How Do I Generate Leads?

The generation of interested parties is usually tied to an advantage for them. In the best case, this is directly related to the product or service to be sold at the end of the customer acquisition process. The better these two points are interlinked, the more qualified a lead is. Regarding generating leads, there are four key aspects to keep in mind. You should save and process all information about your prospects in a customer relationship management program.

In this way, you always have an overview and know the status of the customer acquisition process your prospect is currently in. 

The Right Choice Of Media

Determine which media you want to use to address your target group. Which communication channel do you choose to generate “your” leads? And: Would you like to use the same medium (media convergence) or a different one (media discontinuity) to address prospects (after lead generation)? There are many different types and, therefore also, communication channels for lead generation and processing: 

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Outdoor Lead Generation

1. Sweepstakes: The main prize is offered, for example, a trip, a car or shopping vouchers. If you want to win, you have to fill out a participation card and find a solution, but in any case, give your contact details and agree to be contacted.
2. Personal promotion: advertising stands in supermarkets or pedestrian zones draw attention to a product or service and distribute products, vouchers for a service or giveaways on a test basis. The aim is to gain interest, to convince with the product or service and to get the contact details of the interested parties. 

Print Lead Generation

1. Response ads: They are the classics of lead generation: ads in newspapers or magazines with conspicuously visible contact details for the answer or test request – by telephone, e-mail, via a website or written answer coupon. They must be sent by post.
2. Advertising letter: advertising flyers, direct mail and mailings with response elements and contact offers are also a tried and tested medium for obtaining contact details from interested parties or appointments for detailed advice. 

Telephone Lead Generation

1. Inbound call: If you offer your customers a well-used service hotline, you can easily gain leads for an additional topic that is as uncomplicated as possible.
2. Outbound call: If you have consent to be contacted or a valid double opt-in, you can call the existing contact details and try to convert them into customers. Or you can have this work done by a call center and buy the qualified addresses (with double opt-in) immediately. Additional information is then often available, which you can use to make a targeted selection and thus receive data sets already pre-qualified for your products or services. 

Online Lead Generation

1. Website: By placing ads on websites with many visitors who have a certain connection or proximity to your products or services, you can link the ad to a landing page with a contact form and thus gain your leads.
2. E-mail: A double opt-in is also required for e-mails to consumers, which usually means further information about the interested party is already available. Then it can also be specifically selected who is being contacted for which topic, product or service.
3. Affiliate Marketing: You provide promotional materials to a publisher in affiliate marketing. With their help, he can advertise your product or service on his website. If contact is successfully established, the publisher receives mostly monetary remuneration. 

Create Incentives For Lead Generation

Once you have found a communication channel to best reach your target group, you should think of a good incentive. How do you get your target audience to give out their contact information? What advantages, benefits, and attractions do you offer your target persons so that they give you their data and permit you to contact them?

Put yourself in the position of your target group and think about how you can attract their attention. It is advantageous if the incentive offered also has an understandable connection to the product or service you want to sell. This increases your chances of getting a new customer. 

Keep Promises

How do you keep what you promise or promise your target group? And how do you then continue afterwards to stay in contact with the prospective customer and turn them into customers? Don’t make promises you can’t keep. You should rather avoid incentives such as “These three steps will double your sales ” or “Five controlling KPIs that you probably don’t know”. After submitting his contact details, the interested party will probably not get what he expects. The resulting dissatisfaction will be reflected in the other qualification process.

His negative attitude can carry over to the product or service and get in the way of the buying process. If your prospects are satisfied with the offer, you also have a good hand for the next customer acquisition steps and remain interesting.

Choose A Suitable Time Frame

Do you address your prospects immediately after winning the lead? Or are you letting valuable time go by? Have you sent out information (white paper), and are you deliberately giving yourself some time before you follow up? Also, remember that your prospects may have approached other potential suppliers.

Even if you should have aroused your customer’s needs with an activity, it is quite possible that your competitors are also in the conversation. Do not flood him with information every hour, but also do not lose his attention by communicating too passively once every three months. You have to find the best middle ground for your target group.