For lead generation success you need to understand there are different types leads.
There are 2 main kinds of lead when we consider lead generation.. The first are either actively looking for what you offer (warm/active). The second type have come across you and are interested in what you do but are not looking to buy yet (cold/passive).
Everything that happens on their journey to your till needs to be of great interest to you. The path I talk of is from intial curiosity – to closing a sale. From lead generation right through to lead conversion. Lets be clear you have full permission to have as much impact as possible (within the law!) on your enquiries and leads as you need to show them how better their life is with you in it!
The Lead Generation Funnel
This is the place you need to have ready to welcome your leads, at whatever place in the buying decision when they arrive with you. For those of you who say I don’t need, want or have a lead or sales funnel then I am sorry but you have one whether you take responsibility for it or not. The lead generation funnel is the path to your door, it is the journey that a lead needs to take to get to your till. The more aware you are of it and the more control and care you give on the path the better your business is going to succeed.
What to do with leads on different steps in the lead generation journey?
Leads arrive into your world at different temperatures. Some arrive direct to you warm and ready to buy what you are offering; warm leads need what you are offering and want you to sell to them (they come in lower down the funnel). At the top of the funnel are the cooler leads, they were going about their day and you got in their way and grabbed their interest. They want to learn more and are happy to have you in their world, but they are not ready to buy yet.
Below is my Lead Generation Funnel which shows the colder leads coming in at the top with their initial curiosity and leaving the funnel as they Close when they make their first purchase. In the Lead Generation Funnel we use content and communication to build authority, impact and influence. Getting them into your funnel as a lead and then having your world set up to nurture and convert them is the key to creating a stream of quality leads that convert to sales.
What is the lead generation journey?
Let’s take a look at the journey a lead needs to take to become a customer and the information the prospect needs access to:
Curiosity – content here is educational and full of value. If you can, try and give them something of value in the knowledge you share that possiby improves their life. You are building the famous know, like and trust. However they read your content from blogs, social media content, articles, you are letting them get to know you. You might offer “how to…” guides and information about a particular way of doing things, “10 best ways to……”, “3 steps to making ,,,,,” You might tell the story of why you do what you do.
Connect This is where they actually introduce themselves to you and become a connection. They do this when they agree to give their details (usually an email address) in exchange for some piece of knowledge. Eg, a quiz, pdf, download, webinar. The content is still about value and education, you are giving still and building a relationship.
Consume – Continuation of content on social media and regular information and value via direct marketing. They are a connection and they expect to hear from you, they know that is the deal when they gave their email address. Add case studies, testimonials, how you have helped others like them stories.
Call To Action You have to ask for the sale, in fact you must ask for the sale, that is your job! You might offer a value added offer, trial, or demo to tempt them to consider buying.
Consider follow up, follow up and follow up again creating great connection as they move to close to a sale. If they do not close then they go back to consume and stay in the nurture area of your funnel.
Close – they buy!!!! Now they are on the customer service and onboarding journey. They get your very bes attention so they are pleased they bought. They come back for more and tell all their friends about you!
What leads do I need?
So to answer the opening question! At first glance you think I want active ready to buy warm leads. However, the result of constantly undertaking purely sales targeted marketing are the warm leads will eventually dry up by a variety of factors including your competitors simply outbidding you, there is no like, trust, try, buy built up between you so no relationship is being created. If you are simply sell, sell, selling the dialogue becomes just yes/no in which case they dont come on a journey. Because of the longer journey and interactions, passive leads generally become the stronger client, give longer more profitable lifetime value and tell all their friends and provide you with ongoing referrals.
So which leads do you need? You need to generate both types of leads and have a great nurturing plan in place to work across a mix of platforms (inclusive of your web, social and direct marketing). The whole world is on social media so your target market must be too but they might be hard to find, disengaged and take a bit of nursing along. Without statig the office you need to be where your ideal leads are.
There is no perfect answer, lead generation is an ongoing tweak and review – the driveway to your door needs constant weeding, watering and nurture.
Who Am I and Why Do I love Lead Generation So Much?
I am Laura Greenwood of Your Lead Generation and I guide business owners to embrace marketing to create lead generation systems in their business. If you are looking to implement consistent and competent marketing work in your business I would love to chat with you to see if I am the guide and help you need. I offer “Done For You” retained marketing contracts and have a “Done With You” marketing programme which supports you or a nominated team player to implement your marketing.
Please contact me on 07703 520490 or laura@yourleadgeneration.co.uk,
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“Laura is a pleasure to work with. She exudes enthusiasm for her work, is very astute and commercially minded and is quick to spot an opportunity.” ddd
