by their first name whenever you email them or send them a message (last name if you’re providing a formal service or serious product). This gives off a friendly vibe and lets the customer know you care about them.
Engage with your audience
Reach out to your followers and let them tell you what they want. Regular customer feedback is an invaluable trove of information you can use to precisely tailor your product/service according to the need of the hour. Give out surveys or conduct Q&A sessions. Who better to direct your line of thought than the people actually buying your stuff?
Get the hook right
Brainstorm catchy lines to grab the attention of your audience (informative if your audience is old-jolly and interesting if your audience is young).
Market on all fronts!
Similar to firing all cannons rather than individually aiming, the more content you put out through various channels, the more exposure your business gets. Advertise on all social media platforms in addition to the traditional modes of advertising (newspapers, magazines etc.)
Do not Spam!
In continuation of the above point, marketing campaigns get stale really fast. Take care to never go overboard as you may get moved to the spam folder before you get your point across.
Recruit influencers
Do not have a big enough following of your own? Get an influencer with adequately wide circulation to advertise for you. Every brand does it. Because it works!
To arms!
Your message should preferably include a call to action towards the end. Something like start your free trial today!
Keep the forms short
In lieu of what we stated at the start. The more information you ask, the more reluctant they will be to give it. Keep your sign-up forms restricted to what you really need.
Avoid ambiguity
Let your audience know exactly how to proceed if they feel inclined to make a purchase.
Ride the bandwagons!
Keep an eye out for globally interesting events and try to tailor your marketing campaign by incorporating those trends (example: selling Avengers Endgame merchandise).
Special offers! Let us not forget the most widely used method of marketing. Special offers! A little discount goes a long way.
Organize contests
Referral contests and giveaways are the two most popular archetypes frequently deployed to generate leads. Give your followers something to work towards!
Adapt to changes in the market
If the world decides to ditch smartphones and drink at taverns then hire some bards (sorry for bringing this analogy up again)! No harm in going with the flow.
Make your posts attractive
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder (emphasis on eyes). Indeed, one often sees the picture or thumbnail before they read the heading. Always accompany your messages with appealing pictures or digital art.
Engage with your competitors
The audience always loves a friendly spectacle between organizations. Drop a funny remark or an encouraging line to your competitors every once in a while. This lets you use their channels to market your product.
Solve a prevalent issue
Nothing gets us more excited than a business offering a way to make our lives easier. Innovative solutions that provide convenience where its due can work wonders for your business. Ask yourself, what part of life do you hope to improve with your product and work towards it.