As a small business owner, we know you’re under a lot of pressure to keep your business afloat. You want as many people as possible to experience your product or service, but if no one is interested in what you’re offering, your business can’t continue to grow.
Small business success relies on reaching the right audience and converting prospects into loyal customers. By using the right marketing tactics to build a pipeline of customers — a process known as lead generation — you can effectively bring in new business you’d otherwise miss.
What is lead generation?
A lead is an individual who has expressed interest in the products or services you offer. Lead generation is the process of attracting those leads to your business with the end goal of converting them into a customer. Through lead generation, you can reach potential customers early in their buyer’s journey, build a relationship with them and then earn their trust so they buy a product or service from you.
Why is lead generation so important?
Revenue.
Small businesses need new leads to stay competitive within their industries. Yes, your current customers are buying your products or utilizing your services, but in highly saturated markets, you need new people to develop interest in your brand so you can keep up with the competition.
The good news? The opportunities for lead generation are endless.
In the past, potential customers relied heavily on billboards, brochures, ads and articles to generate buzz about their business. But with so many digital marketing tactics out there, you can reach potential customers everywhere. More tactics means more chances to convert a lead, which results in more money in your pocket.
What are some effective lead generation techniques?
The overall goal of lead generation is to attract as much quality business as possible, so how exactly do you do that? The most effective lead generation tactics turn leads into sales without breaking the bank. There are plenty of tried-and-true techniques small business owners rely on to bring in the new customers they need, including:
- Runing events — From webinars and industry expos to speaking at local conferences, giving your target audience an opportunity to engage with you face-to-face or hear from you directly is a great way to build your sales pipeline.
- Creating compelling content — Revamping your website, taking social media seriously, writing blogs, sending out emails, creating ads and even starting a podcast are all ways to gauge the interest of your prospects. Creating content helps establish your business as credible and trustworthy, which will make potential customers more likely to engage.
- Offering free trials and deals — People are more likely to act when an incentive is involved. As a small business owner who is focused on building brand reputation, soothing your prospects’ reservations about your business by offering free trials or highly discounted products gives them a chance to try out your product or service worry-free.
- Checking in on competition — Think about your closest competitors. What are they doing to gain new customers? What opportunities are they missing out on? By assessing your competition, you can build a better lead generation plan that gives you an edge in the industry.
- And so much more!
How do you create a lead generation strategy that works?
You may have heard that lead generation is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. As a small business owner, we understand that you don’t necessarily have the time or experience to experiment with lead generation tactics. When you work with the right team of professionals, you can implement an effective lead generation strategy that ensures you’re always making an impact.
At Collective Alternative, everything we do is based on strategies as unique as your thumbprint! We don’t believe in the standard, one-size-fits-all approach, which is why we create lead generation strategies that best suit the individual needs of every small business owner we work with. We will do everything in our power to help your small business make an impact by creating a unique lead generation strategy that’s customized to your exact needs.
If you’re ready for your customers to find you instead of exerting extra time and effort into finding them and experience The CA Way, schedule a free strategy session with us today!
