Posted: March 15, 2021
We’re back and talking about one of the basic fundamentals of marketing and sales: lead generation. Converting leads into customers is only one part of the marketing and sales process. But what about generating leads to convert into customers?
Lead Generation is usually at the top of every marketing teams list of goals but is also equally as high on their list of challenges. While there are plenty of cheap tactics and impressive platforms to choose from that offer lead generation tools, unfortunately there isn’t a magic button that can help make leads appear or convert.
We discussed lead generation on our blog in the past but lead generation, like digital marketing, is always changing and evolving. What was popular or effective in 2015 is not the same as what we see that’s working in 2021. For that reason, in today’s blog post, we’re talking about what lead generation looks like in 2021 and into the future.
Recap: What’s Lead Generation?
Lead generation is the process and strategy of identifying potential customers, or leads, to sell your products and services. Not every contact or lead will be the right fit as a customer of your business, so it’s proper marketing and sales procedure to ensure happy and satisfied customers by identifying the appropriate leads earlier in the inbound process.
Lead Generation 1.0
The methods of lead generation that people first think of are often cold-calling and email spamming. We consider these methods to be less lead generation and more “spray and pray” tactics. Because cold calling/emailing doesn’t actually consider whether a contact would be a good fit for your business, it’s an inefficient form of lead generation.
Another common form of lead generation? Digital ads. You know all those pop-ups that interrupt your experience on websites? The ones that more and more people are automatically tuning out? Once upon a time, that was a semi-effective form of lead generation. Now with potential customers bombarded by dozens of digital ads on every single website, or with ads erased by ad-blockers entirely, this is becoming less and less effective as well.
Lead Generation 2.0
Lead Generation in 2021 is all about taking the basics of inbound marketing and turning it up to 11 in the ways that best benefit your brand. Marketing used to be about getting as much information as possible in front of the eyes and ears of potential customers. With the internet becoming ubiquitous across the developed (and developing) world, the opposite is now a real problem. There’s so much information available everywhere at any time of day that leads don’t need marketers and salespeople to convince them to purchase something.
Think about it. You’ve determined that you need a new blender. Do you drive down to the blender store and ask the blender salesperson to walk you through your options? Of course not. You start with an internet search for “best blender 2021”, “best blender to make smoothies”, or “top blenders under $100.” You gather all the information you need to make the right choice and then head to the website or social media accounts of the brands that you are considering to learn more and make the purchase.
The potential customers that are scrolling through your Instagram feed or perusing your company website are the perfect leads to include in your marketing flywheel.
That area between customers identifying a problem and deciding what product offers the best solution is the sweet spot for effective lead generation tactics.
Best Lead Generation ROI
In 2021, here are the strategies that are offering the most bang for their buck:
Email marketing
Every year, someone proposes that email marketing is dead. And every year, the numbers prove that email marketing is one of the most effective ways of engaging potential customers. The inbox still provides a treasure trove of value in that it gets information directly in the hands of leads and customers. Whether you’re announcing a new product or sending out flash sale details, every email has the opportunity to convert leads.
Client referrals
In terms of lead generation, client referrals can be one of the strongest tactics available for a company. It’s human nature to put higher value on another person’s opinion over a sales or marketing message. Using case studies, client testimony, and even previous client outreach to help convert and identify leads should be highly considered by every company looking to build a strong lead generation strategy.
Marketing automation on websites (opt-in forms, retargeting, etc.)
Not every lead generation campaign has to involve active input every day from your marketers. Passive automation through opt-in forms, retargeting, workflows can keep your lead generation strategy working around the clock. Opt-in forms on your website and/or app provide potential customers with more information while adding leads to your contact database. Retargeting keeps info for potential customers who may be interested in purchasing in the future, even if now isn’t the perfect time. Both sets of leads can be incredibly valuable. And with automation, you only need to keep an eye on the data and the automation sequences!
Blogs and Landing Pages
As mentioned previously, consumers are coming to the purchasing-decision making table with more knowledge than ever before. Blogs are a great way to position your brand as a subject matter expert while also providing value in the form of free information. Both benefits can convert leads if they find your brand to be a good fit for the problem they are looking to solve. Blogs are another content marketing strategy that year after year continue to perform, despite a bevy of newer technologies. For now, blogs are still an effective prong in a lead generation strategy. Landing Pages can work similarly in providing information for curious consumers, while also using forms to gather contact information to provide content.
Social Media Communities (LinkedIn, Facebook, Reddit)
What would a digital marketing blog post be without talking about the value of social media? Social media strategies can vary wildly, but one of the best ways to use social media to your advantage in the case of leads is by doing research in social media communities. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Reddit are all powerful community hubs that provide a home to collective groups with shared interests. Now, we aren’t advocating for you to blindly infiltrate these groups solely with the purpose of spamming group members with your service/product offerings. However, groups related to what your brand offers can be a fertile ground for leads. If you are a company that sells car detailing equipment, looking through sub-Reddits for various car washing and detailing groups and questions, you’ll see there are lots of active requests for information and brand recommendations. You can provide subject matter expertise by providing answers to questions you have the authority to answer, which will help position your brand in a favorable way. This is a great tactic to build trust in a community, while also finding and converting potential customers.
So there you have it, the various best-performers in the 2021 landscape of lead generation tactics. Of course, there are many, many other ways to build a solid lead generation strategy. One easy way is to work with a marketing agency who already has years of experience developing lead generation tactics (hint, hint, wink wink)!