Despite what the “Lead Generation: 101” guides claim on the internet, lead generation is challenging. Research shows that almost 63% of companies struggle with quality lead generation. Companies that don’t focus on lead generation not only fail to achieve their digital marketing targets but also fall behind their competitors. And a large part of why organizations fail to focus on lead generation is an acute lack of knowledge about how it works. When every other organization focuses on lead generation, it is normal for you to ask how lead generation services really work? And while the service package offered by each service provider differs from the other, here’s a breakdown of what most companies offer their clients.
- Database Marketing: Any agency that offers lead generation service should have a massive database containing business and personal information. Since the primary goal of lead generation service is to expand your reach, database marketing makes up a core part of a lead generation service. This allows lead generation companies to target and personalize marketing campaigns in ways that in-house marketing teams cannot. Lead generation services that use database marketing to the fullest can determine which leads have buying intent and which don’t. Since most of this data is generated from various sources like social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and list acquisition, lead generation service providers are on-point and can identify quality leads.
- Content Syndication: Database marketing does all the targeting, but you still need the leads to convert into first-time and repeat customers. But how does this happen? A standard lead generation service includes content syndication, which means pushing your content into other channels and mediums to increase brand awareness and drive traffic to your site. In a traditional sense, lead generation service providers take blogs and content that has been published on your website and post them on a website similar to yours. By partnering with other blogs and swapping content, lead generation service providers can drive traffic back to your website. Lead generation services also depend on e-mails to spread your content over their massive network. And the reason why most lead generation services focus on e-mails to distribute your content is due to its sheer effectiveness. The 2020 Chief Marketer B2B Marketing Outlook Survey shows that email marketing produces the most B2B leads, which amounts to 50% of the total leads generated by an organization.
- Telemarketing: Despite the bad reputation telemarketing has gathered over the years, it is viewed differently in a B2B scene. Lead generation services use firmographic data to find and target better-quality leads. And while most people think that Telemarketing is annoying, recent studies have shown that out of 200 managers, only 4% found sales calls during work annoying compared to the 35% who found it annoying outside the work setting. In a work setting, businesses expect sales calls and try to use sales calls as an opportunity to introduce a new product, concept, or idea. Lead generation services depend on Telemarketing to set up a quality lead generation that involves both parties. And while the goal of telemarketing campaigns can vary, the most crucial goal is to set up a dialogue between the sales or marketing teams. Doing so allows businesses to discuss their goals and come to a profitable conclusion.
- Lead nurturing: Content Syndication and Telemarketing are our outbound lead generations strategies, but those are not the only options available for lead generation services. The best lead generation service providers offer a lead nurturing service to try and improve the quality of your existing leads instead of acquiring new leads. While the details of the program differ from agency to agency, if you find an agency that offers lead nurturing within their lead generation service package, try and learn more about it. Some businesses use lead nurturing to sell to their clients, while others use it for internal lead generation. Despite the reason for lead nurturing, any company that offers this service should be on the top of your list. In most cases, lead nurturing programs will help you get more and better-quality leads than outbound lead generation strategies.
Whether you are targeting outbound leads and want to increase your organization’s reach or are trying to keep hold of leads you already own, lead generation service is crucial if you want to improve your organic rankings. And despite what a few experts on the internet are quick to tell you, lead generation takes time and effort. It needs a dedicated team of experts who know what they are doing. But it’s worth the effort. Lead generation can help you significantly boost your organic rankings and get better and quality conversions for your business.
