Lead Generation
Lead Generation 101 is a quick reference blueprint for those who are new to the Online Lead Generation, Sales and Distribution industry. With the mass adaption of internet as a medium of information, education, entertainment and communication and proliferation of blogs and social media networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, the sales lead generation has moved to the internet sphere. Online Lead Generation is a growing industry with exponential growth rate possibilities.
Lead Generation and Online Marketing
Millions of businesses are scrambling to get on to the Online Marketing bandwagon as the traditional marketing channels such as Yellow Pages, TV, Radio and Print Media are losing momentum. Lead Generation is the key component of online marketing. Online marketing is also referred to as Inbound Marketing and Internet Marketing.
While small segment of businesses, organizations and self employed professionals are generating internet leads for their own consumption and conversion, majority of the industry has to depend other third parties for online marketing and lead generation.
Lead Generation as a Business Opportunity
Online Lead Generation will grow as a multi-billion dollar industry as the advertising dollars spend is shifting from traditional marketing channels to online, web 2.0 and social media channels. This presents a great opportunity for Entrepreneurs, Small Businesses, Marketing and Media Agencies and Marketing Professionals in online lead generation and distribution.
Tools for Lead Generation
There is no one tool or software that can do everything for you. You may have to use a multitude of tools. For example, you have to use WordPress for Blogs, YouTube and Vimeo for Videos, TweetDeck for Twitter, Twitter for MicroBlogging, FaceBook and LinkedIn for Networking, Google Analytics for website statistics, and your own custom Websites (for Landing Pages). These are just samples and there are so many other tools that you can leverage. The scenario is changing constantly.
Especially, there is no specific, single software that you can use for Lead Generation. You may try out a software service like HubSpot Inbound Marketing Tool, but is again a group of tools (content management, blog, and metrics) in a single platform. This may not work for everyone or in all scenarios; it could one of the tools.
Similarly LeadPro 24|7 Lead Capture, Distribution and Delivery Software solution, as the name suggests, helps you capture, distribute, deliver and manage the leads generated. Hence it is NOT a lead generation software per se, though the tool integrates / interfaces with your lead sources and landing pages. The lead capture form can be generated in the system and the code snippet can be embedded in the lead capture forms on your websites. Or the Lead Posting instructions can be used to push the leads from the lead sources to the LeadPro system.
Online Lead Generation Methodologies
Lead generation methodologies fall into two major groups, namely:
- Paid Search
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Both these processes are generally referred to as Search Engine Marketing (SEM).
Paid Search Marketing
Paid Search Marketing is also known as Pay Per Click (PPC) search marketing. While Google Adwords is the most widely used PPC option, there are other from Bing and Yahoo. While PPC is a quick and measurable option, you can lose money easily if you don’t know what you are doing. Pay Per Click advertising can provide quick results.
Hence spend considerable amount of time to research and educate yourself. You can start small and slowly grow as you improve your understanding of the process and your vertical’s performance in PPC. Note that certain popular niche markets and verticals (such as insurance, mortgage and real estate) are ultra competitive and the pay per click rates are very high.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Marketing or SEO is a long drawn process. Though the website traffic generated by SEO is called free traffic, it is not really free. Considerable amount of time and efforts are to be spent to build websites, create landing pages, promote the sites and convert the visitors to leads.
Lead Capture and Aggregation
A software tool such as LeadPro 24|7 Lead Capture and Distribution Software can be used to capture and aggregate the online leads. Please refer to Lead Capture and Aggregation resource for more information.
Lead Distribution
Leads generated via multiple lead sources can be distributed using LeadPro 24|7 Lead Distribution Software system with suitable configuration based on your lead verticals, industry practices and specific business procedures. For more information, please refer to the Lead Distribution section.
Lead Delivery and Management
The leads distributed based on the routing rules, filters and criteria should be delivered to the lead buyer(s) per specifications. Real Time Lead Delivery if the norm rather than exception. Hence leverage Lead Delivery tool such as LeadPro 24|7.
Leads can be delivered in a number of ways. The clients may prefer more than one method of delivery.
Back Office and Lead Retrieval System
You may also leverage the Back Office, Lead Retrieval and Lead Tracking functions provided by a Lead Company System such as LeadPro 24|7. This feature can be a great value addition for your customers. The clients need not go for third party lead tracking and management systems, thereby the customer loyalty can be improved.
