Lead-generating tactics play an important role in the digital age. There are hundreds of ways that businesses can get their names out there, but these three basic concepts form a good foundation for a lead-generation strategy. By investing in these three areas, you can boost sales and make a serious online impact.
Paid Search
Paid search is one of the most popular lead-generating tactics, and for good reason: It works. The idea behind paid search is that it can serve your ads to literally anyone who might be interested in your product and, when used effectively, can actually help improve other marketing tactics.
For instance, if you own a children's clothing boutique, you may initially focus your marketing efforts on women who are 18 to 34 and living in urban areas. However, since paid search serves results to users searching for specific keywords, you can identify other demographics that are interested in your products. So, even though you may find that women ages 18 to 34 do make up a significant portion of the people who search for children's clothes online, you may also discover that older women, in the 35 to 64 demographic, perform these searches as well, especially as they shop for their nieces, nephews or grandchildren.
Being able to identify leads in unexpected or new places will help you improve your sales in the short term and will also help you identify opportunities for growth.
Targeted Display Advertising
Paid search is a great way to cast a wide net and discover the demographics where your brand really connects. Once you've got a good idea of what kinds of consumers are interested in your brand, you can turn to targeted display advertising to generate leads within these demographics.
Using the children's clothing boutique example above, if your brand wants to connect with the grandparent demographic (which may have been underserved in the past), you should try looking to Facebook first, as data from the Pew Research Center suggests that 41 percent of Americans 65 and older use this social networking service. Blogs and online communities that are targeted at older women are also great places to use highly targeted display ads that encourage clicks.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is an essential part of your lead-generating arsenal. While ads that direct consumers to your website are a great way to invite potential customers to explore the kinds of products you sell, content marketing gives your brand the opportunity to really introduce itself to consumers. Creating brand content is an essential lead-generating tactic, as you can tie in your social media accounts and allow consumers to spread the word about your products.
For instance, a list of back-to-school essentials would be highly topical during August and September, prompting parents to share this useful information on their social media profiles. By tying your content into a back-to-school sale or promotion, you can get your brand name out there and increase your sales.
Though there are various lead-generating tactics to explore, these three essentials should form the cornerstone of any solid marketing plan. Using them in tandem is a surefire way to grow your business online and continue to increase sales.
