11 Ways to Generate Targeted Leads for Your Business

Targeted lead generation and lead management are so important for your business. After all, if you aren’t talking to the right people, you are going to have a hard time converting potential customers into buyers.

If you are struggling with sales, the answer may have nothing to do with how good your salespeople are -- it may be because your prospecting is bad. A company that can’t figure out how to find new leads -- and good ones -- will struggle to expand and may even risk closure.

If you’re looking for some fresh ideas on how to generate targeted leads, here are 11 ways you can change the way you operate.

1. Become an expert in SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the chief strategies for businesses when it comes to B2C or B2B lead generation. By effectively utilizing keywords in website content, your site will rank higher when customers search for those terms. This will give you traffic that is not only free but also highly targeted.

Chances are, you’re at least somewhat aware of what SEO is and how businesses use it, but an SEO strategy has many nuances and ins and outs that you must learn if you want an edge on the competition. Also, SEO changes all the time as search engines update their algorithms, so you must be constantly dialed into SEO to be effective at it.

2. Experiment with Facebook

If you’re looking for a new way to generate business leads, why not use Facebook? It’s not just a place to see pictures of your new nephew -- it’s a great way to build and promote your brand. Connect with like-minded customers and form groups around shared interests. Post updates to Facebook that interest those users to drive traffic to your website. Experiment with ads to see if you can drive traffic and sales that way.

3. Interact on Twitter

Facebook isn’t the only social media you should explore -- Twitter has strong potential for finding new leads. Use the site not just for promoting your brand, but also for interacting with potential customers.

Many companies have taken to using Twitter to handle customer service queries -- if they see someone complain about their product on social media, they’ll reply with an invitation to correct the issue. And by following your customers, you’ll understand them better through their tweets and therefore be able to better tailor a message for them.

4. Make YouTube videos

Videos are an excellent way to expand your brand, and YouTube is the biggest platform for doing this.

You can promote your brand by filming instructional videos that people would find useful -- for example, if you run a plumbing business, you could record videos about common red flags when a dishwasher needs urgent service. People would find these videos helpful and respect your expertise in this area, leading them to entrust their business to you.

5. Create blog content

Blog content is one of several tried-and-true lead generation strategies. It’s a great way to share your expertise with the world and get prominent ranking in search engines as a result, which in turn leads to more leads flowing into your site. Content on your site should be about building and promoting your brand; original pieces that address a topic that is of interest to your customer is the best way to do that.

6. Explore Instagram

Instagram, like other social media platforms, is also good for collecting leads if you use it correctly. Instagram is primarily focused on sharing images, which makes it different from Twitter (focused on text and links) and Facebook (focused on groups and longer text posts).

Photos and videos shared on this platform can drive traffic to your site if you are sharing things of interest to your customers, so figure out what those are by studying what your customers are sharing on this platform.

7. Tap into influencers

Influencers are popular social media accounts that are paid to recommend or promote a product to their followers. These individuals have vast follower bases who can be exposed to your product with just a single post by the influencer.

They can both endorse the product and inform followers about it, raising brand awareness and potentially creating a whole new pipeline of customers. It also boosts the credibility of your product and service, increasing the likelihood that those exposed to your brand will make a purchase.

8. Try automated applications

Technology offers so many tools these days for lead generation, and applications that automate many of your lead-gathering processes can make you much more effective by getting more done in less time. CRM software often offers automated processes, like email dissemination and social media post scheduling. This frees you up to focus on other avenues of lead generation that aren’t as easily automated.

9. Implement live chat

So many times, a potential customer visits your page, scans it quickly, and then leaves. Those are leads that are simply disappearing into the ether. What if you could capture them? That’s where live chat applications come in.

These customer service software programs have increased in popularity in recent years, and you’ve undoubtedly seen them on many different websites -- and the reason why is because they work. Visitors can talk to your support team immediately and directly, giving you a chance to capture their contact information.

10. Learn about customer habits

The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to lead generation. What works for some businesses may not work for you. If you’re in a business where the best way to find new customers is through a solid SEO campaign, then focus on that. However, some businesses may find that paying influencers is a more effective route, and others may determine that recording instructional YouTube videos is the way to go.

You must study your customer base thoroughly to understand where they’re coming from and where you should focus your efforts. If you do your homework, the answer will be obvious.

11. Ask for referrals

If you have happy customers, take advantage of that and get them to recommend your company to others. Sometimes, that involves simply asking the customer for a referral, but this is more appropriate in B2B settings. If you’re a B2C business, consider creating a referral program where you reward customers for providing you with a prospect.

Companies will often discount both the referrer's and the referral’s product or service in exchange for the referral. The potential for a new long-term relationship makes this giveaway more than worth it.

Experiment with a variety of methods

Sometimes, boosting your sales revenues isn’t about getting better at closing a sale or learning new sales techniques -- it’s about doing a better job of prospecting and lead generation. If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, try something different. Create a Facebook ad campaign and see how it does.

Overhaul the SEO practices throughout your website and see if that gets results. By improving the quality of your leads, you will increase your sales conversion rate and therefore raise revenue even if you don’t increase the volume of your leads.