How do you generate inbound sales leads?

There’s no doubt that generating a good number of qualified prospects with a solid customer base is one important part of running any successful B2B or B2C company. It doesn't matter if you're selling products, services, or information -- you need new clients who have money to spend, whether they buy from you or not. There are many ways to go about getting those people on board, but here are some methods for doing so without breaking the bank.

The first step is understanding how much effort goes into each method and which ones work best for your particular industry. You should always test new ideas before investing too heavily in them, especially when you don't know exactly where the results will come from yet. If you decide to try something, be sure to track everything over time as well. This way, you'll know if things worked out and could potentially help other companies improve their own processes while saving yourself time and energy. Here are ten different types of inbound lead generation that may prove useful to you!

Is lead generation inbound marketing?

Inbound marketing has been around since the beginning of marketing itself. In fact, even though the term "inbound" didn't exist back then, it was used to describe how marketers were able to reach prospective buyers through content (e.g., articles, blogs) instead of advertising. The goal of this approach is to attract prospects rather than chase after them, making it ideal for businesses looking to build relationships with potential customers instead of just trying to sell them stuff.

While there isn't really a single definition of inbound marketing, most experts agree that you should focus primarily on attracting visitors to your site and building trust between you and your audience. That means using content marketing, social media, email newsletters, etc. to create valuable experiences for your readers and ultimately drive traffic to your site. Once there, you want to ensure that these individuals are interested in learning more about your product(s), which helps you qualify them as potential customers.

It also requires having effective landing pages designed specifically for each person visiting your site. These landing pages must provide a clear call-to-action encouraging visitors to take action by signing up for updates, downloading resources, giving feedback, taking a survey, etc. Your call-to-actions might include links to video tutorials, whitepapers, case studies, webinars, blog posts, news stories, interviews, ebooks, or whatever else you think would interest your audience.

If done correctly, you can use all sorts of tactics to engage with your leads and turn them into actual customers. For example, you can offer discounts or special deals to encourage purchases, send promotional emails periodically, or create videos explaining why your product is better than competitors'. While there are plenty of great tools available online for creating engaging content, the key to success lies in knowing which methods are most likely to appeal to your target market.

What type of business is lead generation?

As mentioned earlier, lead generation comes in various forms depending on the type of business you run. Let's look at three popular options below:

1. Lead Generation Software - Many businesses struggle to find enough quality leads to keep their marketing efforts afloat. To solve this problem, software developers have created platforms that allow businesses to automate their entire lead management process. Some of these solutions include contact database managers, automated dialer systems, and pre-qualified lists.

This leads us to our next topic...

2. Email Marketing - A lot of companies rely on email marketing to promote themselves. When properly executed, email marketing provides both short-term benefits such as increasing brand awareness and long-term advantages including improved ROI. Most importantly, email marketing allows you to connect directly with your subscribers, providing them with constant reminders about relevant offers and promotions.

3. Social Media Advertising - Since 2014, Facebook alone has seen its user count grow from 1 billion users to 2.8 billion monthly active users. That's a huge amount of potential consumers to tap into. However, only 6% of US adults say they've ever bought anything on Facebook. Even worse, according to Statista, 53% of Americans have unfriended someone due to bad behavior online. With that being said, social media is still very powerful in terms of driving traffic to websites and boosting brand recognition.

Some businesses opt to combine multiple approaches into a unified strategy to maximize overall performance. For instance, you may advertise on social networks and use email marketing to follow up with existing contacts. Or perhaps you'd prefer to focus on paid ads whenever possible, as they tend to produce higher conversion rates. Whatever works best for your business depends entirely upon your goals and budget.

Which is the type of outbound lead generation?

Outbound lead generation refers to methods that require interacting with customers outside of your website. This includes cold calling, direct mail marketing, telemarketing, networking events, trade shows, conferences, etc. Each of these activities serves a specific purpose, although certain methods may outperform others depending on your niche.

For example, if you operate within the technology field, you may choose to attend local meetups or tech fairs to network with other professionals. Alternatively, if your business targets small businesses, you may consider hosting seminars or conducting workshops related to your field of expertise. On top of that, you could host live webinars to answer questions from viewers, or hold podcast episodes to discuss industry topics with your listeners. All of these actions aim to establish rapport with your audience, develop an ongoing relationship, and eventually convince them to become fans of your brand.

However, it’s important to remember that while these methods may seem appealing right now, they aren't necessarily going to bring you consistent revenue down the line. As mentioned above, it takes hard work to acquire new customers on a regular basis, and it's unlikely that anyone will give away their personal details to strangers simply because you asked nicely. Instead, it's smarter to invest your energy into finding real connections with prospects who already share similar interests.

Lead generation is an essential component of every marketing plan, regardless of your size or industry. Without enough leads, your business won't survive. So the question remains: How do you generate enough inbound sales leads? Fortunately, we've got 10 proven tips to help you along the journey!

Inbound marketing has been on everyone’s lips lately as we all look for ways to improve our business without spending money or taking any risks to try something new. Inbound marketing offers many benefits, but generating enough inbound sales leads to make your marketing campaigns profitable can seem like an uphill battle sometimes. 

We've seen countless articles online that claim to be able to provide specific tips on how to generate more leads by using certain tactics, tools, websites, software, etc., which makes it hard to sort through all these options and choose only one method. So if you're looking for help and guidance when trying to find a way to generate more leads with inbound marketing, don't worry! There are plenty of resources available that will guide you step-by-step towards building a successful marketing strategy from start to finish.

Here are 10 proven methods to generate more inbound sales leads and convert more of them into paying customers, along with some real life examples taken directly from my own experience working with clients across multiple industries.

What is a lead in inbound marketing?

A lead is simply someone who expresses interest in learning about your product/service either via email, phone call, social media message, or other means. They might also sign up for your newsletter, download your eBook, watch a video presentation, or visit your company's landing page (which I'll talk about later). The goal of lead generation is to turn this person into a customer (or prospect) who actually buys your products or services. It happens over time, so it doesn't happen overnight, but having a good lead generation system helps ensure that you have ample opportunities to reach potential buyers before they decide not to become a part of your target market.

How do you generate leads with inbound marketing?

There are three main types of inbound marketing approaches: content creation, SEO, and paid advertising. Let me go back a little bit further and explain each one. Content creation involves writing blog posts, creating videos, sharing informative presentations, designing infographics, etc. This type of marketing should ideally be done regularly throughout the year, depending on your industry and audience size. If you want to learn how to create great content, check out How To Create Amazing Blog Posts With WordPress  for starters.

SEO stands for search engine optimization. Search engines like Google play a huge role in helping people discover information online, including buying decisions. By optimizing your site properly, you’ll rank higher in search results than competitors who aren't doing anything special. That said, there are several different factors that come into play here. You need to write high quality, keyword rich content, use relevant images, links, and titles, and keep things simple. Most importantly though, you must be consistent and stay committed to improving your rankings while maintaining a healthy web presence. A lot of companies spend lots of cash hiring experts to handle their SEO efforts, but most end up wasting money due to poor planning and lack of followup. Instead, take action yourself and focus your attention where you can see immediate returns - i.e. on the front-end of your site.

Paid advertising takes place outside of organic searches. Depending on your budget and goals, you may consider pay per click ads, display ads, banner ads, or even direct mail pieces. These are typically offered by third party vendors such as AdWords, Facebook Ads, and others. As always, the key is to test everything until you find exactly what works best for you and your needs. For example, I recently had a client whose first priority was getting traffic from Facebook, rather than traditional channels. After testing various ad formats and bidding amounts, he eventually found that his highest conversion rates were coming from Facebook ads alone. From then on, he focused exclusively on those ads.

Is marketing the same as lead generation?

Not really. Marketing is the process whereby you try to persuade people to buy your stuff, whereas lead generation focuses solely on finding interested parties who already show signs of wanting to hear more. Both require patience and persistence however, especially since you won't immediately reap rewards after implementing a single tactic. But once you build momentum, both types of activities tend to work well together. For example, if you run a blog that shares valuable insights every week, chances are that readers will begin following your updates just based off the value you offer. Once they do, you’ve successfully generated awareness around your brand and got them thinking about purchasing whatever your offering is.

Is lead generation outbound?

Outbound marketing refers to any kind of promotional activity that does NOT involve contacting anyone through the internet. Examples include cold calling, sending snail mails, handing out flyers, leaving notes on windshield wipers, etc. It used to be standard practice for entrepreneurs starting businesses to hire staff members to conduct outreach, but nowadays, many prefer to rely on automation whenever possible instead of hiring employees. One popular tool for automating outbound marketing tasks is Hubspot Lead Generation Software.

If you'd like to discuss how you could benefit from using automated lead capture systems like Hubspot, contact us today.

1. Create a Lead Magnet

A lead magnet is anything that attracts people to learn about your company and its products/services. This could be a white paper, video, case study, e-book, etc.

The idea behind creating a lead magnet is not just to attract visitors to your website, but also to encourage them to take action by signing up for your newsletter (if applicable) or requesting information from you directly via email or phone call. The ultimate goal here should always be to turn prospects into buyers. If this sounds challenging, don't worry—you'll figure out how to create a lead magnet with these tips below.

Create content that will help potential clients solve their problems.

Provide value to your readers.

Make sure there is no fluff involved.

Keep things simple, easy to understand, and short.

Test everything before publishing it online.

Add a CTA button so they have another option besides subscribing to your list.

Use images and infographics where possible.

If you've never created a lead magnet before, start small. It doesn't matter if you're trying to sell a product, service, or digital course - first get comfortable making content that provides real value to others while keeping things interesting.

Once you've got a few pieces under your belt, then consider expanding your reach. You might want to work on developing different types of lead magnets to better fit the needs of your audience.

Here are some examples of great lead magnets worth checking out:

White papers: These documents provide high quality information that helps businesses save time and money when implementing solutions. They usually include detailed research, charts & graphs, customer

Inbound marketing is a great way to reach new prospects who have not yet engaged with your brand or service. But generating enough inbound sales leads to make your marketing campaigns profitable can feel like an uphill battle at times.

We know what it’s like because we've been there ourselves. It doesn't take long before the sheer volume of incoming email overwhelms our inboxes and we end up deleting important messages that could be converted into sales leads. There's also the time-consuming task of sorting through all those potential leads and deciding which ones deserve attention, which ones need nurturing, and which ones will ultimately become clients.

Lead generation has always been one of the most critical components of any business' success. However, as online platforms continue to evolve, so too does its definition. In this article, we'll look at some of the key elements involved in growing your inbound marketing efforts - from identifying the right audience to developing effective content to finding ways to integrate social media and other technologies into your strategy. Let's dive in!

If you're just getting started with inbound marketing, here are five tips on how to create a successful lead gen campaign that converts well.

1) Create A Lead Generation Website That Works For You

The first step towards building a solid lead generation campaign is choosing a platform that works best for your needs. Whether you opt for a software solution or hire a company to build one for you, you want to ensure that it integrates seamlessly with your existing systems and processes -- otherwise, you may find yourself spending money without much return. The ideal solution should also allow you to easily manage multiple accounts across various industries.

One option worth considering is HubSpot CRM, where users can work within their Google account. This makes it easy to access your data from anywhere. If you don't already use HubSpot, start by signing up for a trial version. Once you decide whether your needs justify purchasing the full product, consider using the webinar feature to host live presentations about your industry and services. When attendees register, they receive a link to download your white paper or ebook. They can then forward these materials to colleagues or colleagues themselves. With this approach, you're able to cultivate relationships while still reaching out to prospective buyers.

Hubspot CRM also allows you to track conversions, set up automated emails based on prospect behavior, and customize landing pages to match specific industries.

2) Use Effective Content To Attract Leads

There's no point in creating an amazing lead generation site if nobody sees it. So, one of the biggest challenges facing marketers today is determining exactly how to attract people to your page. One tactic is to create compelling headlines that grab visitors' attention and encourage them to click through to read more. Another method involves crafting articles designed to answer common questions and concerns that prospective buyers may have when researching solutions for their problems.

3) Leverage Social Media As Part Of Your Strategy

Social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and others provide powerful tools for engaging with current and future customers. These sites offer tremendous opportunities for establishing connections with interested parties and collecting valuable information about them. And since many companies now utilize social media channels to promote products and services, it's wise to join forces with influencers and bloggers to boost visibility and drive traffic to your website.

4) Make Sure Your Landing Pages Are Seamless

To maximize conversion rates, you must ensure that your leads land directly on your website after clicking through from your blog post or social media message. Most businesses choose to embed links onto blogs, but that may cause confusion among readers who aren't familiar with your brand. Instead, try adding a button that directs viewers to a separate URL for further learning. By doing so, you keep your branding consistent throughout the entire process.

5) Integrate Other Technologies Into Your Campaign

As we mentioned above, technology continues to advance rapidly, making it easier than ever to connect via different devices and platforms. While you might think you'd only need a basic desktop computer to run a lead generation program, mobile apps are quickly becoming essential to every aspect of modern life. Some leading players include Apple Maps, Uber, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Cortana.

Using these functions gives you another avenue for promoting your offerings, as well as providing insights into user preferences. Plus, once you begin integrating voice commands into your system, you'll gain even greater control over your messages. Consider asking potential buyers to "say 'hi'" to your brand instead of typing out each individual word. Not everyone speaks English fluently, and sometimes words are misinterpreted. Using speech recognition software enables you to engage with your target market even more effectively.

6) Track Conversions & Improve Performance

Once your leads arrive on your website, it's crucial to monitor their activity closely. How often do they visit your webpage? What actions do they perform upon arrival? Do they fill out contact forms? Or do they simply scroll down past the form field and move on? All of these factors play a role in helping you determine what methods will prove most effective.

7) Follow Up On Those Who Don't Convert

It's tempting to dismiss anyone who fails to complete a purchase immediately. After all, it takes time to close deals, especially when you're dealing with large organizations. But by following up with those individuals later, you can learn more about why they didn't buy and identify areas in your sales funnel that need improvement. Then, you'll be better equipped to craft a response that gets results.

8) Test New Ideas Regularly

When you start working with new marketing tactics, you never really stop testing - even as you implement changes to your strategy. You might tweak certain aspects of your plan regularly until you find something that works. And by continually tweaking your lead generation approach, you can improve engagement levels and see increased profits. In addition, you can discover new ideas that help you maximize revenue growth.

9) Get Help From An Expert

Even the most seasoned professionals occasionally need outside guidance to achieve optimal performance from their programs. Hiring a consultant who specializes in lead generation may be necessary to avoid costly mistakes and increase ROI. The expert can conduct research to pinpoint what type of content performs best, and he/she may suggest new approaches that complement your own expertise.

10) Be Consistent

You won't succeed overnight, but if you stick with it consistently, you'll eventually see positive effects. If you follow each tip outlined above, you'll soon notice improvements in both quality and quantity. In turn, you'll enjoy higher revenues and improved productivity.

While we hope this guide helps you understand how to develop a strong lead generation campaign, remember that you shouldn't expect perfect outcomes right away. Successful entrepreneurs recognize that patience pays off in the long term, and you should treat your lead generation effort similarly.