What is lead generation?

Any person who has an interest in a company’s product or service is considered a lead. But please note not anyone and everyone is a lead, as people have different preferences and needs. Many businesses make the mistake of marketing to everyone when they should focus on people who are interested in what the products and/or service a company has to offer.

Lead generation can be defined as the process of attracting prospects and converting them into someone who has an interest in your company’s products and services. Modern brands make use of various lead generation strategies such as:

• Blogging
• Email marketing
• Social media marketing
• Networking
• Live events and seminars
• Website landing pages

These are just a few strategies that you can use to attract potential customers to your product or offer. Most companies prefer to stick to what works best for them, as lead generation strategies differ according to industry.

So, to put it bluntly, you want - and you need - new customers. Yet, you probably find implementing lead generation strategies can sometimes fall off the list of priorities. Or maybe you’re just looking for a simple refresher of new tactics you can implement straight away? Either way, I’m here to help.



Here are my top 7 lead generation ideas you can try today, for FREE!

1)   Share success secrets

You want to provide unique value in your content, right? One of the best ways to achieve this, is to reach out to a thought leader in your industry or even your company. By interviewing an expert and uncovering their secrets, you prove to potential customers that you're dedicated to delivering the very best advice and insight for them. And people like to be nosey, people want insightful and juicy secrets! 

2)   Create helpful videos to solve commonly found issues in your industry

Helpful videos can solve the real problems found in your industry, for potential customers in a way that's both entertaining and easy to understand. You want to provide as much information as you can, in a variety of different formats to encourage the website visitor to stay and explore your website and the services you offer. People like things for free, so creating informative video content is a great way to provide free value to your customers. Bonus point: subtitle your videos! According to Buffer, 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound. So, subtitling your video content is a great way to keep high levels of customer engagement, no matter where they are.

3)   Leverage the power of customer reviews and recommendations

Word of mouth is arguably one of the strongest forms of marketing. Just think about the times you shop on Amazon or a looking for a hotel to stay at, or your internet shopping for that hot tub you’ve always wanted. You look at the reviews, right? You want to know other people’s experience with that service or product first before you go ahead and make that purchase/commitment. So, provide your potential clients with the real-life experiences of your past/current customers. Getting their take on your business, whether it be written or video, is a great way to leverage the power of reviews and recommendations.

Now for the tech side of why reviews and recommendations from your customers is important. When you encourage users to leave reviews on platforms with strong SEO - such as Yelp and Google - you increase the chances of being found by the right people, without spending any money. Google recognises the independent role of sites helping people find what they’re looking for and seems to favour review websites in search engine results. And that’s why reviews are certainly one of the best FREE lead generation ideas you must consider for your business.

4)   Offer a deep-dive answer for a tough question commonly asked in your industry

Right, you can find the answer to any question you might have on the internet. But how many are good answers? Taking the time to create an in-depth, step-by-step article that answers a burning question for your potential customers serves as an opportunity to generate a lead. After all, the company that provides the best answer and services will get the business, right? Providing solutions and valuable information is the purpose for every business, and the best way to do that right now is to put it online (on your website, on your social media accounts and other key online platforms)

5)   Offer a free trial or a freemium product

We all want free stuff! So, provide free trials of your services and help get your customers foot halfway through the door. If the free trial helps them and provides great value, they're more likely to purchase the full product and become an actual customer to your business. Think about anything you sign up for online, you get 7 days/14 days/ 30 days free to try it out. Here are just a few well know companies that offer free trials or freemium products (I will also add in how long these companies offer their free products):

• Now TV | free trial for 7 days
• LinkedIn Premium | try for free, for 30 days
• Apple TV | 7 days or 1 year FREE when you buy an eligible Apple device
• Amazon Prime & Kindle unlimited | free trial 30 days
• Avanty | Use our website builder for free, for as long as you want, until you’re ready to publish your website online

By creating a free trial, a business' website can do its own selling and encourage buying in a low-pressure way. Low pressure = results!

6)   Create a list of useful tools and resources

It's easy to brag about the tools your company offers, but when you take the initiative and explore other helpful resources that your audience could be using, you are subtly showing you prioritise your potential customers and their success over your own self-promotion. In return, you will attract the audience that's looking for solutions like yours — which will, in turn, drive the leads you want. So, make it a priority to provide useful tools and resources for both current and potential customers.

Here is a list of ways you can provide all the tools and resources your customers need:

• Workbooks
• Video tutorials
• Interviews
• Recommended reading resources
• Webinars
• Recorded group zoom sessions
• Blogs
• Online courses

7)   Host a giveaway for your customers

Giveaways are one of the most successful forms of lead generation there is.

Hit a milestone in your business? Host a giveaway to not only celebrate, but to keep your leads interested in your business. However, a giveaway can result in 'junk leads', which means the giveaway isn't reaching the right people you want it to get to and can result in your time being wasted if not done logically. It all comes down to offering something for free again, but in a way that attracts the leads you want.

Offer giveaways that are associated to your business. For example, if you are a hotel, you can offer a free weekend stay at your location for a lucky winner. The giveaway must be tailored to your business and the customers you have. If you choose to host a giveaway, have fun with it and make sure you get the word out. Instagram is a popular platform many use to advertise giveaways. Want tips and tricks for running engaging Instagram giveaways and how you get started, simply click here to find out more.

And that's it, seven simple, yet effective lead generation ideas that work for those wanting to convert leads into customers and increase sales.

So, what are the key takeaways for lead generation?

Firstly, your website should be the limelight of your brand. Make sure your website is an accurate reflection of your business!

Secondly, content is king, no matter if it’s created or received. Produce a blog and social media posts, and request testimonials from past customers. Word of mouth is a brilliant lead generation strategy, take advantage of it.

And thirdly, always put the customer first. What do they need or want from you? What can make you stand out from your competitors when it comes to looking after your customers. The key is having the answers to these questions and knowing how to be next level for your customers/clients.