It’s a no-brainer: A business isn’t going anywhere without a healthy source of customer interest. The number one task for any successful business owner is to discover a consistent stream of prospects. Where’s that wondrous stream of leads found? Many people never find it, but aren’t you lucky we’re sharing our three effective ways to tap into the stream…
#1. Great content attracts traffic to your site
To generate leads you must have as many breadcrumbs out there on the web as you can possibly have. Like Hansel and Gretel finding their way to the gingerbread house, people will find their way to you by following the enticing bits of content you scatter across the web.
This content can be placed on Google, YouTube and iTunes to name just a few. The exciting area of social platforms should also be exploited to its full extent as it is going to become a much greater force in the future. So knock out some of your great content on Google Plus, for example..
The aim of the game here is to create as much quality content in the easiest way. If you haven’t noticed, I run a lot of great workshops. Why? Becaues it’s one of the best ways to generate high quality, engaging content. The content generated at the workshop can then be repurposed in a number of ways.
The video of the workshop can be cut into sections and then posted on YouTube. Transcriptions of the workshop can be made and then turned into high quality articles. These articles can then be placed on your blog. And the list goes on!
Another fun way to generate content is to interview an expert (I love doing this!) and post the interview on your blog. Or do a series of short videos answering frequently asked questions; give a case study of a satisfied customer and syndicate this over different platforms. As long as the content is interesting and well presented, the viewer will want to find out more make the effort to visit your website.
And don’t forget one of the most important parts of this process: at the end of every YouTube video or blog post, there must be a ‘call to action’ which links back to your main website. You can’t just leave people hanging, they need to know where to find you!
#2. Speak out to make yourself known
Becoming known through speaking at events is pretty much a sure-fire way to generate leads. Think about the industry events and publications which are part of your particular niche. Make yourself available to speak at those events and contact the journalists with your views on relevant topics. Being an online marketing company, I try to speak at WordPress events, for example, because it’s in my niche. I also look everywhere and anywhere I can get maximum exposure.
Speak your mind and others will follow.
Coming at your target market from a different angle can also be effective. For example,my niche is pretty crowded. So I use the opportunity to introduce clients from my second company, Melbourne Video Production to the online marketing company. If you have a second string to your bow, one business can often help boost your other business.
#3. Get referred by becoming the ‘go to’ guy
Finally, the most effective way to get leads is by referral. Although it’s sooo good, it does require hard work and take up a bit of your time. Begin by taking part in conferences and industry seminars. Talk to people and make them aware of what your business does. Make yourself available to help others, but don’t do this with immediate monetary gain in mind – otherwise, you’re just an out & out salesman – and we all know how people recoil at the car yard. People will realize you’re genuinely there to help so your reputation will grow. Satisfied customers will begin to recommend you to their friends and your circle of influence will increase.
Once you have this groundswell of interest in your products and services, your next step will be to convert that interest into the sale of your product, or the visitor signing up to your newsletter, or whatever the goal is for you. But none of this can happen if you don’t get those initial leads.
So here’s the gameplan.
Begin by creating great content (yeah, that’s not a technical term, but I think you know what I’m getting at) and strategically place this content on a variety of platforms across the web; trust me, you’ll start to see leads being generated sooner rather than later. Then make yourself known widely by speaking at events and build a solid reputation as helpful to those who are starting out.
Using these tried and true methods, over time you’ll attract so much interest in your business you’ll get more leads than you could have hoped for. If you need a hand creating your gameplan, contact my expert team at Melbourne SEO Services to organise a consult today!
