Lead Generation: 5 Ways to Make Common Strategies More Effective

Calls-to-action, social media presence, anchor text, and blogging aren’t new lead generation strategies, and we’re not going to pretend they are.  Just because most companies use these strategies online, however, doesn’t mean they can’t give you a competitive edge. Of course, you want to match what your rivals do, but to really excel you need to do it better. And we’ll tell you how.

Social Media Support

Social media isn’t touted much as a lead generation tactic—typically it’s discussed as a tool for brand awareness, recognition building, and building rapport with customers. And do, by all means, use it for these things. If you are effectively using it for the above, you can also leverage it as an effective lead generation support strategy.

Look back at your blogs and landing pages that have historically provided the most effective lead generation.  Periodically—with a fresh, relevant social media post—repost links to these pages. Make sure to update them if they need it, of course!  You never know when a potential client has overlooked one of your services or offers and will be happy for the reminder. As an added bonus, your followers are already inclined to listen to your pitches.

Top-Third Anchor Text Calls-to-Action

Placing call-to-action banners at the bottom of your blog entry is now de rigueur. It’s professional, it’s the “done thing,” and we’re in no way discouraging you from doing it.  What we’re suggesting is placing an addition (very relevant) call to action as a single-line anchor text in the top third of your page, preferably in an H1 or H2 style. Be sparing, and only do it when it makes sense—but definitely, definitely do it.

For example, if you have a recipe blog and the day’s entry is about exciting autumn pies, place a single line call-to-action anchor text below the second paragraph linking to your seasonal dessert recipe e-book. It’s likely that someone landed on your blog searching for Thanksgiving dessert recipes—they’re precisely the right audience for that CTA, and you’ve caught them at precisely the right time. They may blank on a banner at the bottom of the page (especially if they’re not interested in pie), but they’re still a lead waiting to happen. Don’t waste it!

Link New Launches to Supplemental Blogs

A new-launch post, whether it’s a new service, a new marketing campaign, a new online value-added goodie, is a must. But few take full advantage of the leads a new launch can garner. A new-launch post should be concise, hard-hitting, and informative—typically no more than 300 words. In the following weeks and months, however, keep referencing it and using it as a call-to-action in supplemental blogs. Write them in your typical blogging style, whether that style is how-to, listicle, etc. Make sure they’re very relevant to your launch without being a direct advertisement for it (remember, blogs are also an added-value goodie), and then link back to your launch or its products in a well-positioned CTA.