Lead generation strategies and tips and how to adopt an inbound lead generation mindset.

Generating inbound leads isn't easy, but the benefits of doing so far outweigh those of buying leads. In this post, we'll look at how it can be achieved.

In the first post in this three-part series, we looked at how to generate more inbound leads and the benefits of doing so. In this post, the second in the series, we will dig deeper into the specific lead generation methods available to do so.

Subscribe for marketing insights via email

LEAD GENERATION STRATEGIES

Online lead generation encompasses a wide range of tactics, campaigns and strategies dependent on the platform/channels which you want to capture leads. How do you get a visitor to your chosen platform or channel to convert into a lead?

This is a list previously compiled by our inbound marketing partner, HubSpot, that explores some commonly owned channels that organisations can adopt to start with lead generation programmes:

FACEBOOK LEAD GENERATION

Facebook has been a method for lead generation since the beginning. Originally, organisations could use outbound links in their posts and information in their bios to attract strangers to their websites. But when Facebook Ads was launched in 2007, and its algorithm began to favour accounts that used paid advertising, there was a shift in how organisations used the platform to capture leads. Facebook created Lead Ads for this purpose.

TWITTER LEAD GENERATION

Twitter has Twitter Lead Gen Cards, which let you generate leads directly within a tweet without having to leave the site. A user's name, email address, and Twitter username are automatically pulled into the card, and all they have to do is click "Submit" to become a lead.

LINKEDIN LEAD GENERATION

LinkedIn has been increasing its stake in the advertising space since its early days. When it comes to lead generation, LinkedIn created Lead Gen Forms, which auto-populate with a user’s profile data when they click a CTA, making it easy to capture information.

PPC LEAD GENERATION

LinkedIn has been increasing its stake in the advertising space since its early days. When it comes to lead generation, LinkedIn created Lead Gen Forms, which auto-populate with a user’s profile data when they click a CTA, making it easy to capture information.

B2B LEAD GENERATION

LinkedIn has been increasing its stake in the advertising space since its early days. When it comes to lead generation, LinkedIn created Lead Gen Forms, which auto-populate with a user's profile data when they click a CTA, making it easy to capture information.

TIPS FOR LEAD GENERATION CAMPAIGNS

In any given lead generation campaign, there can be a lot of moving parts. It can be difficult to tell which parts of your campaign are working and which need some fine-tuning.

What exactly goes into a best-in-class lead generation engine? Here are a few tips, also compiled in accordance with the HubSpot inbound methodology, when building lead gen campaigns.

USE APPROPRIATE LEAD GENERATION TOOLS

The most successful marketing teams use formal systems to organise and store their data and leads. That's where lead generation tools and lead generation software come into play.

How much do you know about the people visiting your website? Do you know their names or their email addresses? How about which pages they visited, how they're navigating around, and what they do before and after filling out a lead conversion form? Be sure to dispatch, measure and analyse for increased success.

If you don't know the answers to these questions, chances are you're having a hard time connecting with the people who are visiting your site. These are questions you should be able to answer — and you can with the right lead generation tools. We use HubSpot for this.

CREATE OFFERS FOR ALL STAGES OF THE BUYERS JOURNEY

Not all your site visitors are ready to talk to your sales team or see a demo of your product. Someone at the beginning of the buyer's journey might be interested in an informational piece such as an e-book or guide, where someone who is more familiar with your organisation and near the bottom of the journey might be more interested in a free trial or demo.

Be sure to create offers for each stage - awareness, consideration and decision - and offering CTAs for these offers throughout your site.

It takes time to create valuable content that teaches and nurtures your leads down the funnel. If you don't offer anything for visitors who aren't ready to buy, on the other hand, then they may never come back to your website. See this post on crafting content types per buyers journey stage for more.

KEEP YOUR MESSAGING CONSISTENT

The highest-converting lead generation campaigns are the ones that deliver on what they promise. Make sure that you are conveying a consistent message throughout the process and providing value to everyone that engages with your lead capture.

The aspects of your lead generation campaign should mirror everything else on your website, on your blog, and within the product that you will eventually try to sell. Everything should be on-brand. If not, you will have a difficult time getting your lead to the next lifecycle stage. Your campaign should be about more than just obtaining an email address — it should be about developing a new customer.

LINK YOUR CTA TO A DEDICATED LANDING PAGE

This may seem obvious, but it's surprising how many marketers don't create dedicated landing pages for their offers. CTAs are meant to send visitors to a landing page where they can receive a specific offer.

Don't use CTAs to drive people to your homepage, for instance. Even if your CTA is about your brand or product (and perhaps not an offer like a download), you should still be sending them to a targeted landing page that's relevant to what they are looking for and includes an opt-in form. If you have the opportunity to use a CTA, send them to a page that will convert them into a lead.

ENSURE YOUR SALES TEAM IS INVOLVED

How will you know what qualifies a lead for sales without knowing if your defined SQLs are sold? Your marketing and sales teams need to be aligned on the definitions and the process of moving a lead from MQL to SQL to opportunity before you even begin to capture leads.

Also, be open to evolving your relationship with sales and how you guide leads along your funnel. Your definitions will likely need to be refined over time; just make sure to keep everyone involved up-to-date.

USE SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGICALLY

While marketers typically think of social media as best for top-of-the-funnel marketing, it can still be a helpful and low-cost source for lead generation as shared in the lead gen strategies above. The key is using social media strategically for lead generation.

Start by adding links directly to the landing pages of high-performing offers within your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media posts. Tell visitors that you're sending them to a landing page.

Now that we understand the concept of lead generation, and the strategies and tips for doing so, we can now start generating leads. The next step is to start qualifying those leads: hot or cold, suitable or unsuitable...

NEST STEPS…

This blog post is the second in a three-part blog inbound lead generation blog series. Follow this link for part three on qualifying inbound leads.