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Lead generation is one of the fundamental purposes and most directly measurable results of content marketing.
Think of it as the bridge between a visitor and a customer. As a content marketer, various types of content shared at different points in the sales funnel serve as the materials used to build that bridge.
In this article, we will share 25 lead generation-boosting strategies that advance prospects through the sales cycle from brand awareness to conversion.
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Lead generation is exactly what it sounds like: the act of capturing leads. A lead is someone who has displayed interest in your company by sharing their contact information.
Typically, a lead shares their information in exchange for something of value — in this case, content.
For that exchange to happen, the content offered must provide genuine value to the prospect. It must draw the audience in, which is why this content is also called a lead magnet.
Capturing a lead is the first step towards conversion. Not all leads are alike, but all are potentially on the same journey to conversion and sales. It is the beginning of the bridge.
Because the sales funnel has different levels, leads can also be classified according to their position in the funnel and the extent of their engagement with your content.
The marketing terms commonly used for these leads are:
Content teams typically qualify and classify leads, evaluating their engagement, behaviors, and interactions with the brand.
Sometimes, a lead will reach out and let a company know where they are in the buyer’s journey by requesting more information or asking to be contacted by sales.
Lead generation isn’t a single event that ends when a potential customer shares their contact information. It’s a lifecycle that spans the entire sales funnel, converting leads into customers, then nurturing customer retention and brand advocacy, requiring different types of content to play various roles throughout the process.
To jumpstart your lead generation, here are 25 ideas to help engage potential customers with stellar content and advance them through the sales funnel.
These 25 lead generation strategies are organized by progression in the sales funnel: top, middle, and bottom. While certain content types are effective throughout the entire customer journey, others work best at a particular stage of engagement.
For instance, someone just discovering your brand is more likely to download a free e-book than schedule a 30-minute live demo. As prospects move further along the funnel, the content should evolve with them, moving from broadly educational to addressing their specific needs.
That said, some types of content are versatile enough to be adjusted and used throughout a visitor’s buying journey: blogs, podcasts, videos, and user-generated content work to both attract prospects and keep existing customers engaged.
At this stage, lead generation is all about delivering content that solves your audience’s problems and builds your brand’s authority. Through customer-centric, free educational content, you connect readers by addressing their pain points and raising awareness of your brand as a valuable resource.
Problem-solving:
Authority-building:
For potential customers who have an increased awareness of your brand, content that connects through interaction and trust-building becomes particularly effective.
Interaction:
Trust-building:
Customers who have regularly engaged and interacted with your brand are among the most likely to be ready to consider a purchase.
At this stage, lead generation should focus on helping them make that decision. Content topics move from what is generally helpful to your audience to what is specifically helpful to these leads who are now classified as “opportunities.”
Decision-Oriented content
Retaining customers is part of lead generation because new business can be generated through repeat customers and referrals.
Create exclusive content tailored to existing customers to reward their loyalty and keep them engaged after the purchase. Through specialized content, happy, real-life customers can be encouraged to become brand advocates.
Through a well-planned, comprehensive lead generation plan, you meet potential customers where they are and deliver content that is relevant to them at that point in their customer journey.
With each successive step of lead generation, you are building that bridge to encourage prospects to become customers, and continuing to provide a fantastic customer experience that promotes retention as well.
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