Lead generation is a common problem for online businesses. Many small business owners work continually to produce leads and prospects to increase their sales funnel. I am part of this group of entrepreneurs and I have been researching potential answers to the ongoing prospecting for leads. I have found many creative answers to the question of where to find leads. Since this is a time-consuming effort, I prefer to provide my clients with value, value, value and retain them for a long period of time. I can then spend my time, on sales making efforts such as product development.
Here are my suggested ways to gather leads:
- Social media – Create Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter accounts. Post regularly to create a following. Post information, articles, tips etc. that appeal to your target market. Give them information in your tone of voice. They will learn to look for this and appreciate this. You will become the go-to person for them. Over a period of time, you will have more followers on your pages and members in your groups. This is not an overnight process. Rome was not built in a day. Just stay with your plan and continue posting and adding value.
- Referrals – Ask your friends, family members, and acquaintances to comment on your posts in your social media posts. Likes, comments, and shares improve your value to Facebook and will make your posts more visible. As these people, share your posts, it moves on to new people that you may not know. If it is interesting, they will share it with their tribe and so on.
- Join groups on Facebook. Look for groups you can contribute to and sign up. Just be sure you read the pinned post so you don’t violate their rules. Most groups will not allow you to pitch to their members. You can comment on posts and add value and create an interest in you and your business.
- Create your own lead magnet. This can be as simple as a white page, an article with good content or forms that your market can use in their business efforts, and interview a professional your market would like to know more about. Give all of this away FREE.
- Attend networking events. Offer to help others, create relationships with a good attitude. Don’t look at each new person wanting to sell to them. Make friends, acquaintances and long-term networkers.
Focus your efforts on the wants and needs of your clients. This may take some research but you will find it will help you know the direction you need to go in to continue in your lead generation efforts.
Nancy Woodward is a Business Consultant, Accountant, and Controller. She is an author for Ezine Articles. Her business page is https://www.facebook.com/woodwardconsulting/