Written by Shaz Memon
As the internet and online marketing continue to grow, businesses face hard questions about their online marketing tactics. Entrepreneurs have to relearn how to interact with consumers. Gone are the days when a well-positioned billboard or television ad would generate a lot of buzz and interest in a brand. Today’s consumers are all online, and their presence makes business owners take notice of the internet in a completely new way.
The sales funnel remains a typical marketing technique that websites use to turn visitors into buyers. Getting leads usually leads to generating sales. For a business to skillfully generate the leads it needs to keep doing business, it needs to approach the problem practically. To help, 13 members of Forbes Business Council examine a few methods that companies can employ to generate leads and close sales with an online audience.
1. Focus On Creating Value
Value creation reigns supreme. When thoughtfully considering ideal prospects, find small ways you can provide value before approaching them with a proposal. Unprompted boosts in business, favors, reviews, referrals, strategy suggestions, etc. can show a prospect you are focused on providing value. There is a high probability they will ask for more without you even having to “sell” anything. – Sara Abbas, Ev0lver, Inc
2. Leverage Software Automation
Studies show that the classic way of approaching potential clients through LinkedIn is by far still the most effective way to generate qualified leads. With the advent of innovative and automated softwares, lead generation has become much more cost-effective and less time-consuming. – Jay Bae, Marketip
3. Connect On LinkedIn
Business-to-business companies think of LinkedIn as a giant virtual Rolodex where you can use filters to find your ideal prospects. The goal is to establish a rapport and move the conversation offline. Remember, people don’t want to be sold to, but they love to buy. Your job is to educate, inform and delight prospects through awesome content and genuine engagement. Behave as you would in real life! – Judi Hays, Judi Hays, Inc.
4. Create A Warm Audience
Marketing to a warm audience is more likely to attract leads than marketing to a cold audience. You can create a warm audience on Facebook by adding a pixel to your site. This will allow you to serve advertisements to visitors that use Facebook who have visited your website. You can also search email addresses in Facebook for all your dead leads with the goal of them turning into active leads. – Shaz Memon, Digimax Dental
