Generating leads is the most important part of any business. The ability to market an organization’s services to the right target demographics in a successful way is a skill that takes a lot of time to master. Lead generation makes or breaks a company – making it especially integral at the onset of an entity’s operations. Lead generation is among the top marketing priority for marketers. [1].
Leveraging business activities
Leads qualify based on the interest of potential costumers [2]. For example, a marketing-qualified lead of a contact expresses interest but the client is not yet ready to discuss sales. A sales-qualified lead inquires about the business’ product or service ready to buy. While a product or service-qualified lead defines a returning costumer to engage again in the business’ service or product. Finding and developing these leads require a good marketing and communication strategy that successfully leverages a business’ activities [3].
This means identifying what makes the business different from its competitors and emphasizing how their products and services are the superior option. However, markets have become more competitive and consumers more aware of their choices than ever. As such, purpose-led organizations that seek to improve their communities and promote change are favoured by a majority of consumers [4, 5]. For example, a company with a sustainable business model creating environmental and social benefits on top of its products and services sets itself apart from competition [6].
Generating Leads
Building leads require investing time in a marketing strategy that highlights the business’ strengths and direction the organization wants to go. This includes to identify the client journey, the target audience and their key concerns while creating content relevant tailored to their public. This means actively building an online presence through relevant content by publishing articles on blogs, engaging in social media while creating content for leads – [1-3]. The organisation becomes a thought leader in its domain.
When carrying out engagement activities, having a Call to Action (CTA) is especially important. A CTA is a prompt for leads to get into contact or purchase a good or service and helps building the company’s customer base. Cultivating leads and providing good service pre, peri and post sales ensures word-of-mouth promotion and create a positive brand image that emphasises a business and generates more leads [1-3]. How are you generating leads and grow your business?
Key Takeaways:
- Lead generation can be a long and complex process that requires a good marketing and communications strategy as well as time [1-3]; and
- Sustainable business models considering environmental and social benefits rather than only profit allowing shared-value to all stakeholders including existing and new costumers [6].
- Insightful content allows the organisation to emphasis on its thought leadership.
References
[1] HubSpot State of Marketing 2021
[2] Lindsay Kolowich Cox, 2021 “Lead Generation: A Beginner’s Guide to Generating Business Leads the Inbound Way”, Hubspot.
[3] Robyn Kyberd, 2020, “The Ultimate Guide to Lead Generation for Sustainable Business Growth”, Medium.
[4] Deloitte, 2021 “The Deloitte Global 2021 Millennial and Gen Z Survey”, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.
[5] Southern Cross University, 2019, “Going Green”, Southern Cross University.
[6] Vincent Diringer, 2022, “The Importance of Sustainable Business Models”, LEAD-WiSE.