10 Quick Ways to Generate More Sales Leads Online

It seems like all small businesses are chasing the perfect lead – “If I could just get my product in front of those people, sales would skyrocket.” The truth is that there’s no magic formula for generating sales leads, every business is different. What works for some, might not work for others. Don’t get discouraged if one lead generation method fails, staying persistent through trial and error is how successful businesses establish an effective and tailored strategy.

Below are ten methods that you may want to consider if you’re looking to generate more leads online.

1. Target Content Towards A Very Specific Audience.

The more you create content that’s intended for a particular group of people the more likely those people will be interested in your brand. Improving your content marketing is an important factor when developing a lead generation strategy. Imagine you sell yoga pants, and you start an online contest for your followers. The winner receives free tickets to a football game. In this situation, you’re not speaking to your audience accurately enough; some people might not like football. Find something that you know your audience can all get on board with, in this case a good example might be a free meditation class.

2. Engage In Discussions And Host Webinars.

Potential customers are all over the world and they’re usually scouring the internet looking for solutions to problems, or in many cases posting about it in attempt to connect with others who can help. This is where your company can capitalize and spark lead generation for your business. Research online forums and websites by searching keywords related to your industry. If you see some folks discussing a problem that you have a solution to, kindly step in and educate them on what you have to offer. Also, in the same vein, hosting webinars is an excellent way to get potential customers to come to you. Google+, Skype, and Hangouts are great places to host a Webinar that can also promote online lead generation. Consumers can have their questions answered in real time, while also getting a humanized experience with your brand. By serving as a go-to resource, these potential customers can easily turn into a qualified lead.

3. Engage On Quora.

A great website to engage with consumers and business peers is Quora. It’s a question and answer based website – think Yahoo answers, but wearing a suit and tie. As a marketer you can create a profile and answer questions while simultaneously posting links back to your landing page with the purpose of improving your website traffic.

Related: How to Bridge the Gap Between Digital & Brick and Mortar

4. Use Videos.

The attention span of the average person is around 8 seconds nowadays – about the same as a goldfish! Coupled with the fact that more than 65% of people are visual learners, for most companies it’s time to start investing in video content. If you want to attract potential customers to your website Creating concise and simple product videos inspire people to take action more than any other form of content media. Video marketing is an effective way to attract organic traffic and build a client base.

5. Thought Leadership.

Want business leads? Then be a leader. In other words, position yourself or your company as an expert in your industry. Publish articles and blogs that inspire innovative and unique thought. Share new ideas and experiences with your customers that support the development of your industry.

Writing isn’t the only way to get your brand out there. Look for public events that you or a representative can speak at. A successful talk can help generate leads and position you as a formidable thought leader. Customers will not only look to you for answers, but your business peers will as well.

6. Find Your Audience Through Social Media.

The great thing about using sites like Facebook and Instagram (owned by Facebook) is that they hold tons of valuable marketing information on their users. So when you advertise with either site, you can generate highly targeted campaigns that put your product in front of the right people. With Facebook and Instagram leads are generated by demographics such as age, gender, occupation, single/married, location, education, interests, and more. Investing in social campaigns, might be the most effective way to advertise online in today’s market.

Related: 4 Social Media Posts to Boost Engagement

Also, don’t underestimate the power of engaging with people on other sites such as Reddit and Pinterest. Users on those sites have very specific interests, which is the perfect breeding ground for strong sales leads.

7. Catch The Attention Of The Press.

The press loves a good scoop, so the best way to get mentioned in an online publication is by isolating what’s unique and compelling about your company, and promoting it hard. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the press either if you feel you have something that sets you apart in the industry that audiences would want to read about. Keep in mind the press loves charity and special events. When drafting an email, make sure to keep it concise, informational, and compelling — they receive hundreds of pitches everyday.

Related: Why Is E-Commerce So Important?

8. Set Up Google Alerts And Listen To Twitter.

Setting up Google Alerts allows you to be notified whenever a keyword is mentioned. Let’s say you wanted to know every time someone mentioned your company, you would receive a notification linking you to that post. In other words, Google ushers drops you off right on the front door of a potential lead.

The unique part about Twitter is that businesses can do quick searches to see who’s talking about their industry or brand in real time. Following what people are saying will keep you up to date and primed for converting leads into sales.

9. Partner With Others In Your Industry.

A great way to diversify your leads while also remaining close to your target audience is by establishing partnerships within your industry. Try collaborating on crossover events, cross-promotions, podcasts, guest blog writing, videos or charity events.

10. SEO And Google Ads.

By consulting an SEO specialist like Power Digital Marketing you can boost your domain authority, which gives you a better chance of attracting organic leads. Having a website with strong SEO will drop customers off right on your front door.

Another way to stand out in Google searches is by bidding on keywords. For instance, anytime someone enters a specific keyword, your company will pop up in an ad. If a customer clicks on that ad, you pay. This is known as Pay-Per Click advertising.