In the modern marketing landscape, generating leads is an essential activity for any start-up looking for exponential growth. Generating leads is the most important aspect of any company during its initial days as they can help accelerate growth. By applying various strategies for lead generation, lead generation companies can identify customers which can lead to the creation of opportunities to build relationships and increase the brand’s visibility.
By working with qualified lead generation companies, various strategies for lead generation can be applied depending on the nature of the business. Here are some examples of effective lead-generation strategies for startups.
Opt-in marketing is a form of permission marketing which consists of a formal opt-in process for receiving follow-up communications. When it comes to the internet, it is a form of consent given by web users who acknowledge interest in a product or service. Companies should not limit their opt-ins to webinars, free reports or live demos. In fact, it should turn every blog post into an opt-in page. A good way to do this is to give away recipes, PDFs, worksheets, resource guides and related material. They can also incorporate the opt-in box in the sidebar and make a pop-up. This will force users to make a decision on the spot.
Newsletters are ideal for companies to connect with the user through emails at scheduled times every week or every day. Frequent emails with personal stories and tips for getting better at whatever the company is selling can warm up the audience and serve their interests. This helps in building familiarity and likeability with the prospects. Depending on the email frequency and the usefulness of the content, conversions can slowly start to increase.
Chatbots are one of the latest innovations that have been proven to boost conversions. It serves as an interactive alternative to FAQs and has made its way to both B2C and B2B companies. By using chatbots, companies tend to save human effort and the cost of hiring a chat support team. All one needs is to prepare a conversation script and set it up in WordPress or something similar. Chatbots are getting cleverer with the introduction of artificial intelligence technology.
It is almost impossible for a business to survive nowadays without social media presence in the online world. This is why businesses are allocating more and more financial resources to get assistance from social media influencers. This helps in increasing the follower count of a brand, which makes it easier to announce new products and services. Online social media posts can benefit from the correct implementation of the right imagery, visuals, GIFs, infographics, and videos. Social media presence also establishes the credibility of a brand.
A free trial is the easiest way to get prospects to try and use the company’s products. It helps brands to get their foot in the door of prospective customers to win them over eventually. This can also be implemented in services and not just on physical products. For instance, website builders, SEO service providers and software developers can offer free trials for prospective customers to get a test of these services.
Hosting webinars or master classes is one of the best ways to influence prospects to sign up for further products and services. It is especially popular in the financial domain where companies invite investors through recorded webinars. Video webinars and master classes also appeal to people who don’t want to read a lot of text. Attendees also get a taste of what they are investing in which helps in faster decision-making.
While targeted Ads have proven to be more effective than generic Ads, Google Ads are often ignored by browsers. However, popular websites can provide PPC campaigns with decent click-through rates. Paid promotions can provide companies access to a niche audience who are attracted to a specific kind of product or service. It also allows them to target their competitor's customers. Some of the typical promos that can be featured on websites include FB Ads, Twitter Ads, and Google Ads.
Many freelance entrepreneurs and businesses use referral programs and affiliate programs to achieve goals. As influencers love promoting products and services they love, companies can create a referral bonus or affiliate program to take advantage of this. Micro-influencers with followers of up to 5000 are more affordable than investing in typical Ads. It is much easier and cheaper to reward people to spread your brand name by word of mouth rather than spending on Ads.
Podcasts have emerged as one of the most popular content formats in the last few years. Podcasts refer to informal chat sessions which have higher potential and reach. This is because podcasts can be consumed while people work out at the gym, drive, or even when doing household chores. The host normally puts up details about the brand in question, helping it to gain traction and resonate with the audience. If done properly, podcasts can help a brand become a household name, helping in building much-needed trust and likeability.
A well-optimized website is required to convert a major percentage of its visitors. With optimization, even the most visually-unappealing web pages can convert visitors. SEO has always played its role in ensuring good visibility of landing pages and websites, which generates a satisfactory number of leads. Modern SEO is not only about optimizing a website for high-frequency search queries. It is now a comprehensive tool that combines content marketing, social marketing and search marketing.
Conclusion
Determining the best strategy for a startup can be tricky. This is due to the fact that the internet has become saturated with social media platforms, influencers and content. An effective lead generation strategy consists of several activities to be examined and tested. This can only be possible if brands work with experienced and proven lead generation companies.
