Learn How to Generate Leads Online

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever wondered how to generate leads online? There are many companies that use PPC ads, or pay for visitors to come on their website. This cost them a lot of money and certainly does not scale very well. You can do better. I will show you how to find your buyer personas, the questions they need answered, and how to offer value in exchange for contact details.

Generating leads online can be a challenging task, especially if you don’t know where to start. But the good news is that it isn’t difficult to get started with the right information. This article takes a look at some of the simplest ways that you can start generating leads for your business.

Online Lead Generation Techniques that Work

Like traditional lead generation, the new model is founded on demonstrating expertise and building trusting relationships — but these goals are accomplished online. While online marketing will continue to evolve, here are ten proven lead generation techniques that are working for professional services firms today.

1) Search Engine Optimization
Many potential clients want to learn how to solve the challenges they face. If a prospect is even remotely computer literate (and these days what executive doesn’t have a computer or a smart phone?) one of the first things they do is Google their question, problem or issue. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) gives you the tools to match qualified clients with your online content. And if you play your cards right, you’ll end up on their short list when they are looking to purchase services.

2) Pay Per Click Advertising
Another proven way to get on your prospects’ radar is to buy your way onto search engine results pages for relevant keywords. This technique gives you greater control over the keywords with which you want to be associated. As the name implies you only pay when someone clicks on your link. Many times, Pay-Per-Click (PPC) leads are of higher quality because the potential client is often searching for a specific solution. In addition, PPC is completely trackable and typically less expensive than traditional print advertising. That’s an attractive combination.

3) Lead Generating Website
Most professional services websites are not designed to generate leads. As a matter of fact many are almost “anti-lead generators.” Jargon-filled, firm-centric website abound in the professional services — and they are completely passive and unhelpful. If visitors do not understand what you do or what problems you can solve for them, they will go elsewhere. Contrast this with a lead generating website that is designed to make it easy for clients to understand your value proposition, download valuable information and request a proposal. The impact on online lead generation can be dramatic.

Download the Lead Generating Website Guide

4) Online Networking
I could have called this technique “social media,” but I wanted to make a point. The essence of social media is not which platform you choose. It’s the quality and reach of the networking you do. While the style of interaction may vary greatly from Twitter to LinkedIn to Facebook, it is still about making the right connections with the right people. Online networking can produce the reputation and referrals associated with traditional business networking. Expect to get results in proportion to the level of your investment of time and attention.

5) Webinars
A webinar is the online equivalent of a seminar or other educational event. The lead generating webinar is typically offered free of charge. Because it requires registration, you can collect basic information on a session’s attendees. Like its offline cousin, a webinar should be educational — not a thinly-veiled sales pitch. The key to a successful webinar is to select topics that are of great interest and value to your ideal target client. Over time, attendees come to trust your firm and will be likely to consider you when they have a relevant need.

6) Industry Research Reports
A proven online lead generating strategy is to offer executive summaries or full research reports on the industries you serve. You benefit in two ways. First, these documents are an excellent lead generator. Second, they boost your credibility and strengthen you online brand. Be sure your research topics are of exceptional interest to your target client group. In addition, these research studies can be an excellent vehicle for partnering with a trade association or a noncompeting firm to reduce your marketing cost and increase your credibility.

7) Online Marketing Videos
Video is everywhere today, and for good reason. It is an ideal marketing medium for professional services firms. Nothing builds credibility like a flagship client explaining how your firm solved their problem. It’s almost like automating the referral process. Video can be used to present your firm, explain complex services or introduce your team. In each of these roles, video can play an important lead generating and lead nurturing function.

8) White Papers or e-Books
One of the most common online lead generating techniques, white papers can establish credibility and generate qualified leads. You can offer the white paper on your website (either available free or behind a registration screen), or you can distribute it through third-party services. White papers also make great pay-per-click offers. A variation on the white paper is the e-book. Typically longer than a white paper, it serves a similar function. If you e-book goes into great depth on a subject, it can generate a great deal of buzz and establish your reputation.

9) E-newsletter
If your e-newsletter offers high-quality, educational content, you can generate a significant number of new leads when people sign up. And your e-newsletter is a great way to nurture the existing leads on your list. Many firms also use e-newsletters to announce new services and make specific offers. To build your subscriber list, offer a free e-newsletter subscription on your website or in your email signature block. Just remember, the better your content, the more people will read it and remember you — and the less likely it will be deemed spam.

Download the Lead Generating Website Guide

10) Blogging
I left blogging for last because of its unique role in online lead generation. To be honest, blogs don’t generate a lot of direct leads. But blogging is probably the most effective driver of leads to your website. Because a blog allows you to create a wide range of keyword-laden content that can be found in the search engines, it can draw a lot of qualified prospects to your website (this assumes that you host your blog on your website — which I strongly recommend). You can further promote your blog posts on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Without a blog, your SEO efforts will be handicapped.

These ten online lead generation techniques alone could become the cornerstone of a robust marketing plan. Add in traditional marketing tactics, such as face-to-face networking and tradeshow marketing (if appropriate), and you have a formidable strategy for building preference in the marketplace. Online marketing and traditional marketing make a powerful combination.

Generate leads for free: the value

Creating a steady stream of leads is essential for growth and profitability, but it can be expensive work. According to one analysis, the average Cost Per Lead (CPL) for B2B companies is $198. It may cost businesses nearly $200 to acquire someone who isn’t a paying customer yet.

If we take a closer look at this dollar amount, we’ll see the most common methods of types of lead generation costs:

Advertising costs
Media distribution and outreach costs
In-house labor or third-party agency costs
Incentive costs, like discounts, samples, and coupons
Contact list purchasing or renting costs (not recommended if you want high-quality leads)

So, is it really possible to have a free lead? A lead is simply someone who’s demonstrated an interest in your product or service. They may have visited your website, clicked a link in your email, or filled out a form at an event.

You can absolutely generate a cold, warm, or hot lead without breaking the bank on the above costs — we’ll explain how below.

Top strategies and tools to generate free leads

Whether you’re trying to lower your marketing costs or test a new sales approach, it’s hard to go wrong with these tools and tips to generate leads for free.

1. Send effective emails

Email is arguably the most popular channel for lead generation, and for good reason. Email produces an estimated $38 for every $1 spent, or a whopping 3,800% return on investment (ROI). It’s consumers’ preferred method of communication with businesses, making it ideal for introductions and follow-ups.

Here are some time-tested techniques for a better sales email:

Grab your reader’s attention: Research shows that a whopping 47% of all email recipients decide to open an email based on the subject line alone! Your first big move is creating a compelling subject line. Try a thought-provoking question, a surprising statistic, or anything that reminds the reader of a problem they are facing (that you can solve). Make the first few sentences of the email equally engaging, presenting gripping information about the problem or opportunity at hand.

Personalize your message: Your message should never sound generic, because personalized emails are 5.7 times more likely to produce revenue. Include your prospect’s name (in the subject line and/or in the opening lines of the email). You might also mention something about their role, needs or accomplishments (for example, “I loved your recent social media post…” or “Congratulations on your recent event.”)

Optimize the logistics: Consider the recipient, word length, and timing of your email. Do your research and address your email to the company’s decision-makers whenever possible. In some cases, a brief email can help get your foot in the door, but one study found that emails with about 300 words had much better response rates with shorter emails under 100 words. And don’t forget, you’ll have much better luck if you can time your email correctly, like after leadership changes, product launches, or new funding within the target company.

Add plenty of value: Make every email valuable so you don’t end up in spam. Include original materials, helpful resources, and tips that are catered to the prospect’s needs. You might say “I read your recent blog post, and thought of this article, which has a lot of insight on the same topic. I thought it might be helpful to you. Let me know what you think.”

Include a clear call-to-action: Make sure your link, button, phone number, etc. stands out – make it as easy as possible for your prospect to get in touch with you. Also, describe what the next steps are (for example, scheduling a demo, responding to the email, or placing a casual call).

For inspiration, check out Yesware’s handy list of 10 cold email formulas. You can start sending quickly with free email marketing tools like HubSpot, Omnisend, or Mailchimp. If you need to grow your email subscriber list, add an opt-in form as a pop-up on your most popular landing pages.

2. Track your website visitors

Consider this: The people who visit your website are likely interested in your product or service, so they definitely deserve a spot on your list of prospects. But if they leave before signing up or making a purchase, they remain anonymous forever.

There’s a better way. Site-tracking software like LeadLander helps you turn unknown visitors into qualified leads by giving you detailed contact information in real-time. It uses the IP addresses of web visitors to uncover details like company names, email addresses, phone numbers, and even LinkedIn profiles, letting you build a deep pool of potential leads. You can integrate it with your customer relationship management (CRM) software for easy lead scoring.

Take advantage of the LeadLander’s free 14-day trial to capture the leads already visiting your site.

3. Leverage social media

Many businesses think of social media as a brand-building tool, but it’s also a lead generator. This is due to the wealth of information social media users readily share, and the sheer number of users on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Here are some ways to attract new leads:

Host a live event featuring notable speakers, like a Q&A, Ask Me Anything, or Twitter chat.
Run polls or surveys that ask about a pain point or relevant topic.
Share gated content, like an e-book or infographic.
Try a giveaway or contest with a donated prize to increase your profile’s reach.

Use social media automation tools to schedule posts and earn leads on autopilot.

4. Optimize your blog content

As the heart of inbound marketing, blogging is an excellent source of free leads. In fact, leads who progress through the inbound process are some of the most qualified and engaged. It’s effective as long as you keep one keyword in mind: value.

With every piece — article, webinar, podcast, etc — you need to address your audience’s challenges. If they struggle with razor-thin margins, you could create a guide called “5 Proven Steps to Maximize Revenue.” Visit forums like Quora, Reddit, or AnswerThePublic for ideas, and most importantly, ensure the next step after reading is clear.

Finally, use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) best practices so that your content is visible in search engine results.

5. Utilize guest posts

Guest posts offer a powerful combination of impact, ease, and affordability for your lead generation efforts. Companies will often agree to an article exchange for a mutual readership boost.

Whether you request posts or submit them, they create instant brand exposure to a new audience. Each post helps you position yourself as an industry authority, either by featuring thought leaders or becoming one yourself. This is particularly important with B2B marketing, where personal relationships can be crucial to winning and keeping customers.

In one incredible example, Buffer co-founder Leo Widrich said he reached 100,000 customers by regularly guest blogging. Not only did this strategy stir up sales leads, but it quickly earned backlinks that boosted their website’s ranking and credibility.

6. Partner with an influencer

Influencer marketing is a textbook example of “social proof,” or the idea that consumers will adopt the opinions or actions of people they trust. It’s also a rapidly growing lead acquisition channel.

You can use the voice of a thought leader, expert, or influencer to bring your brand’s message to your audience, often in exchange for social media mentions or free samples or services.

One mistake businesses make is controlling the influencer’s voice or creativity, damaging the most valuable element — authenticity. Share clear guidelines for your brand and goals, then let them come up with content that fits their voice and style.

7. Increase customer referrals

People trust user reviews and word of mouth much more than outbound marketing tactics like cold calls or ads. So, one of the best ways to generate new business is to mobilize your existing customers.

Create a customer referral offer that’s compelling for both the referrer and the referee, like gift cards or discounts. To keep costs low, you can also unlock access to premium features or exclusive content. This could be the nudge your customers need to recommend you to their inner circle.

For an easier ask that still produces new leads, ask your customers and subscribers to refer their friends to your email list instead.

8. Be a helping hand

It’s our job to find the customers who could really use our products or services. Google search opens up a world of curious leads – people who are asking the right questions.

You can find people searching for answers related to your product or service on question-answer websites. Try poking around sites like:

Remember that these sites are not designed for direct selling; however, they are the perfect place to open lines of communication with potential leads.

Take the time to construct a thoughtful response to each pertinent question. This is your opportunity to build trust and familiarity with your business. It is important to add value to every post, and to be genuinely helpful.

As long as you are providing a thorough response, you can also add links back to your website. Install links to articles that build upon your answer.

In the meantime, you should also update your bio regularly with relevant offers and links to your content. The more thoughtful answers you provide, the more readers will take the time to peruse your bio.

9. Give the gift of creative content

Go above and beyond to establish yourself as an authority in your industry. Provide free content to your users such as videos, webinars or podcasts. You might consider original photography, printables, apps, eBooks or audiobooks.

Your content should:

Offer significant value to potential customers
Encourage viewers, readers and listeners to utilize your products and services

Keep in mind that your content should be about 90% helpful, 10% persuasive.

You might try to generate a how-to video, supportive webinar, or informative podcast. Once people use your free tools and buy into your authority, they are likely to become future customers.

10. Take Advantage Of LinkedIn’s Search Feature

With LinkedIn, finding new high-quality leads may only be a search away. You can use the platform’s search function to find undiscovered potential prospects that match your ideal customer profile.

You can start with a simple keyword that applies to the types of companies you’re targeting. Then, you can narrow down the field of results by company type or location. There are also several other ways you can zero in on potential prospects that are a perfect match for your company.

Once you’ve found a lead that appears to be worth pursuing, you can reach out directly on the platform. Or you can begin targeting the company through your other marketing channels to get them into your sales funnel.

11. Improve Your Landing Pages

When you think about generating free leads, you rarely think about improving the quality of your website. However, that could be exactly what you need to increase the rate at which you’re able to convert the traffic that comes to your site.

More specifically, improving the quality of your landing pages can have a huge impact on whether a site visitor becomes a lead. The most important thing to do is make sure that your landing page is highly relevant to the search term that a website user would input to reach it.

For example, if someone searches “what is a website analytics tool?” Then you need to make sure that you answer their search query in a clear, simple way.

It’s also important that your landing pages offer a simple way for a website visitor to take the next step and enter your sales funnel. Ensure that your landing pages have clean, simple forms for your visitors to fill out.

Consider some form of enticement to nudge them to complete the form. In the scenario used above, you could offer that enticement by providing an in-depth ebook on website analytics tools or a weekly newsletter discussing related topics.

12. Ask For More Online Reviews

Research has shown that up to 93% of internet users read online reviews before buying a product. That’s a huge percentage underscoring the importance online reviews play in the buying process.

You may be able to leverage this to generate more leads for your company. Doing so would require you to convince prior customers to leave a review about their experience with your products or services.

Consider some of the following methods:

Offer an incentive
Make it easy for customers to write reviews
Automate the ask, so you don’t have to do it yourself
Provide a template for reviews

If you’re able to generate more reviews, interested parties will take notice. And if you can get those potential customers to start visiting your website, then you can begin targeting as you would any other lead.

13. Cold calls and emails

Cold calling gets a bit of a bad reputation. However, it can still be an effective way to find new leads. The key to getting the most out of your cold calls is to provide value to prospects before pushing too hard to close a sale.

For example, influencer Gary Vaynerchuk proposed a strategy for cold sales outreach that he calls Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook. The idea behind this is that you need to consistently provide value (the jabs) before you earn the right to push the prospect for sale (right hook).

Strategies like these are effective because they emphasize creating connections with prospects. When you become a reliable source of value for somebody, they become much more likely to buy from you when you finally ask because they experience a sense of wanting to return the favor.

14. Optimize your website for SEO

One of the most common ways that companies pay to earn new leads is with PPC ads on Google. These campaigns can offer excellent returns. But you can also earn free leads through organic Google search results if your website ranks highly for strategic SEO terms.

That’s why it’s important to make sure that you’re regularly reevaluating your website to improve its SEO rankings. It’s also crucial to perform SEO research and target the right keywords to rank for searches made by the people or companies that are most likely to buy your product.

15. Use surveys

Marketing is a business process that sometimes feels shrouded in mystery. We spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about what our target customers care about, what they want, and how to interact with them.

But this doesn’t all have to be guesswork. You can use surveys to ask your target audience what they value most and how you can better serve their needs.

Use survey questions to improve your understanding of your audience. The information you get from the survey questions that you ask can be incredibly useful for optimizing the other free lead generation methods listed in this blog post.

For example, if you wanted to start producing more creative content for your customers to generate more free leads, you could run a survey before doing so.

You might ask your respondents what type of content would be most impactful for them, as well as the method of publication they enjoy interacting with the most. Doing this could make your content that much more targeted and effective, helping you generate leads.

16. Take advantage of Google My Business

Google My Business can be a compelling way to get local leads. If you’re unfamiliar with it, My Business is Google’s way for local companies to get discovered. It’s what pops up on the right-hand side of your search results whenever you look up the name of a local company.

You can do many things through My Business to help your company stand out from others in the area and attract more leads, including:

Giving a virtual tour
Sharing promotions and upcoming events through your Google+ page
Receiving in-depth analytics for how people are interacting with your page
Posting high-resolution images that show off your business

Google My Business is best for companies interested in attracting local leads. If that’s you, then it should be part of your free lead generation strategy.

17. Build backlink rapport

Backlinks play a crucial role in determining your website’s SEO rankings. They are essentially a vote of confidence from another website that says your site is an authority worth referencing on a particular topic.

That means getting more backlinks from other websites will typically help you move up in Google search rankings. One way to do this is to partner with companies in related industries and “trade backlinks.”

This is something that will be beneficial to both your company and theirs. So you shouldn’t have a hard time finding a partner who is receptive to the idea — as long as you share the same target audience.

18. Add or update an FAQ page to your website

Adding a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page to your website is another unconventional way to start getting more free leads. When you have a list of answers to many commonly-asked questions, it helps you keep leads on your site for longer. This reduces your bounce rate, which can mean Google will start ranking you higher in search results.

Plus, if you build a robust FAQ page, it can start ranking highly for a wide variety of standard search questions. So try to answer questions that are relevant not just to your company but also to a more general audience.

By doing so, you could make your website the first link that pops up when someone types a question into Google – a fantastic way to start getting more people to visit your site, which you might not have found through standard marketing channels.

19. Create relationships with the press

Have you ever heard the saying, “There’s no such thing as bad press?” It’s popular for a reason. When you get your business into the press, it’s an excellent source of free advertising. People read about your company and naturally want to check it out for themselves.

The best part is, it’s possible to get your business into the press. One of the best ways to do that is by writing press releases whenever you release something new or there are new company updates.

You can send the press releases that you create to various industry news sources. You hope that these news companies will share your new offering with the audience that they’ve already curated.

It can also be really helpful to make yourself available to the press for comments about industry matters. If you form a relationship with a reporter that way, it becomes much likelier that they help you out in the future.

20. Upsell current customers

Current customers are an often-ignored source for free leads. They’ve already demonstrated interest in what your company has to offer by paying for its services.

If you have an add-on service that you think would be useful, don’t neglect to pitch it to your existing customers. Doing so is completely free for you to do and could lead to an increase in the lifetime value of your clients.

21. Get yourself listed in online directories

Various organizations and agencies maintain online directories for different types of business services. Getting your companies listed (and maybe even featured) in these directories can be another excellent way to generate free leads.

Let’s say you run an accounting firm and locate an online directory for accounting companies in your area. Simply reaching out to whoever runs that directory and providing them with your information will likely get you included on the list. And that’s a new channel you can begin leveraging to find more leads without paying a dime.

22. Increase the size of your sales funnel

Another way to generate free leads is to focus on increasing the number of leads you catch in your sales funnel. You can do that by focusing on expanding the mouth of the funnel with practices you’re already using.

For example, don’t just write blog posts. End your posts with targeted calls-to-action and maybe even a sign-up form for people who want to learn more about your product.

Similarly, instead of focusing on incorporating a few key SEO terms in your web content, try expanding the number of key phrases you’re targeting. When you create a wider mouth for your sales funnel, you’ll naturally start catching more leads.

23. Improve your website’s design

Another way to generate more leads for your website is to improve its design. Data shows that 42% of people will leave a poorly designed website. That’s a significant chunk of potential leads that may never interact with your company if they don’t enjoy being on your website.

So if you haven’t already, now is a great time to make sure that your website isn’t costing you leads. You can do that by partnering with a designer who can help you make targeted improvements where they’ll have the greatest impact.

24. Pay closer attention to your web analytics

Part of generating more leads for free is understanding where the best opportunities for this are on your website. One of your landing pages might be getting a good amount of traffic but performing worse than others. If so, updating that landing page could help you convert a higher percentage of those visits into active leads.

The only way to accomplish this is by tracking your website analytics. If you’re consistently looking at the performance of your website over time, it becomes much easier to spot opportunities for improved lead generation when they present themselves.

25. Use a chatbot

If you’re not already using one, now could be the right time to add a chatbot to your website. These can help you generate free leads by improving your web visitors’ online experience.

When you have a chatbot, a website visitor can get the information they want 24-hours per day, seven days per week. And they can get that information without tying up your staff’s time.

This can help you generate free leads by getting customers to stick around your website for longer. When you give web visitors a positive browsing experience, they’re likelier to return to you in the future.

26. Host real-world events

The majority of work to attract leads happens online nowadays. There’s a good reason for that. 81% of customers browse online before making a purchasing decision. So you have to dedicate a significant amount of time and energy to tracking down leads on the internet.

But that doesn’t mean you should ignore lead-generation opportunities that occur in person. Hosting events in the real world can be a fantastic way to meet new leads in your area and get their information. You can host things like networking events, workshops, and informational sessions.

The key is to lead an event that your target audience will find valuable. You do that by allowing them to advance their career through either networking or learning a new skill.

Then, when people come to your event, you ask them for their information so that you can send them more helpful tips in the future. That’s how to bridge the gap between your online and in-person leads.

Generating leads for free in 2022

All of the 22 methods above are tested and proven to produce new leads for free, but the best techniques change quickly. As consumer technology and preferences continue to evolve, what are some of the up-and-coming ways to generate leads for free?

Maximize your business listing: In 2022, there are plenty of places you can list your business for free to help prospects find you. Create or claim listings on Bing Places, Google Business Profile, Yelp, Apple Maps, TripAdvisor, and Yahoo. Of course, don’t forget your social media outlets, with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn being four of the most important. These are also some of the best places to accumulate glowing online reviews, which are still critical in 2022.
Host webinars: We’ve mentioned webinars throughout the article, but this relatively new sales technique will continue to grow in 2022. The right webinar will help you reach a large audience for a small cost. You can provide real value, thus building a relationship with prospects, while also placing calls-to-action throughout the webinar to boost sales. Some of the best tools include Livestorm, Demio, or Zoho, and provide free trials.
Offer fremiums: Freemiums, aka a free trial period or another temporary free offering, is one of the best lead generation strategies for 2022. Successful businesses like WordStream, Grammarly, and Hulu all provide free trials to let their leads get acquainted with their products. Worried you won’t see any conversions from freemiums? Actually, one study suggested companies that utilize free trials see an average of a 66% conversion, and with more businesses offering them, many consumers now have the expectation of a freemium. If a freemium costs your business too much time and money, consider coupons, discounts or other methods to attract leads.

CONCLUSION

You can be building relationships with thousands of targeted prospects, but unless you set up a lead generation funnel, you’ll be lucky if you even get a small percentage of the visitors sharing their information with you.You can be building relationships with thousands of targeted prospects, but unless you set up a lead generation funnel, you’ll be lucky if you even get a small percentage of the visitors sharing their information with you.

One of the first major hurdles being a marketer faces is figuring out how to generate sales leads. Sales leads are the way in which companies attract potential customers to their websites. If you’re looking to make money online, sales leads are one of the most important aspects of your marketing.