AI-generated image of generating leads and growth.
When it comes to spending money, rash decisions are pretty much never a good idea. Not just for customers — it’s an important concept to remember as a business owner as well. As much as you would like for someone to immediately make a purchase from you, or book a service appointment, you need to pique their interest and form a connection with them before they convert to a customer. This process is known as lead generation.
Lead generation means creating interest from a user as a way to get them to start moving along the journey to becoming a customer. The goal is to grab their attention and help them gain an understanding of the value you can provide. You want them to see why you’re a worthy investment for their time and money. Without lead generation, it can be difficult to grow your business because you’re not able to appeal to the pertinent audience.
In this blog post, we’ll go over the basics of lead generation as well as why it’s important for your business growth.
What is the lead generation process, and how does it work?
A lead refers to any person who has interacted with your business’s content. A lead is essentially a potential customer who has actively shown interest in your business online. A lead can include someone who has shared their contact information, followed you on social media or read a piece of content.
Lead generation is a multistep process. It involves the in-between actions that take place between a lead finding your company and having that lead become a customer.
The lead generation process includes steps that develop your connection with a lead, including:
AI-generated image of grabbing a customer’s attention.
- Attract — A person can’t become a lead if they never come across your business online. You have to attract potential leads through strategies like search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing and social media so that you can be seen by your target audience and showcase your value.
AI-generated image of a customer sharing a post on social media.
- Capture — Acquiring a lead means that you’ve grabbed their attention enough with your marketing that they’ve shown interest in your business, such as filling out a contact form or sharing your social media post. This is where calls to action come in handy.
AI-generated image of an exclusive offer.
- Nurture — Even once they’ve interacted with your site, you still want to make sure that you continue to stay on a lead’s mind. You want to latch onto their initial interest and gently nudge them in the right direction of becoming a customer. Lead nurturing often involves email campaigns and exclusive offers.
AI-generated image of a lead making a purchase and becoming a customer.
- Convert — A lead is a temporary title until a person becomes a customer. Converting a lead means closing the deal by having them spend money on your products or services. By nurturing the lead, you can build a connection with them and establish enough trust for them to become a paying customer.
At BURG+CO., we know what an effective lead generation strategy looks like and how to tailor it to your business’s particular needs and long-term goals. Our conversion strategy services can help you turn leads into customers and help your business grow.
Inbound vs. outbound lead generation
Lead generation can be completed in two different ways: inbound and outbound. The main difference is how the leads initially learn about your business. Inbound lead generation means attracting potential customers through marketing strategies, such as SEO content and social media. Outbound lead generation means reaching out to potential customers through cold calling, emails or paid advertising.
While both have their advantages, inbound lead generation tends to be the more desirable approach for most businesses. It allows you to attract the right people who are likely to convert from leads to customers because they were actively searching for related content. Inbound lead generation helps you build trust over time in a cost-effective way; outbound lead generation may irritate potential leads and require ongoing costs.
Why is lead generation important?
We’ve already talked about how lead generation helps you attract the right people to your site and convert them into customers, which brings in revenue. But the importance of the process goes beyond that.
Lead generation contributes to business growth in a variety of ways, including:
- Scaling your business with predictable revenue growth
- Establishing long-term relationships with leads that can result in customer retention
- Cost-effectiveness that can help you save money and grow your budget for expansion
- Growing your network with business-to-business lead generation
- Increasing brand awareness to broaden your reach and expand target demographics
Want to attract new visitors to your website with lead generation? BURG+CO. can help
Increasing traffic to your website plays a role in increasing conversions and leading to new clients. However, it’s difficult to attract visitors to your site when you don’t know what to do. Fortunately, this is what we specialize in at BURG+CO.
Our team has years of experience in helping businesses improve their digital presence to attract new leads and retain existing ones. If you’re looking to perform better in search engine results and attract more visitors to your site, we’re ready to talk to you to see how we can help. Contact our team today for more information about digital marketing or to schedule a complimentary consultation.
