No matter which business you run, it will teach you how to:
We’ll walk you through different lead generation methods, help you choose the one that works best for your business, and show you how to build up an excellent lead generation system.
So, let’s begin.
Think of lead generation as building blocks. In our case, there are three of them:
Hack it together - your first attempt in lead generation won't be perfect. Think of it as running a quick test to determine what will work.
Build it into a process - determine what works and what doesn't, based on data from the previous step.
Automation and outsourcing - at the beginning, default for automation. If you can't automate your lead generation process, outsource it and get people to do it for you.
Using this method in the following videos, we'll show you how to generate leads predictably for your business.
This step is all about creating a proof of concept. Test and see what works for your business. Pick a method you think might work for your lead generation, hack it together, and give it a try!
The second step is taking what you did in the previous one and building a strategy on top of it. Before you start, ask yourself the following questions:
The final step is all about building a process in place of tiresome daily tasks.
There are two ways of doing it: automation or outsourcing. In some cases, such as cold calling, automation simply won't work. That's where outsourcing comes into play.
The recipe for SEO success is always the same: providing high-quality content and answering people's questions. Some tactics might change, but this is the part that never will. Focus on posting good content for three months and creating four quality pieces, including:
Make your production value as high as possible. If you're a writer, designer, or some other creative professional - lean into it. Put in your best effort to make it extraordinary with the skills that you already have.
Finally, to reach SEO success, avoid being too promotional. You can and should mention your product/service/tool, but don't go overboard. Be a teacher, not a salesperson - your content should aim to educate, not sell.
There are lots of reasons why writing books is an excellent idea, including:
The actual writing part is easy if you know your subject matter. Start with the title and work backward instead of trying to come up with the content and then create a title. Once you have the subtitles and structure, work on filling in the gaps. Follow this method and you'll never have writer's block. Ultimately, the few dollars spent on printing the book are a great investment considering the leads it will bring in.
Public speaking provides a great return on investment in terms of time spent on it. You can reach more people at a time and the status you get as a speaker is unparalleled.
The first thing to do is to find events and conferences where you can speak. Approach them, but not with "I want to speak at your event" - everyone else will do that. You want to approach them with "I would like to deliver (this talk) or (this talk) to your audience".
Once you get that "yes", focus on figuring out how to stand out from other speakers. You want people to remember you and what you said and take the next step - get in touch.
The first step in your social media lead generation is to pick your levels. If you're already spending a lot of time on work and you're also spending lots of time on social media, something's bound to collapse. That isn't always worth it, especially compared to the methods mentioned earlier.
If you do decide to go this route, there are some things you should set up first. For example, on Facebook, optimize your business profile and stop using your personal profile for business purposes altogether. The same applies to all other platforms; they should be nice and optimized.
No matter which platforms you use, make sure you enjoy posting on them. It should feel natural for you and fit in with the kind of content you create and the business you run.
The first thing is to come up with a very simple offer. If you're selling something big, try to come up with something smaller first. For example, if you create websites, don't cold call people and offer them websites. Offer to set them up analytics instead - most people don't know how to do this well.
Try and come up with a list of 20-30 people you can call and ask to speak to the decision-makers. Find the weak spots in their business and see if they're open to hearing a solution.
Once you've done that and had a handful of good conversations, move on. Now is a good time to start looking at your numbers. Work out if you can automate your script and outsource the cold calling. If the numbers stack up, this makes a lot of financial sense, even if the service is not cheap.
Your main aim should be to get rid of cold calling. That's why your main objective should be to outsource that job. However, the calls need to start with you before you outsource them. Use your knowledge as an advantage. While doing it, make some notes and reach out to an agency you can delegate the job to.
Putting a proper list together is the most labor-intensive part of cold emailing. Luckily, it can be easily outsourced.
To take things to the next level, you can get many tools to do the emailing for you. For example, Gmail has a limit of 500 people per day. If you can't get results with 500 emails per day, something is wrong with your messages or target audience.
Keep it nice and short, readable and easy to say yes to - that's all it takes.
The main benefit of webinars is that they are super versatile. Once you have the framework, it is easy to make the most out of them. If you�re new to webinars, the best way to start is to record them alongside writing books and public speaking. All of these follow the same structure, even though they are in different formats.
When it comes to putting webinars together, try to be a teacher and not focus on selling stuff. If it's a natural fit and a good offer, people will buy it anyway. Another piece of advice is to get your sales pitch out of the way at the very beginning. This is a nicer way of doing it, and it's how we do all our webinars.
One last point - if you are going to deliver a recorded webinar, don't try and pass it off as a live one. It's obvious and a silly thing to lie about.
There are quite a few different ways to go about it. For example, you could get involved in Facebook and LinkedIn groups in your industry. But even joining the groups is something that you can do the wrong way and the right way. For example, you don't want to be the person that joins and immediately starts spamming with offers. Instead, you want to be present and helpful, but have strong opinions at the same time - it's a balance.
That said, don't try engaging with 50 groups at once. Try and pick five or six and focus on them until you've established your presence.
Facebook networking groups are a bit more personal than LinkedIn, but LinkedIn is a pretty good place to start, too.
The main thing with video is consistency. Whether you want to record a video per day, week, or month - be consistent.
You don't have to record constantly either - you can create a batch of videos in a single sitting and post them one by one later. Your aim is to be active in posting, not recording.
You can even group your content and deliver the same one on different platforms. Take your video, transcribe it, and voila - you've got an article.
When it comes to in-person networking, you should treat the people you network with as your new friends. They will advise you and provide you with connections. You don't sell to them. Instead, your goal should be to become the go-to person for them.
After a few months of taking part in networking groups, you'll know most people and their companies. More importantly, you'll be able to provide them with help or services.
Instead of looking at it like a vulture and trying to sell in networking groups, think of it this way. When these people go to other groups, move companies, or start new businesses, they will always have you as a point of contact for your services.
In the end, there are no direct benefits of networking for generating leads. However, it keeps your brain active, and it will benefit you in the long run.
Think about the reasons people refer to others. The main one is the fact that you can solve problems and offer a good service. Therefore, the primary reason is rarely money. If you provide money for referrals, consider stopping that practice. It makes the referral feel less genuine and authentic. It creates friction when there is no need for friction at all.
The secret to getting successful referrals is asking for them and making it easy. Like with most things, if it's an easy yes, people will do it.
The best time to ask for a referral is when you've done a great job for someone. Also, keep it in mind to ask on two occasions: when someone pays you for a job and when you solve someone's problem. Don't be afraid to ask a few times. That way, they will keep you in mind and start thinking of other people you could help out.
The first thing you should do is to distinguish between a partner and a customer. While both will help you get new business, a partner doesn't necessarily have to be a customer as well. They just need to have a contact list or a set of clients that could buy the things you're both selling.
For successful partnerships, make sure to have a contract. Besides protecting both sides, it will also make the deal feel more official. Consider getting some physical brochures done for the same purpose as well. It's the perfect way to make people feel like they're buying into a big thing.
In the end, it's all about partnering with people that have a similar customer base, but sell different products. That way, the partnership will be mutually beneficial without creating unnecessary competition. Stay loyal to your partners and they will return the favor.