Lead Generation Services: How They Should Work

How Do Lead Generation Services Work?

Sales volume is directly linked to sales lead generation. Without consistent quality and quantity going into the sales funnel, sales teams have few opportunities to drive revenue. As inbound marketing becomes a primary focus for competitive B2B and B2C businesses, effective lead generation is absolutely critical.

Online marketing has given sales and marketing teams countless paths to source leads. Marketing strategies are moving from cold-calling to automated interactions like email marketing and landing pages. These mechanisms are changing the game for salespeople trying to manage new and existing prospects in their pipeline.

Finding leads can be an internal function or it can be outsourced to professional lead generation services. Generating free leads through your team sounds ideal, and it can often be the best route for small operations. In most cases, however, relying on internal efforts can be inefficient and time-consuming. With all of the potential routes for finding leads online, the process easily becomes overwhelming.

The need to optimize lead generation strategies is a major reason that lead generations services are spurring demand. Lead generation companies specialize in planning, executing and tracking strategies across several platforms. The result is not only higher volumes of interested leads but also better use of your sales teams.

Understanding how lead generation companies work is essential for finding the right service. What is the breadth of their expertise? Do they strictly generate leads or do they also help with lead nurturing? What can you expect from lead generation services, and how do you know you are receiving the best value?

This article will demystify the purpose of lead generation services so you can establish reasonable expectations. By prioritizing the essential functions outlined in this article, you can ensure a high ROI.

The 9 Key Services Your Lead Generation Service Shou d Provide

Every lead generation agency tailors their services to match their branding and target market needs. Nonetheless, there are key similarities in their core functions. When shopping around, pay attention to how lead generation companies manage these nine essential services.

Development of Premium Content

The best relationships and often the most qualified leads arrive via an online search. Users entering search engine queries is a primary focus in inbound marketing, as they display interest and intent. 

Increasing ranking in SERPs and creating engaging, relevant content should therefore be a major priority. With expert SEO within premium content, brands build authority, extend their reach and generate more traffic. As a critical lead generation source, premium content is naturally the function of a successful lead generation service.

Services should consult on SEO strategy, aiding in keyword optimization, backlinking strategy and even technical areas like mobile-friendliness. They should be able to offer insight into content strategy, like running a blog or creating a video series. Regarding content catalogues, they can help strategize the arrangement and accessibility of valuable resources like ebooks and case studies.

The point is that your lead generation service should be able to strategize engaging content and give it visibility. With better rankings and more valuable content, users are more likely to pursue your brand and conversion will improve.

Creation of Calls-to-Action (CTA)

Calls-to-action (CTAs) are inherent in any marketing communication, guiding viewers to the desired next step. In banner ads, this could be asking them to click a button. An email may push you to call a phone number for more information or visit a website. For lead magnets, this means getting them to a landing page.

Users need convincing to follow through on a call-to-action, a reason to click the button. CTAs have to be thoughtfully designed and placed to attract attention and generate interest. Lead generation services specialize in using graphics and precise wording to increase click-through rates. Taken a step further, they can also advise on where to place your CTAs across your website.

Development of Landing Pages

Leads are made on the landing page. A compelling CTA leads to the landing page, where you offer some valuable resource, like a coupon or ebook. In exchange, the user inputs their contact information to become part of email campaigns and receive other marketing communications. Like the CTA, the design of the landing page can make a difference in converting leads.

Lead generation services can assist in designing the description and visuals to support the offer. They also assist in creating contact forms, which need to consider both valuable customer information and the customer experience. You need to generate relevant, rich information but be concise enough to get consumers to complete the form. Lead generation agencies can help you find the right balance.

Promotion of Blogs

Blogs are both valuable to consumers and a great platform to advertise and position your business. Promoting your blog will increase readership and help create a following, benefitting your reputation as an industry authority. There are a number of ways to promote your blog online, including:

• Posting fresh, relevant blog content on social media.
• Linking to your blog in your social media profiles.
• Guest posting on other websites with backlinks to your blog.
• Internally linking to your blog from other business webpages.
• Adding blog links to email signatures.

Your lead generation service can help you create a promotional structure that reaches your target market. With their help, you not only get better blog content but also better methods for raising awareness and driving traffic.

Promotion Using Social Media

Online communities are arguably the best sources of cost-effective lead generation. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and a growing number of platforms are becoming key areas of focus in internet marketing strategies.

Social media presence requires a strategy to stay on-brand and influence the right audience. Consumers rely on social media for information and advice, and businesses stand to gain from partaking in the discussion. Lead generation services can be instrumental in choosing the right platforms, segmenting audiences and developing messaging.

Database Marketing

Lead generation services trade in information, so it is no wonder that a major advantage is their substantial databases. Lead generation services manage and control access to a goldmine of business data that aid in consumer targeting. 

Internal marketing takes time to distinguish buyers among the many leads they generate. Lead generation agencies can skip several steps by pulling information from their databases to find qualified leads. They can create effective strategies based on an exhaustive array of criteria, facilitating consumer targeting and increasing conversion rates.

Content Syndication

Quality content is only good if your audience can see it. Content syndication increases awareness by publishing content from a single source to multiple outlets. 

You can do this manually by working with other companies to publish content, if you share the same audience. Guest blogging and co-marketing are good examples of inbound content syndication. Brands can also work together to promote each other’s content on social media.

Brands can also use RSS feeds for syndication. This automates online content publishing, making it easy to find and put in front of appropriate audiences.

Lead generation services leverage their enormous databases to syndicate content in these traditional senses. However, their ability to fine-tune their targeting allows them to focus on email, a powerful lead generation device. 

Telemarketing

Telemarketing definitely carries a stigma, but effective targeting makes it incredibly worthwhile in B2B sales. Sales calls in the business setting are seen as opportunities rather than annoyances. Decision-makers are more willing to field calls if they offer viable solutions.

Using the firmographic data from your lead generation service, you can pinpoint contacts who fit your customer profile. This allows for the essential introductions needed to book appointments and presentations. With your service’s help, you can equip your sales team with effective scripts and strategies to maintain interest.

Lead Nurturing

Lead nurturing is an important part of operating a CRM, and lead generation services can help in that arena. The exact nature of lead nurturing services can vary from one agency to the next. Nurturing is an abstract concept, as some companies nurture leads for clients or manage lists to use as needed.

When researching services, ask them how nurturing fits into their lead generation process. If they have systems for nurturing business leads, you earn potential customers at the bottom of the sales funnel.

Growing businesses, especially B2B companies, find that lead generation services become invaluable as they scale. Better lead generation creates more sales opportunities, and companies pushing revenue targets receive a high ROI from quality service. By researching services that can fill these nine key roles, you can ensure fast, predictable results.

The Selling Revolution makes lead generation a cultural imperative with our clients. We create strategies and processes that work toward our clients’ goals, transforming their sales and marketing. From improving hiring practices to maximizing talent development, we position teams to sell more effectively. To learn how we can help you evolve your lead generation strategies, contact our team today.