You’ve gone through a complete website redesign and are now just waiting for the sales to come rolling in. Alas, if only it were that easy! Fortunately, your website’s conversion rates aren’t the problem, but generating leads online is. You need more traffic and to help you get more, here are 10 easy-to-implement, low-cost marketing solutions for driving more prospects right to your door.
1. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Digital Advertising Campaigns
PPC digital advertising campaigns are keyword-focused online solutions that are available through Google’s AdWords and other affiliate marketing networks. However, don’t make the all-too-common mistake of going for the cheapest available keyword or buy your way to the top. You won’t generate the right traffic and will quickly erode your online marketing budget with unqualified leads. The secret sauce of PPC advertising is “quality” – the more relevant and useful that your ad is to prospective visitors, according to Google, the lower your cost and the higher your conversion rates.
2. Webinars and Podcasts
Webinars and podcasts will expand your network, increase your online reach and position you as a reliable problem solver. They’re free and accessible to all. Better yet, you’ll have a complete question and answer period where you’ll have the opportunity to interact directly with new prospects. You can even record and re-purpose your webinar in new campaigns.
Webcasts are an ideal lead generator for any company operating in a manufacturing market or AEC market (architecture, engineering & construction), one where customers need valuable solutions to complex issues and rapidly emerging technologies.
3. Free Content Downloads
Free whitepapers, e-books, and other high-valued resources are ideal for targeting prospective leads at specific stages of their investigation or buying process. When mapping content to your buyers’ journey, you should anticipate the kind of content and what kind of information that your prospects might give in return. Don’t expect much for a first-time visitor who’s still evaluating the landscape. First name and email address are fair trades for lite, top-of-the-funnel content. However, you now have an email address and you can educate your prospect and provide them new opportunities to interact with your business until reach a stage that’s sales-ready.
When you’re finally ready to reach out to a client, you are responding to an inquiry and solving a problem, rather than pitching and selling. These lead generators are fantastic tools for generating targeted traffic.
4. Newsjacking
No, this isn’t some “black hat” search engine optimization (SEO) strategy you’ll regret later, and no, you’re not hijacking an actual news broadcast. Instead, you’re injecting your ideas, products, services and solutions within breaking new stories. It’s an opportunistic way to generate leads and it works.
5. Newsletters, Email Marketing Campaigns and PR Campaigns
Do you remember all those business leads you met at that last engineering marketing tradeshow? Well, getting those contacts on a monthly newsletter, and sending them focused email campaigns with calls-to-action that link directly to your website, is guaranteed to produce results.
You’ll have analytics that will help you decide which content works best at generating traffic. Next, combine both with a content creation calendar that continually updates the PR portion of your website with new and refreshing content releases and product updates.
6. Participate in Twitter Chats, LinkedIn and Market-Specific Online Forums
Like any industry, yours has trade publications, magazines and online forums devoted to your market and its business professionals. Take part in those. Become an active participant in focus groups on LinkedIn and take part in Twitter chats. These marketing solutions put you right in front of customers and make you readily available.
7. Create Focused Content
You know your audience, what they like and dislike and what problems they need solved. This should simplify your B2B marketing strategy by allowing you to create focused content. However, don’t just rely upon a well-written piece. Combine those aforementioned free downloads with a motivating call-to-action (CTA). Next, use thought-provoking arguments alongside colorful infographics, images, tables, charts and videos.
8. Social Media Engagement
Social media generates high-quality business leads when it’s matched to your customer base, your market, and your products. Focus on LinkedIn. It’s the single greatest repository of high-level business contacts available online. Take full advantage of all it has to offer.
9. Offer to Write Free Content for Customers, Partners, Vendors and Online Publications
Let’s go back to our aforementioned example of the trade publication. Every single one should be more than willing to have you create content for them. You’ll get a byline, a link back to your website and the opportunity to showcase a product or service. Offer free content to these online forums and market-specific online magazines.
10. Create Online Partnerships by Cross-Promoting and Leveraging Market Influencers
Take a whole new approach to creating high-value partnerships. Cross-promote a customer’s product and ask for them to do the same. Use references on your website and have them link back to your customer’s websites.
Don’t be intimidated by the amount of time required to build networks with your industry’s influencers. These individuals can be ones that are industry-renowned for their engineering design capabilities, their sales, and marketing prowess, or for just the size of their expansive network. Piggyback onto their reputation and build a loyal following.
Don’t limit your company to just a few online lead generation strategies. Combine multiple approaches. Most of these aforementioned strategies are low-cost solutions you can implement immediately.
