It’s wrong to assume you need a substantial marketing budget to generate qualified leads. Some of the best lead generation strategies are the least expensive. These simple, low-cost marketing solutions are easy to implement and just as easy to manage.
Coming up with this list was fairly simple.
There are probably several other zero-cost strategies that aren’t on this list. However, this should be enough to get you guys thinking about some conventional and non-conventional ways of generating business opportunities.
In terms of the attached video, you’ll notice that it’s rather difficult to get all 15 of these lead-generation strategies down in just 10 minutes, but it seems like it worked. Here is that list.
1. Your Website’s Content: Don’t just rely on text. The written word alone won’t get it done. Make sure you include images, videos, infographics, tables, charts, and anything else you feel will help convey your message.
Nobody wants to read one long page of text just to have to wait until the fourth or fifth paragraph before they find what they’re looking for. People don’t have the patience for that anymore.
2. Pay-Per-Click Advertising: Yes, this costs money. However, it costs more when you make mistakes. Using an online campaign makes sense if you’re not going for the least expensive keyword.
This is a common mistake, and it does nothing other than drive unqualified leads right to your website. Also, you’ll quickly consume your budget if you opt for the cheapest keyword.
3. Webcasts: This is a great way to reach your target audience. It demonstrates your ability to solve complex problems while helping to position you as a market leader. You can also have a question and-answer session spread out within the webcast so that you’re constantly engaging your audience.
4. Free Downloads: Offering customers a business whitepaper, online discount, or e-book is a great way to get their contact details. It also makes contacting your prospects much easier as it’s more of a warm call as opposed to a cold call. In this case, these individuals have expressed an interest in receiving the freebie, and won’t be difficult when you first reach out to them.
5. Email Marketing, Newsletters, and Public Relations: Your email marketing campaigns are a great way to generate opportunities. However, don’t make the common mistake of mass-mailing everybody and anybody. Instead, use a focused approach to putting your email marketing campaigns together.
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6. YouTube: It costs nothing to make a YouTube video. However, what you say and do in the video can’t be indexed by Google or any other search engine.
This is why is critical that you include a 300 to 400-word description of what your video is about in the description field. Also, if you’re producing your content, YouTube allows you to link directly back to your website by putting links within the video.
7. Market Online Forums: This is different from social media. In this case, every single market or industry has an online association. This is where the industry’s professionals get together online and discuss ideas, strategies, and approaches.
8. Twitter: I don’t partake in Twitter as much as I should. However, it’s an ideal way to make contacts. Start by taking part in chats with specific groups.
9. LinkedIn for B2B – Facebook for B2C: Define a social media website that caters to your audience and becomes an active participant within the discussion groups. This is an ideal way to reach out to potential customers. It becomes a soft-sell approach where your customers don’t feel overwhelmed or pushed. Instead, you’re offering a solution; sometimes, that's all that’s needed for them to reach out to you and inquire.
10. Partnerships: Cross-promote products among your vendors, customers, and partners. You can write content for their website based on how their products and services help your company or have them ask you to do the same. Building a network of contacts is ideal in this case because it helps get your name out into your market.
11. Generate Free Content: Write content for other blogs. Become a guest writer or guest blogger. Follow up your webcast or podcast with an article that’s included on the host's website.
12. Blogs: Blogging isn’t just about showcasing your family photos. It isn’t simply a daily diary. It’s about conveying a message and generating focused content that appeals directly to your audience. You can send new posts out to new prospects along with your email marketing campaigns.
13. Radio: Nope, this isn’t a joke. The internet is huge, and sometimes focusing on your local market is best. It lets you showcase your abilities and speak directly to your closest market.
14. Industry-Trade Publications: I did an entire post and video about how to use industry-trade publications as an online and offline lead generator.
Every industry has a trade publication. You can offer to write a free article, and they’ll include a byline with a link to your website and will also allow you to promote a new product or service.
15. Product or Service Relaunch: Remember, leads don’t have to be new prospects. Leads can be new business opportunities or new sales opportunities. Use a product relaunch or reminder as a cross-selling and or up-selling strategy. Use this with existing customers and those dormant accounts you haven’t heard from in a while.
This list could go on and on. Ultimately, it’s meant to get you guys thinking of inexpensive ways to generate leads. If you look online, there are thousands of articles about different strategies that can be used to increase business opportunities. Not all of them require you to spend money you don’t have.
Think outside the box and use these 15 lead-generation strategies in conjunction with your own.