The Complete Guide to the Lead Generation Process

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The lead generation process is powerful virtuous circle with 5 components, each supporting the one that follows.

The fifth segment of the circle provides valuable information that greatly improves the results obtained in the next campaign (i.e. virtuous in nature). The 5 components are...

  1. Set objectives
  2. Get visitors
  3. Convert to leads
  4. Follow up
  5. Analyse and report

This diagram shows where each of these components fits, and how they work together. Note how component 5 flows back into component one, providing useful information to the next lead generation campaign.

The Lead Generation Process

Each component has a specific job to do. In the rest of this article we'll take a quick look at how each of them works.

1. Set Objectives:

The objective of any lead generation campaign is to generate a certain amount of revenue. For example, I might invest £500 in lead generation and aim to make £2,000 in gross sales (400% return on investment).

The main metrics that make up your campaign objectives are...

  • Campaign budget
  • Target ROI (return on investment) expressed as a percentage
  • Number of leads needed to achieve target ROI

If you've run lead generation campaigns previously, you can use the results from step 5 to provide some of the ratios you'll need to work out the number of leads required to reach your target for the current campaign.

2. Get visitors

Use online and offline methods to attract people to your lead generation landing page. The following sources can be used to provide visitors to the campaign...

  • Offline advertising
  • Direct mail
  • Email sent to existing clients
  • Email sent to a purchased list
  • Twitter - click and see how
  • Pay per click (PPC) advertising and search engine marketing (SEM)
  • Search engine optimisation (SEO)
  • Forum posts (via the signature)
  • Press releases
  • Article marketing
  • Newspaper and online classified sites
  • Directories
  • Online and offline business networking (e.g. LinkedIn, BNI, BRX)
  • Your own, your company's, and 3rd party Blogs
  • Social bookmarking sites (e.g. Delicious, Stumble Upon)
  • Create and promote a Squidoo lens
  • Use an SEO virtuous circle

As you can see, there are a wealth of free and paid options open to you. In fact, there are many more ways to send visitors to your site than I can possibly include in this article. As always, Google is your friend (as is Bing and Yahoo search).

The teaser ads used during this stage have one job to do. They have to persuade people to visit your landing page (see next section).

They must not try to sell the idea of becoming a lead, or buying your product (a common mistake). These teaser ads should also be planned in conjunction with your landing page and the follow up (i.e. sales) conversation.

Everything has to makes sense to the lead, and support the next stage of the process.

3. Convert to leads

This stage is what most people tend to think of as lead generation. It involves a landing page specifically designed to convert a visitor into a lead. Click the link if you're asking yourself what is a lead?

The biggest mistake most people make is to try and sell the product. That's online selling, not lead generation. The job of the landing page isn't to sell the product. It's to sell the value of...

  • A phone call
  • An appointment
  • More information

And that's all it has to do. Stick to that objective, and you'll find your lead generation delivers more leads. It's also worth taking a quick look at the approach outlined in this article (very powerful).

4. Follow up

Once a lead has been generated, it should be followed up within 24 hours (unless the lead specifies otherwise). The sooner you do it, the warmer the lead will be.

If your landing page sells people on the idea of requesting more information, deliver it digitally so it can arrive instantly. You should do this even if you also post the information.

Why? Because the process of becoming a lead is something most of us do on the spur of the moment. The lead generator needs to get in touch as soon as possible and strike while the iron is hot.

It's worth noting that the follow up conversation ought to meet these criteria...

  • It picks up where the landing page left off
  • It's designed in conjunction with the landing page so it makes sense (and is powerful)
  • The person following up must have something useful to offer (i.e. a strong benefit even if the lead doesn't buy)
  • The fulfilment material should prepare the way for the follow up call
  • It's part of an overall strategy designed to prepare the lead to close
  • Don't run lead generation in isolation from, and without incorporating the needs of the sales team

5. Analyse and report

What do successful lead generators do that unsuccessful ones don't? They test and measure absolutely everything. This is much easier than it used to be, thanks to the web's ability to track everything automatically.

This article explains how to use and work out simple direct response measures. It's designed for absolute beginners, and will get you started. This one goes into more detail.

The metrics you produce during this final stage deliver valuable data that can inform the targets and budgets of your next campaign. And the data gleaned from the tests you run can be used to produce ever more powerful ads that send you more visitors per dollar invested, and improve your lead conversion rates.

Think of it as a virtuous circle that feeds back into itself. It's very much a 'pull yourself up by your bootlaces' approach to marketing.