As new trends and technologies emerge, it’s easy for lead generation strategies to veer off the proverbial beaten track. There is certainly nothing wrong with implementing new ideas and aiming for the sky. Today’s marketplace is huge and competitive across many industries. Both B2C and B2B lead generation have seen a rapid increase in recent years. Strategies that worked a few years ago do not always work this year. Truly effective lead nurturing is about adapting. But it’s also about knowing what works and focusing on doing more of the same to see results.
In this article, we are going back to basics as we share some ideas on how you can simplify your lead generation strategies. Find out how to get back to what truly matters – reaching your audience effectively.
Simplifying Your Lead Generation Strategies
The trouble with complex, trends-driven lead generation strategies is that they are not always practical. What works for a small boutique store will not work for a SaaS provider. Although conversion is what every strategy is all about, sales are not always the primary focus for every business.
Whether you are aiming to bring in more customers or simply grow your presence online, you will need to have the fundamentals in place. This is why it is so important to start with simple strategies before you begin to plan more complex campaigns.
Here’s how you can simplify your strategy to create a strong foundation for growth.
See what is working
You will not get anywhere unless you know what you are doing right. Trying to fix things that aren’t broken can be fatal. Remember that results are unique to your business. You may be doing extremely well at engaging your audience on Facebook, for example, with a large following of people who react and comment on your posts. You may have built a massive list of email subscribers over the years. You might have a blog that is generating consistent traffic.
Building on what is already working is far easier than trying to change everything. When any given channel is showing signs that it is primed for conversion, put more focus on using that channel. Look at how you can nurture leads that are already interacting with your brand. Tracking growth is essential to see what is working. A digital marketing dashboard is the best way to see exactly what you are doing right.
Determine what is not
You’ll also need to see what you are doing wrong. It is impossible to avoid mistakes. Rather than seeing mistakes as something that will kill your results, see them as a way to learn and grow. If you don’t know what isn’t working anymore, you won’t be able to adapt and improve.
Once again, this is where a reporting dashboard will help you track performance across all of your campaigns and channels. You will be able to identify under-performing channels so that you can put more effort into making improvements. You can get real-time data that allows you to decide whether it is worth putting in constant resources into channels that are not bringing in any leads.
Clean up your lists
When was the last time you cleaned up your lists? Are they segmented? Are you using lead scoring? Outdated lists are never good for lead campaigns. Your lists should always be cleaned up on a regular basis. You should be looking for issues such as duplicate entries, outdated contact information, missing contact information, incorrect details or any other inconsistency.
Using duplicate entries as an example, let’s say a lead sends an enquiry about your services. She uses just her first name (most likely not her full name). You make contact and add her to your list. A day or few later, she signs up for a lead magnet on your website. This form has a few more fields. She enters her full first name, her surname, her contact number and her email. Now, you have two entries, both for the same person. These entries are both added to your lead funnel, as two separate entries, despite being one person. She now receives the same campaigns, twice. Needless to say, this will very quickly get frustrating. The chance of that potential lead progressing vanishes and she has a high chance of unsubscribing, twice.
Update your personas
What about your lead personas? Are you still targeting the exact same customer? Has that customer’s needs changed in recent years? Does your offering still provide genuine value? Are there any new problems your customer is facing? Personas are not something to set and forget. They play an important role in the lead nurturing process. Personas allow you to create personalised campaigns based on specific behaviour and needs. Outdated personas will not be much help if they no longer reflect your customer’s needs.
Go over your personas, updating where needed. Go back to your audience research. Has your product or service offering evolved? Are you still targeting the same audience you were a few years ago? Has the market led to any changes that will reflect on your personas? Can they be improved in any way for your campaigns?
Focus on small wins
We get it. Every single business wants the big wins. Making sales is the lifeblood of every business. There are many smaller wins that can have a big impact over time, though. Micro conversions are a prime example of how smaller wins can benefit your growth. These apply to small actions leads take. This could include sharing a blog article, signing up for your monthly newsletter, following you on social media or commenting on your posts.
What makes micro conversions important is that leads are already prepped to enter your sales funnel. Someone who has been following your Facebook page, commenting, reading and sharing your blog articles, enjoying your newsletters, and talking about your brand online is very likely to download a lead magnet or make an enquiry about your products. Paying attention to these small wins is every bit as important as celebrating the big wins.
Think out the box
You can also get creative in your campaigns. Although your goal is to get back to the basics and re-simplify your strategies, you don’t have to make them boring. Injecting some new ideas can revitalise your campaigns significantly.
Making use of tools and channels such as video, interactive quizzes, interviews, podcasts, and other fun ideas is a great way to reach your audience. This takes us back to evaluating what is working and what is not. If you’re noticing that you’re not seeing much engagement on your email campaigns, adding something new can make a big difference. If your Facebook lead campaigns aren’t moving, changing things up can help.
Aim for consistent growth
Above all else, the thing needed for a solid foundation is growth. Not sudden growth spikes (which often lead to dips, too). We’re talking about slow and steady growth. Making constant strides towards growing your various campaigns is vital. Lead generation is a marathon, not a sprint. Aiming to bring in a realistic number of leads per month is the best way to see genuine growth.
Consistent growth offers some unexpected benefits, as well. When you move slowly but surely, you have more chance of improving as you go. You also have more room to track progress. Rather than rushing through campaigns and aiming for first place in the finish line every single month, step back and see how you can meet your goals on an ongoing basis.
Lead Generation Basics
At its heart, lead nurturing is simple. It’s all about attracting leads in a way that generates conversion. Trends may come and go but the basics will never change. Keep these basics in mind, simplify your lead generation strategies and don’t forget that true growth is realistic and authentic.
