6 Creative Ways to Generate More Qualified Leads:  Focusing on Quality Over Quantity

Qualified leads can be generated through social media, advertising, industry events, speaking engagements and business referral networking.  Putting your marketing and sales teams in the same room together so they can come up with new, innovative and creative ways to do so is a guaranteed, revenue-generating strategy for every business. 

Here are six ways that marketing can generate qualified leads for the sales team.

1.    Invest in marketing automation software to nurture leads and convert them into customers.

Investing in marketing automation software can help you nurture leads and convert them into customers.  Integrating your marketing technology with the sales technology allows you to set up simple automated workflows. 

For instance, when a website visitor completes a call-to-action (CTA) form, it should automatically create a Lead record in the CRM, which then triggers a personalized “thank you” email to the new Lead and a task notification for follow-up by the sales team.  By automating your marketing tasks, you can free up time to focus on other aspects of your business.

There are several marketing automation software programs at varying price points available, so be sure to do your research to find one that's right for your team and budget.

2.    Create valuable content that is relevant to your target audience.

Another way to generate leads is to create valuable content that is relevant to your target audience. 

When developing content, it's important to keep your prospects and buyers in mind. What are their goals?  What kind of problems are standing in the way of them reaching their goals? How can you help them solve those problems?

Make sure your content is well-researched and engaging, and be sure to promote it through all of your marketing channels, like your website, social media and nurturing email campaigns. By producing helpful and informative blog posts, e-books and infographics, you can attract leads who are interested in what you have to say. 

Providing leads with valuable resources helps build trust and credibility, which makes it easier for the sales team to convert them into customers.

3.    Develop a lead magnet to attract potential customers.

A lead magnet is a piece of content that you offer potential customers in exchange for their contact information. Whitepapers, checklists and webinars are examples of lead magnets.

Your lead magnet should offer your target audience something that they want or need and solves a perceived problem.  If it doesn’t, then they won't be interested in giving you their contact information.

Keep it simple. Don't try to cram too much information into your lead magnet. Keep it concise and focused on one specific topic. For example, if you are selling a new type of software, you could offer a free trial or a discount for the first month. 

You may also offer the lead magnet in multiple formats. Some people prefer to read, while others prefer audio or video. Offer your lead magnet in multiple formats so that everyone can consume it in the way that they prefer.

Whatever you offer, make sure it is marketed in a way that will entice people to give you their information in exchange.

4.    Use social media platforms to reach more people and generate leads.

When it comes to generating leads, social media should be one of your top priorities. Platforms like Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and LinkedIn offer a great way to reach a large audience with minimal effort.  If you use them correctly, you can generate leads that are interested in your products or services.

To start, make sure you know which one to two channels your prospects are most likely to spend time finding information they need.  Make sure you have a strong social media presence with an active profile and a regular cadence of posting client-centric content.

Running ads on social media is another effective way to target buyers based on their interests and demographics.  Whether your posts are organic or paid, don’t forget to include links to your website or landing pages, where you can capture leads with forms and sign-ups. If you can get people to follow you and engage with your posts, you're well on your way to generating more qualified leads.

No matter what approach you take, remember that generating leads through social media takes time and effort. But if you're consistent, you'll eventually see results.

5.    Attend industry events and meet with potential clients face-to-face.

Industry events are a great opportunity to meet potential clients face-to-face and get your business name out there. When selecting an event or preparing for a speaking engagement, make sure you have clear business objectives, select the most beneficial opportunities, and give yourself enough time to prepare.

Make sure you bring plenty of business cards and be ready to meet your prospect in person and on their terms. Features and benefits are less relevant than being able to communicate that you understand their business, goals, obstacles and solutions to their problems.

Be sure to follow up with leads no later than seventy-two hours after an event. Use synched CRM, workflow rules and marketing automation technology to document, track, follow-up and report on event lead generation.

6.    Network with other businesses in your industry.

Lastly, try networking with other businesses in your industry. This can be done in person at events or online through social media and forums.

When you connect with others, you have the opportunity to share information about your business and learn about potential leads. Get to know other business owners and leaders, and let them know what you do. Make sure you focus on building relationships and not just selling your product or service.

You never know when someone might need your services, and referrals are a great way to get new leads. If you can provide value to others, they'll be more likely to want to do business with you.

Summary

Sometimes it feels like marketing isn’t working, but it is.  Just because you don’t see someone engaging doesn’t mean they aren’t.  So much of our own pipeline and client base came from direct contact from a prospect rather than public comments or social media shares.  However, almost every one of them referenced our marketing content in private conversations leading to an engagement for services.