13 Steps To Ramping Up Your Lead Generation

I’m launching a new web site and have been thinking about all the different options I can use to capture leads and new customers. I have to admit that it’s a little overwhelming. There are so many options and I can’t see to decide on which one will be best for me.

Maybe you’re in the same position or maybe… you’ve seen a decline in registrations and sign-ups for your existing lead capture tool and are looking for something new and fresh to try.

As you might expect, there is some data on these these things – I’ve put together a list of lead magnets that provide the most value for site visitors.

1. The Downloadable Kit. If you already have access to ebooks, recordings and presentations on a single topic, why not provide it as a kit? This lead generation tool rated the highest in value for people and you can imagine why. Who wouldn’t love to get a complete set of files to review on starting an online business or building your social media marketing strategy?

2. EBook. If you already have a blog, consider compiling posts and creating an ebook. The biggest obstacle for most people is the editing or writing component of this download. Don’t let that stop you. Head online to oDesk, eLance or Guru and find someone to help you. There are thousands of ebook writers out there who can.

3. White paper or Report. This is an ideal download if you are in a technical or industrial discipline and have access to data that others don’t. Take research you’ve done and literally write a report on it. One warning to the analytical techies in the group – please avoid using technical jargon. People don’t want to spend hours reading this, they want to learn something. Write using a friendly conversational, but professional tone and use the data to teach your prospects how to become your customers.

4. Video. Videos are a fantastic way to demonstrate and teach customers how to use your product or service and benefit from it. Video testimonials are great too, but don’t let those overwhelm the informative and teaching purpose of your lead generation download.

5. Ecourse. This is just a fancy way of saying “autoresponder” but it sounds like it has so much more value, doesn’t it? This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to convert prospects to customers. Don’t make the mistake of using every email to sell something. Use every email to teach them how to buy what you are selling and how to become a smarter consumer. Then show them how you compare and why they should choose you. Of course that doesn’t mean you ignore calls to action or opportunities to buy – just don’t oversell in the email because they will bail out on you.

6. FREE samples. FREE trials and samples are terrific especially if what you’re selling is a little on the pricey side. I find that to be true with information products. I’m always wondering if what they will give me will be worth it. So many times it looks valuable, but doesn’t deliver. Give your customers a fair and clear representation of what you deliver.

7. Discount coupons. This is one of those areas where you can use creative ways to deliver the download. Consider using QR Codes or Video Coupons. All you need to do is create the form and have the follow-up email contain the coupon or message.

8. Free consultation/Free assessment. A lot of consultants offer a free consultation or assessment. It’s an easy way to see if the relationship will be a good one. Instead of just offering it as a statement on your site, create a form for it and send them dates and times when you are available. The key to success with this one is to respond to their request as close to the time that they make it. Research shows that if you respond to a request within five minutes, you will get the appointment.

9. Webinars/Teleseminars. Offering webinars or teleseminars is a wonderful way to generate new leads. In fact, if you do a general information webinar. You don’t even have to be there. Check out StealthSeminar. It’s a service that allows you to create the impression that a webinar is real and even lets you answer questions. It’s an amazing time saver and lead generator for people who have introductory information that everyone sees.

10. Fan Cooperative. This is a stealth strategy the most successful web sites use. They create a community of fans that promote the brand. Create a Facebook group and enlist the help of friends and colleagues. Then post links and promotions that you want tweeted and promoted out to the list. One trick is to PRE-write the tweet and provide a pre-shrunk link to make it easy.

11. Email Tips. My tips are ridiculously popular. People love them because they show up every four days and are only about two sentences long so that you can read them on your smart phone. Tips are also actionable and easy to do and this makes them a welcome addition to your reader’s day.

12. Online chat. This is somewhat new to smaller sites. Now you can offer an online chat feature. There are plugins that you can use for your site that make it possible for people to ask you questions while they are looking at your site. People love this and it is a magical sales converter. Just be sure that you are online and can be there when people want you.

13. Templates. There is something magical about templates that give people a head start on a challenge that they are having. Not only that, but creating a landing page for templates that visitors can have access to is a real search engine draw.

While I’m all about not changing something that’s working well, I can’t imagine that you wouldn’t want to re-evaluate your lead generating tools to see if there is something out there that might convert better.

If you have a decent mailing list, just ask them. Use any of the online survey tools like QuestionPro or Survey Monkey to find out what your existing list likes, what they don’t and they would have liked. Then put those changes into place.