Introduction.
Knowing how to generate leads is one skill that is extremely valuable if you have an online business.
When starting your online business, one of the common challenges you’ll face is getting customer to buy your products or patronize you.
A certain way to overcome that challenge is to know how to generate leads.
What is a lead?
We could have some high sounding definition about leads, but things should be simple, really simple.
In simple terms, a lead is the contact information of an individual that has shown interest in your products or goods.
The contact information can be email address or phone number or even home address. Since we are talking about digital space, we will limit it to the email address and phone number.
Without a lead, it is almost impossible to make conversion, that is, convert a website visitor into a customer.
Leads are different from typical email subscribers. For an individual to qualify into your lead list, he must have shown interest in what you are offering.
Online marketing takes so much effort. Selling to people who have shown interest in your product – leads, is easier than selling to people who have never heard of you or interacted with you.
What Qualify a Lead?
For an individual to be qualified as a lead, he must have interacted with your offerings.
He might have liked your Facebook Post, Retweet your tweet, clicked on some links in the email you sent out, chatted with you, or maybe liked your Instagram post.
There has to be some level of activity from the individual showing some interest in your products or service for him to qualify as a lead.
Too many businesses chase after every contact they have, that can only lead to wasted resources and energy.
Wrong or poor advertisement is the most wasteful financial venture in the digital space.
In digital space, the marketing end goal is to ensure that conversion is achieved.
You will be at ease in being friends with someone that has shown some interest in being friends with you or interacted with you in the past.
The same logic applies in the digital space
Purpose of Leads
You definitely want to build relationship with your leads.
The purpose of having leads is basically to convert them into customers. Often, the reasons leads are yet to buy from you is because they are not yet fully convinced of your products. Having a relationship, telling them and showing them what they need to see and hear, often convert them into customer.
Do just that. Build relationship with them.
Focusing on leads for conversion is much more effective that chasing everyone to be your customers. Not everyone will be your customers.
Ways to Generate Leads
I’m guessing you know how to differentiate email subscribers from leads now. If you don’t, read and digest the information above.
Moving forward,
How we generate leads for our website?
In the bid not to make the post lengthy, I will quickly just highlight ways to generate leads, however, we will go in depth.
Social Media Activity
Social media platform are like the highways that direct people to your websites. Your customers are definitely using one or more social media platforms. Any individual that likes your post or asked some questions or click on links is potential lead.
Email Marketing
A newsletter subscribers that clicks on links on your email or at least open the email, is a potential customer therefore a lead.
If exposes to the benefit of your products, he is likely to make a purchase
Search Engine Ads
Most often, when people are looking for product online, the first place they stop is the search engine. A search Engine Ads provides you the customers that are willing to make purchase a shorter timeframe.
Any individual that clicks on your search engine ads is potential customers, therefore a lead.
Social bookmarking Website
There are website where people post what they are willing to buy. This is a perfect avenue to get your leads. In Africa, OLX, Jiji are websites where people go to when looking to buy things.
You can get their contact from these bookmarking websites.
Offline Event.
Why do you thinking business have opening party?
You can generate leads by organizing events that is related or matters to your business.
Most individuals coming for your event are likely to be interested in your products or service; therefore they qualify to be added to your leads list.
Conclusion
I have explained what a lead is and what a lead is not. I have also explained the main purpose of a lead and ways to generate leads.
If you need some help with website or generating leads, kindly reach out to Rockfort Digital. We also offer comprehensive website audit, showing ways and things that’s need to be done to upgrade your website.
Thank You.
