A lot of business entities are aware that the internet has become one of the most effective instruments to generate leads, yet most of them, still do not know how to use it. This is a comprehensive guide on how you can generate significant leads through the internet.
Search Engines
When people search for specific information online, they are looking to find companies or websites providing information about services. These people are already possible customers, searching for the best product or service. Therefore, they are already an interested prospect.
And companies who had the foresight to anticipate this occurrence and have made information available online, have the advantage because they’re already in place when the prospect searched for it, instead of still soliciting (e.g. advertisements).
When people search and land on a website, they are likely to spend some time browsing through the contents to continue their search further.
There are specifically 2 types of traffic generation methods through search engines:
Organic Traffic aka Search Engine Optimization
This is where your website is “recommended” by google or yahoo, based on your content because they perceive you as an expert in that field. Both search engines have different approach on how to establish your “authority” status. By hiring a search engine optimization expert, your website can increase its rank in your targeted keywords in no time at all.
Benefits:
- One of the best methods for generating free and massive flow of prospects
- Targeted prospects as they find you by the specific keywords that they are looking for. Which is typing words into the search engines to find an answer
- Positions you as an expert by being found first
Cons:
- Slightly expensive when you hire an expert however in the long run, you will cover the costs many times over
- Takes time to build your “expertise” to google
Lead Generation: Good – 9/10
Costs: High – 8/10
Suitable for: All Companies
Paid Traffic
This is utilizing the paid ads listing on google and yahoo search engines. They are highlighted in a different color and on the top listing and on the right side of the search engine page. In as little as 10 minutes for Yahoo ads or 3 days for Google ads, your ads will be running and available for viewing.
Benefits:
- Immediate flow of prospects
- Can attract extensive variety of prospects ( as you can target an extensive range of keywords) on the search engines compared to Organic traffic in a shorter time frame
Cons:
- Recurring expenditure however if you generate more profitability than expenses, it is definitely worthwhile to invest. It is the only marketing cost that decreases over time if done correctly.
- Needs expertise and knowledge to manage your accounts otherwise you might be spending more than unnecessarily
Lead Generation: Good – 7/10
Costs: High – 7/10
Suitable for: All Companies
Company Website
This is an online presence where you feature your company services and products to people who find your website. The graphics, branding, and copywriting is vital for a competitive online lead generation. Many companies view the website as an online brochure, rather than a leads capturing tool.
Once you change that perception, you can actually utilize the website to become an effective sales tool. Choose to speak to your prospects and their issues rather than introducing your services and products. And always capture their contact by providing a free report or e-newsletter.
In fact, all traffic should be sent to your website with the intention to capture their data. The percentage of people purchasing a product upon viewing it first is quite low, hence you need to build a relationship through e-newsletters to move a cold lead to the hot lead.
Benefits:
- Leverage on time with the website, rather than having to keep repeating your services to different clients
- Leverage on time by using it to capture leads of prospects and convert them into sales, reducing your workload and increasing your profits
- Can position yourself as the leader in the industry by having a website that sells and convinces.
Cons:
- Nil as it is a necessity to have a website online
Lead Generation: Good – 10/10
Costs: High – 6/10
Necessary for: All Companies
Company Blog
A blog is perfect for frequent updates as it is much easier to use. The web is now bursting at the seams with a huge number of companies who have made the effort to create an online presence. In order to stand out from competition, there is a need to build a personality around your brand, so that you build a tribe who support you in your beliefs and values.
Make a point of sharing interesting information and give them sneak peaks of your bubbling personality. Help your prospects solve issues by sharing solutions to the most common problems. Your chances of attracting new prospects grow as your blog becomes more popular and readers begin to get to know you. People want to know people and find out more about them before they raise their hands and tell you that they are interested.
Benefits:
- Can increase conversion rates on your offer if they like your personality (through the blog) and return to find out more information
- Especially useful to build a relationship with clients and prospects
- Easy to set up and free!
- Helps your articles be found in search engines (as google spiders) love them and helps improve the rankings of your blog / website (if it is linked together)
- Can be used as a prospects capturing site too, if you provide a free report or gift on your blog in return for their contact details
Cons:
- More time consuming compared to the rest as it is continuous
Lead Generation: Good – 9/10
Costs: High – 0/10
Suitable for all industries even though some companies still view blog as a causal marketing tool. If even popular, top and lead companies are using blogs, they why not jump on the wagon and avoid eating your competitors’ dust?
E-newsletters
A commonly overlooked tool that could help you generate much more leads than you expect. Once you have your prospect’s contact info, establish constant communication and try to build a positive relationship with them. Supply them with valuable content and give them ways to take more active response. If they enjoy your content and like the personality (through the e-newsletters), they are more likely to respond favorably.
In addition, the constant offers you make, will make you the first one they’ll think of, when they do have a need for your product!
Lead Generation: Good – 8/10 – as people forward e-newsletter to their friends
Costs: High – 0/10
Suitable for all industries
Facebook has been the strongest competitor to google as their number of subscribers have grown exponentially within 2 years. In fact, they are crafting applications to allow people to search for information inside facebook and has plans to become one of the portals with the biggest number of users.
A lot of companies were afraid of all the discussions that transpire at facebook. You share information with your clients / prospects and they respond to you. There is no way to moderate bad feedback or prevent negative remarks.And it is something that you have to maintain and build up constantly.
If you intend to take advantage of the benefits offered by facebook, you need to first define your objectives. Would you want to get feedback, send invites for your events or share product info? Secondly, create a method to attain your goals. Thirdly, determine who the key influencers are and include them in your list and make a positive connection with them. Fourthly, create a contingency plan if bad feedback occurs and how you will react to them.
It actually comes as no surprise that different kinds of companies are creating accounts on facebook, some are dentists, doctors, computer companies, golf club companies, and many others.
Benefits:
- If you lead your tribe (your fans) to cultivate a trusting relationship, you can double or triple your sales
- A great way to generate new prospects by finding them or being positioned correctly in facebook
- Easy to set up and free!
- You can be found in search engines based on the name of your fan page (which companies create)
- Trigger multiplier effect if done correctly
Cons:
- More time consuming compared to the rest as it is continuous
- Can back-fire if not done properly
Lead Generation: Good – 7/10
Costs: High – 0/10
Suitable for industries whose target market is utilizing the portal. The average age of facebook users is 35 years old and above. The context of the facebook fan page affects the success rate as you cannot simply create a fan page about the company but rather seek to provide some valuable insights or knowledge in your targeted customer niche.
Obama popularized twitter and it has been buzzing ever since. Twitter is used complimentary to your blog or facebook as you communicate simultaneously with your followers. Twitter is a great way to find people interested in your niche because once you register an account, you can search for people with similar interests. Use this fast growing social networking service to connect with your target market. And utilize twitter to direct them to your blog or facebook profile.
Benefits:
- Fast and easy way to generate followers by identifying them inside the twitter database
- Great way to break the ice by providing feedback and comments to “tweets”
- Free to set up
- Helps people find you online if they search by your name or twitter account
- Trigger multiplier effect if done correct
Cons:
- More time consuming compared to the rest as it is continuous
- Can show low results if done without an objective
Lead Generation: Good – 5/10
Costs: High – 0/10
Suitable for companies with a blog or facebook account and want to “train” their prospects to keep returning to these pages.
Social Media Websites like Squidoo, Hub Pages, Digg and Delicious
Social media websites are similar to twitter as you utilize them to be found by loyal followers in each community. Distribute your articles to each one of these social media channels to get your “word” to as many interested people as possible.
Benefits:
- Be found in the search engines
- Free to create an account
- Improve ranking of your website if done correctly
- Increase brand awareness if your articles appear everywhere in search engines
Cons:
- More time consuming compared to the rest as it is continuous
- Takes time to generate results
Lead Generation: Good – 4/10
Costs: High – 0/10
Forums
Identify where your target market are and build a conversation with them through providing value tips and insights to their questions. Projecting yourself as an expert and providing relevant content, are sufficient tools that often captivate prospects to click on your link and learn more about you.
I know a guy who launched his eproduct by simply participating extensively in forums and built a database of 800 ready prospects in a few weeks. So if your target market is hungry for your information or knowledge, it is a great opportunity to share your expertise and invite them to join your database.
Benefits:
- Easy to identify target market in forums
- Free & simple to execute
- If done correctly, can increase awareness of your company’s services and products very quickly
- Increase brand awareness if your articles appear everywhere in search engines
Cons:
- More time consuming compared to the rest as it is continuous
Lead Generation: Good – 6/10
Costs: High – 0/10
Suitable only for industries where there is a lot of talk in the forums, mainly consumer markets.
There are many varied channels and techniques that will help you generate leads online. Based on your market and preferences, select at least four channels to experiment and learn. Simply due to the fact that you don’t want to be leaning too heavily on just one channel, in case it collapses.
The great thing about the internet is that you can predict the demand in advance because of the online data and archived information. With this, you can predict the anticipated response to your online marketing campaign and track every activity as everything done on the internet can be recorded. When you have conditioned yourself to improve your campaigns at every opportunity, in time, you will attract an impressive number of prospects at minimum costs.
If you are keen to learn about the potential of your market in the internet, click here to read about the free customized report.
Pamelina Siow is an expert on generating leads through the internet. To be updated about her latest tips, catch up at Pamelina Siow blog.
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