The age old question that every new business owner asks: "How do I get leads?"
It's a legit question, however, it's framed poorly. You already HAVE leads; a lot of them! Open the contacts app on your phone. 100 contacts? 100 leads! I know, it's not the answer you want to hear, but it's the truth. If it's truly just leads that you're after, there's hundreds of websites that will sell you a list of names, emails, and phone numbers (probably for pretty cheap too!) Yeah, I know that's not the answer you're looking for either.
That's the issue with the question above, you don't actually want leads. If you did, you'd already have them. What you're looking for is qualified leads. Let's break down exactly what that means.
As a general rule of thumb, qualified leads are consumers who have requested more information from your business. This request can come via phone, email, or a lead form. Some key components of qualified leads include the following.
High-Quality: Leads that come with accurate, reliable data, such as valid contact information. These leads provide a strong foundation for effective outreach and are more likely to result in successful engagement due to the completeness and quality of the data.
Engaged: Leads that are currently interacting with your business’s marketing efforts—whether that’s clicking through ads, opening emails, or engaging on social media. Their active interest indicates they are considering your product or service, making them prime candidates for conversion.
Warm: Warm leads are individuals or organizations that have shown interest in your product or service within the last 24-48 hours. These leads are fresh and familiar with your brand, making them more receptive to follow-up and more likely to convert with timely engagement (contact these people ASAP!) They represent a higher likelihood of conversion due to their recent interactions and immediate relevance.
Now that we know you're looking for Qualified Leads, let's talk about how to start collecting them.
Of course it will differ from industry to industry, but the the solution remains the same: connect with consumers who need your services.
We group customer connection into three buckets: digital, traditional, and relational.
Note: I want to be very clear that there is a difference between customer connection and lead collection. While lead collection is the acquisition of consumer information, there is no lead collection without customer connection.
Digital customer connection is, most-likely, the reason you're reading this post in the first place. It's all about reaching consumers where they already are—online. There are several effective avenues for generating qualified leads through digital methods, each offering unique advantages depending on your audience and goals.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essential for small businesses and location-based services looking to capture qualified leads. Local SEO focuses on making sure your business is visible when potential customers search for services in their area. This includes optimizing your Google My Business profile, ensuring accurate contact information across directories, gathering customer reviews, and using locally relevant keywords on your website. The goal is to help your business appear at the top of search results when someone nearby is looking for services you provide. Local SEO takes time to build up, but once established, it creates a steady stream of highly targeted traffic from consumers already searching for what you offer.
Social media is a powerful tool for both small businesses and larger service-based companies, including those offering digital products. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn allow you to reach a broad audience while also letting you tailor your messaging based on location, interests, and demographics. For small businesses, social media can act as a local community hub, allowing you to engage directly with consumers and build trust through consistent interaction. Larger companies can use social media to connect with a global audience, expanding their reach far beyond their immediate location. The key here is maintaining an active presence and creating content that resonates with your target audience, whether that’s educational posts, promotions, or customer testimonials.
Advertising, particularly through platforms like Google Ads, offers the advantage of directly targeting consumers who are actively searching for your services. Whether someone is looking for 'roof repair near me' or 'digital marketing services,' paid ads ensure your business is one of the first they see. While advertising tends to work much faster than other methods like SEO or social media—often delivering immediate results—it may not have the same long-term impact. Once your ad budget is exhausted, the traffic stops. Still, when used strategically, advertising can generate a quick influx of leads, especially when paired with a seamless user experience and well-targeted campaigns.
While these digital strategies—SEO, social media, and advertising—are powerful tools for customer connection, they alone don’t generate leads. The ultimate goal should always be to guide consumers to a dedicated webpage. Ideally, this page should feature a phone number and a lead capture form to make it easy for prospects to engage. For location-based services, the page should include an address and clear directions to your place of business. For product or service-based businesses, a booking or service page that allows users to provide their information or easily access further instructions is key. Every digital asset you create should work toward driving consumers to a place where they can take the next step and engage with your business directly.
Traditional customer connection is a little different. The term "traditional" simply refers to traditional marketing tactics such as outdoor and visual advertising, direct mail and print materials, or broadcast media. However, when discussing lead generation, these methods are not all created equal. While each of these traditional marketing methods have their place in the overall marketing funnel, they don't all directly equal lead generation (at least not when used alone.)
Direct Mail and Print Materials
Traditional print materials like postcards, flyers, and door hangers are still highly effective for generating leads, especially when paired with modern techniques like QR codes or easy-to-remember URLs. A postcard in the mail with a simple call to action—like scanning a QR code or visiting a website—can be a powerful tool to drive people to your digital assets. For example, a flyer promoting a limited-time offer that directs consumers to a landing page with a form or booking system makes it easy to track conversions. The key is ensuring these materials clearly point potential customers to your website, phone number, or specific offer.
Outdoor and Visual Advertising
Outdoor advertising such as billboards and newspaper ads are great for brand promotion, but they often work best when paired with a strong call to action. A billboard with a phone number, website, or a short memorable phrase is ideal for industries like legal services, where someone might need to quickly contact a business. While these methods won’t always generate immediate leads, they build awareness and can point people in the right direction. Event sponsorships can also boost your brand’s visibility, but they function more as long-term promotional tools rather than direct lead generators. It’s all about the industry and the right messaging—some businesses, like local services, can see success with newspaper ads when done thoughtfully and targeted correctly.
Broadcast Media
Radio ads are a strong promotional tool, but they rarely generate leads by themselves. They work well for spreading awareness and building recognition but are best used in tandem with other lead-generating methods like direct mail or digital advertising. By directing listeners to your website or phone number in the ad, you increase the likelihood of turning passive listeners into active leads. However, radio ads are more of a support tactic in a comprehensive marketing strategy, rather than a primary source for generating leads.
All in all, these methods are great for customer connection as your brand is directly meeting the consumer wherever they are. When these methods are paired with various digital aspects, you can create a lead generation system that consistently produces qualified leads for your business.
Relational customer connection can be some of the most powerful, but can also be incredibly hard to generate. Unlike digital and traditional, relational customer connection refers to you (yes, you!) getting out in front of consumers, businesses, and organizations. We can think about relational customer connection in three ways: word-of-mouth, partnerships and affiliates, and community and networking.
Word-of-Mouth and Referrals
Word-of-mouth remains one of the most powerful ways to generate leads. When satisfied customers share their positive experiences with others, it creates a sense of trust that traditional advertising can’t replicate. Encourage customer referrals by offering incentives or creating referral programs that motivate happy clients to spread the word. Testimonials and online reviews also amplify this effect, as potential customers often look to the experiences of others when making decisions. Building strong, loyal relationships with your existing customers can be a direct path to attracting new leads through their networks.
Partnerships and Affiliates
Partnerships with complementary businesses can be a highly effective way to expand your reach. By partnering with companies that offer services related to yours, you create mutually beneficial opportunities to exchange leads. For instance, a local real estate agency could partner with a home inspection company to refer clients to each other. Affiliate programs take this idea further by incentivizing individuals or businesses to promote your services in exchange for a commission or reward. These relational strategies build a network of advocates who can directly refer potential customers to your business.
Community and Networking
Building relationships within your community and professional networks is another key form of relational lead generation. Participating in local business groups, attending networking events, and sponsoring community activities can lead to valuable connections. These opportunities not only increase your visibility but also position you as an active participant in your community, fostering trust and recognition. Whether you’re speaking at an event or engaging with other business leaders, these personal connections often lead to word-of-mouth recommendations and direct referrals.
While relational customer connection is most-often labor-intensive, the payoff is often unmatched. Creating a reliable network of complimentary businesses, satisfied customers, and brand advocates creates a sort of buzz that cannot be ignored.
Each of these strategies—whether digital, traditional, or relational—has the power to connect your business with the right customers. But the real strength lies in getting all of these efforts working together. When every aspect of your marketing is firing on all cylinders, you’re not just reaching consumers—you’re constantly bombarding those who need your services with your brand. However, it’s understandable that for new businesses with limited budgets, implementing everything at once may not be feasible.
If you’re struggling to find the right strategy for your business, we can help. Contact us today to schedule a free 30-minute discovery call, and together, we’ll develop a focused plan that works for your business.
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