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Lead Generation – 6 proven techniques for quality lead generation

I’m over whelmed with lots of emails and phone calls since I wrote about Lead Generation last month. The most common or may be the only question that I am still being asked over and over again is to suggest some effective techniques to generate quality leads. I can understand that a serious business owner is mainly concerned in figuring out proven techniques of regular lead generation. Before I go further with detailing and suggesting the lead generation techniques, I assume that you have done some of the homework first that includes writing up profile of your target vista, listing up sources leading to potential leads and documenting the approach to reach your sales prospects.
So you’re ready to head up adopting proven techniques to lead generation? Okay, I am going to outline some of the tactics that I personally experienced and found all of them generating remarkable results. Depending upon business policy, budget and viability, you can advance with all of them or just a few to start with generating new quality leads for your business.

Matching Domain Referrals

I take this as most effective technique for quality lead generation. Effectiveness of complimentary business referral may vary depending on the industry you’re operating in. However, the specialty of same domain referrals is quality lead generation especially for companies that do business to business sales. This technique of lead generation requires a cooperative and polite nature of business operators. You establish good relationships with the sales resources of companies that somehow do business similar to yours. For example, a company engaged in printing and supplying office stationary may be helpful for a website design or SEO company. Similarly, post men of a courier company can be helpful for variety of businesses like office furniture suppliers, recognition event organizers, building maintenance contractors, interior decorators etc… Such sales reps approach variety of businesses and prospects and can work as your affiliates or you can compensate them with exchanging leads.

Conventional Marketing & Advertising

Works well if done effectively. Advertising in magazines, newspapers, leaflets, billboards, television, radio and banners is one of the conventional but result oriented lead generation techniques. Budget depends on the industry you’re in and the media you chose to advertise for quality lead generation. I practiced this lead generation technique only for 2 customers in my whole sales and lead generation experience. So may not be able to advise the most cost efficient and best practices to adopt this advertising prospect. So one should completely research well and consult with a trusted advertizing agency before putting helluva of money into conventional lead generation techniques.

Telemarketing/Cold Calling

One of the disliked techniques by majority of people but does really well in generating quality leads on regular basis. I noticed most of the companies don’t feel comfortable adopting telemarketing as a possible way to generate quality sales leads. However, a planned and continuous execution of a cold calling campaign can generate exceptional amount of continuous sales leads. Another discouraging factor to adopt telemarketing is problem of hiring dedicated and additional staff equipped with complete product training and skill of telemarketing. Telemarketing sometimes can lead to more than expected financial overhead for overall lead generation. But can be balanced if outsourced on commission basis. Tons of companies in countries with low economies specialize in lead generation and operate in the same capacity like Philippines, Pakistan or India. Just Google for “Call Center Services” and see huge list of companies around the globe ready to assist you for quality lead generation.

Search Engine/Internet Marketing

One of the most cost effective, quick and controlled technique for targeted lead generation. Works well for both starting and established businesses or even working at home professionals having online presence with a well designed website. You chose your best keywords and create ads to be posted on search engine search results and referral sites to drive focused but quality traffic to your website. I explained this technique of lead generation in depth detail at “Secrets of Successful Pay Per Click (PPC) Marketing” and Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

Email Marketing

Spam??? No!!! I like sales letters through emails and found it as one of the cheapest method generating quality leads. Email or direct mail marketing is tricky to use. Several companies specialize in this field to blast out your sales pitch to millions of their subscribers. Even if you don’t possess a remarkable list of opt-ins, outsource your email marketing campaign to an experienced yet trusted company. The success rate in generating quality leads through mass mailing depends on the quality of list i.e. more the related users receive your sales letter, more the business you earn. Besides all the dooms and glooms, I consider email marketing one of the cheapest yet one of the best techniques for lead generation.

Seminars & Trade Shows

If you can locate well targeted events and shows to effectively present your products or services, they can do good to generate new sales leads. However, stats prove that such events result into low quality or small amount of sales leads because mostly seminars and tradeshows are attended by researchers, journalists or reps of invitees instead of actual prospects with decision making powers. Though works good in most cases but is I take it one of the low-valued lead generation techniques.

When in action, no one can stop human brain to devise and envisage new and innovative ideas to excel in any department of life. Of course, there could be many more methods and strategies but I summarized some of the lead generation techniques that worked well in my professional experience.

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