Online Lead Generation

What is online lead generation?  In one sentence, online lead generation is when a small business creates consumer inquiry in its product or services.  A lead is when someone declares interest in a business’s products or services by providing their contact information.

How are Leads Generated Online?

Like the real world, online lead generation has its own systematic method for generating leads.  Here are the steps your business can take to generate more leads online.

1)  Engage in a focused Search Engine Optimization strategy.  SEO is part of the process of helping search engines know about your website.  Once the search engines know, they then tell people about your website when they search for a relevant term.  In order to be competitive in today’s marketplace, it is important to be engaged in some level of SEO.  Purchase the maximum amount of SEO services your budget can comfortably handle.

2)  Directly e-mail your customers.  Make sure that your customers want the e-mail though!  Never, under any circumstances, collect people’s e-mail addresses without their permission.  This is one form of spam, and it will only garner you negative attention.  One great way to collect e-mail addresses is to offer a newsletter through your website.  In return for a person’s e-mail address, you send them a newsletter packed with free information, updates on your products and services, and special offers.  This strategy is inexpensive, costs just a small amount of time, and it targets people who’ve already communicated interest in your products and services.

3)  Buy leads from lead brokers.  Some companies exist with the sole purpose of collecting leads and reselling them to prospective buyers like you.  Termed “lead brokers,” they also have information for customers who are interested in products like yours.  This costs more than direct e-mail, but it can be pretty cost-effective in the long run if done right.

4)  Buy leads from Google, Yahoo, and Bing.  Google controls about 90% of all search traffic, so you’ll want to focus your efforts there.  Termed “Pay-Per-Click” (PPC), you create a budget, set the price you will pay per lead, and then pay when customers click on your link to go to your site.  You’ll want the help of an SEO firm to help you pick the best keywords, though.  PPC can be effective, although oftentimes Google’s leads aren’t always the most relevant.

5)  Create additional leads by offering rewards for referrals.  Referrals are effective because consumers who already love your product or service will tell someone else exactly how great it is!  As an added benefit, you can encourage current customers to sell by giving them a small commission on the sale or a discount if they purchase more.  Referrals are low-cost and you leave the grunt work to someone else!

If you choose the right lead systems for your business, you’ll find your traffic and sales skyrocketing in no time!  Before you do, be sure to seek Devenia’s services, as our intimate knowledge of lead generation will help you avoid many bumps and bruises along the path to success.

Last Updated on October 11, 2012 by Bjorn Solstad

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