Every business owner wants more inbound leads. The question is, of course, how to get more of them (with the least amount of cost and effort). In this post, the first in an ongoing series, I’ll share some initial tips for ramping up your lead generation efforts.
What is an “Inbound Lead”?
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s establish a common understanding of the word “lead.” If you’re an Insightly user, you may have noticed that the software actually differentiates between leads, opportunities, and contacts. Lead records can become opportunities and contacts, but not all opportunities and contacts originate from lead records. Likewise, not all leads will convert to opportunities (or contacts).
Being even more specific, an “inbound lead” is one that requests information (usually via your website or other online properties) without outbound solicitation by your company. Inbound leads typically submit web forms, but they could also call, email, or interact via social media.
This all may seem a little confusing to CRM newbies, so allow me to provide a very simple example:
Inbound Lead: A person you’ve never spoken to visits your website and fills out a form. A new lead record is automatically created in Insightly CRM. You call the person back to learn more about his needs. After a brief discussion, it is clear that he needs your professional assistance. You both agree to chat again next week.
Opportunity: After hanging up the phone, you open the lead record in your CRM. You click on the convert button, which prompts you to input the name for your new opportunity record. Now that you’ve established a potential customer need, you’ll track this deal as an opportunity. (The original lead record now shows as “closed-converted.”)
Contact: Don’t forget the other half of the equation! For any potential deal, there’s usually at least one person with whom you must engage. During the conversion process, Insightly creates a new contact record based on the lead’s name. Going forward, anything relating to this person should be captured on this record.
As you generate more quality inbound leads, it stands to reason that opportunities and contacts will follow. The ultimate goal is to convert opportunities to revenue and contacts to clients.
So, how do you generate more quality leads? Try thinking like one.
Think Like a Lead
For a moment, put yourself in the shoes of a prospective customer. This can be difficult, especially considering the intricate knowledge of your own business. Start by asking yourself these basic questions:
- What problems are prospective customers trying to solve?
- Do prospects typically find my company via search engines, social media, online review sites, or traditional media?
- What message does my current website portray?
- Does my online footprint create doubt or reinforce a positive image?
- Is it clear what prospects should do once on my website?
- What information do buyers need in order to shorten the buying cycle?
These are not always easy questions to consider. In fact, after careful review, you may determine that your branding needs a facelift. Generating inbound leads is contingent on your ability to build trust with minimal face-to-face salesmanship. A poorly constructed website, negative online reviews, and a sloppy social media presence do not communicate trust. Spend time on the basics before going much further.
What Can You Offer Leads Today?
Once you have a solid marketing foundation, it’s time to move on to an important question: what can you offer leads today?
Remember, an inbound lead’s first interaction with your company will most likely be via a web form. If you only have a generic “Contact Us” form on your website, you may not be speaking to the complex needs of your customers. Perhaps some customers would prefer to schedule a demo of your service. Others may appreciate the option to live chat. Still others may be looking for a price quote.
Try to think of a few simple “calls to action” that you can offer leads. Again, try to imagine yourself as a consumer of your company’s products or services. One or more of these may resonate well with your audience:
- Request a quote
- Request a call
- Book a demo
- Ask a question
- Chat now
Look for quick victories that provide value, yet are not overly difficult for your marketing team to implement as landing pages. (In a later post, we’ll discuss more complex calls to action.)
Next Step: Defining Your Inbound Lead Roadmap
You’ve gone through some fundamental, yet important steps. Now it’s time to really crank up the lead flow. Much like any other activity, you must be strategic and develop a plan.
In my next post, I’ll share suggestions for building a rock-solid plan. Stay tuned!
At Insightly, we offer a CRM used by small and mid-sized businesses from a variety of verticals. Learn about Insightly’s features and plans on our pricing page or sign up for a free trial.
Matt Keener is a marketing consultant and President of Keener Marketing Solutions, LLC. Matt specializes in content marketing and strategic planning, having helped numerous Saas (software as a service) companies and other small businesses worldwide. Read more of Matt’s work, check out his book, or connect with him on Linkedin.
