There is no denying that 2020 has been a tough year … COVID-19 made almost every business re-evaluate their offerings and processes in one way or another.
Though, no matter how bleak things may seem, there are still ways to focus on business growth.
If you’re concerned about budgets and resources – don’t be. There are ways in which you can continue to work towards your growth objectives cost-effectively.
Lead generation services are a popular solution.
Many businesses opt for lead generation services because they:
i)Â Â Â Deliver quick results as they provide qualified leads to your sales team and let them focus on closing more business.
ii)Â Â Are cost-effective, as you don’t need to hire more staff or train them. Experienced professionals at an agency can do the job quicker, more effectively and at a lesser cost.
iii)Â Â Provide data and information that can be useful for your business both in the short- and long-run.
iv)Â Â Are coupled with advice and new ideas that help you strengthen your current sales processes.
While outsourcing lead generation activities can do wonders, you have to be careful as to how you go about it.
This is because different agencies generate leads differently.
For instance, some companies have a blanket approach while others offer a more focused approach. While a generic, blanket approach, may work for some companies, it is better to opt for solutions that are customizable according to your requirements and personalized according to your target audience to remove any possibility of spamming.
Similarly, another consideration is whether you’re looking for B2C or B2B leads. Opting for a partner that understands your industry and audience is critical to generating a list of strong, relevant leads.
Another thing to be cautious about is that you may see some companies offering hundreds of leads for a seemingly low price. The problem with these pre-generated lists is that they’re usually outdated, are not properly targeted, and most likely don’t match your buyer persona. While the price may seem tempting, the results may not be what you want.
So, some of the important things to keep in perspective, when opting for a lead generation agency are:
- Which tools and techniques do they use?
- How do they reach out to potential clients?
- How do they track their campaigns?
- Do they offer complementary services? Such as content creation and social media selling?
If you opt for an agency partner that offers complementary services, you can get more bang for your buck. For instance, you can get support with content creation (like whitepapers, e-books, etc.), events (which would be webinars and online events for now), pay-per-click campaigns, and leveraging your social channels more effectively.
LinkedIn, for instance, is a great solution for social media selling and targeted lead generation, for companies in the B2B space, in particular.
LinkedIn features such as Pulse blogs and Groups allow you to engage with your audience in a way that presents value, establishes thought authority, and leads to more connection and consequently, conversions.
The key is to move beyond InMail and build brand recognition. Once you develop connections and people know about your brand, you can begin prospecting and effectively converting leads.
At Pulsion, we help you strengthen your lead generation efforts through inbound marketing, email marketing, and an enhanced LinkedIn program. Reach out to us today to speak to a marketing consultant and learn more about these solutions!
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