CLIENTS!
But before you actually get clients, you need leads.
And the question arises… Where do leads come from?
What is a lead?
In sales, we consider a lead any person who has the potential of becoming a client of your company. This person may have shown interest in your business at some point, or could benefit from in.
We can classify leads in three categories or tiers, that will help you assess the amount and kind of efforts you have to invest in them:
Cold leads
These are individuals who may have shown little interest in your afghanistan phone number list business (perhaps they have visited your website, or your LinkedIn profile or have liked a post on social media).
We also consider cold leads those leads who have never heard of your company and who your are reaching out to for the first time without any previous engagement.
Warm leads
These leads have demonstrated some interest in the company’s products or services, such as downloading a whitepaper, signing up for a webinar, or requesting more information.
Hot leads
Our favorite tier!
These are highly qualified leads who have shown strong interest and intent to purchase, such as requesting a demo, asking for pricing information, or expressing an immediate need for the product or service.
Hot leads are the ones that should require most of your attention and who should become your top priority as they are one short step away from becoming clients.
The goal of lead management is to nurture and convert leads into customers through targeted marketing and sales efforts.
This process involves qualifying leads, engaging with them through personalized communication, and ultimately guiding them through the sales funnel until they make a purchase.
Where do leads come from?
Leads don’t just pop up out of thin air, they need a source, meaning we need a place where leads can hear from us and get to know us and the work that we do.
This source is what we know as a lead source.
What is a lead source?
Lead sources are essentially the channel in which potential customer discover your brand.
There is no one way to go about lead sources, so your best approach will be a multichannel approach. By broadening your lead sources you’ll be guaranteed to reach a wider range of potential clients.
However, before you start posting randomly everywhere, make sure you’re familiar with the channels your ideal customer will be present on.
In order to effectively set up a lead generation strategy, make sure you set up your ICP or buyer persona, so that you know exactly who you are targeting.
There are five main categories in which we can divide lead sources.
Social media
Industry events
Referral programs
cold emailing and advertising
Social media
Social media is probably the most widespread lead source out there at the moment.
You are not targeting specific people, therefore anyone who can be interested in your product or service can easily reach you.
However, to be able to make yourself stand out a prominent asset in your industry you need to have a strong social media presence.
Don’t be limited to simply talking about you and what you do, but also do research, learn about other prominent figures, discuss relevant topics in your niche. This way you’ll ensure to have a higher engagement level on your posts and these will reach a wider audience.
14% of marketers have issues creating content that generates leads, and we get it. It’s tough to think about the most ingenious posts while you’re also juggling the more technical parts of your business. But fear not, because lemlist is always here to help.
Check out this video and get inspiration to craft post that will help you reach your target audience and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.
I Generated 1000s of Leads with 1 LinkedIn Post
Industry events
Industry events, such as trade shows, conferences, expos, and seminars, can be highly effective lead sources for businesses.
When you actively participate in your industry or community you give potential leads the perfect opportunity to meet you and chat with you one-on-one, proving that you’re a real persona who cares about the business and knows what they are doing.
These events bring together professionals, decision-makers, and potential customers within a specific industry or niche, providing an excellent opportunity for networking, showcasing products or services, and generating leads.
What are the benefits of actively participating in industry events?
Create a solid network
Industry events offer a platform for face-to-face interaction with potential customers, partners, suppliers, and industry influencers.
Networking at these events allows businesses to establish new connections, build relationships, and exchange contact information with prospects who are actively interested in the products or services being offered.
Gain brand exposure and visibility
Participating in industry events provides businesses with a platform to showcase their brand, products, and expertise to a targeted audience.
Booths, presentations, workshops, and speaking engagements allow companies to create awareness, demonstrate their offerings, and attract the attention of potential leads who may be seeking solutions within the industry.
Improve your lead generation
Among the benefits of industry events, we find a great opportunity to participate in various lead generation activities, such as:
Collecting contact information
Conducting demos or trials
Hosting contests or giveaways, and offering exclusive promotions or discounts to event attendees.
These activities help capture the interest of prospects and generate qualified leads for follow-up.
Research market trends
Industry events provide opportunities to gather market insights, observe competitor activities, and stay updated on industry trends, challenges, and emerging opportunities.
By engaging with industry attendees you will be able to learn what your target audience looks for in products or services such as yours and what your competitors are doing.