Finding potential customers and successfully reaching them is a long and difficult process for most companies. Marketing actions businesses can take to create and build interest in a product or service make up lead-generation strategies. Lead generation describes the process of stimulating and capturing interest in a product or service to increase sales. It falls under the scope of direct marketing.
Marketing actions that rely on technology such as computer programs, database collection and the internet are the most common and are the foundation of lead-generation infrastructure solutions. However, lead-generation strategies also include direct contact through cold calling or events where sales representatives rouse interest through face-to-face interaction.
Some of these actions can become very repetitive and tedious. Lead generation infrastructures are an example of Software as a Service (SaaS) which provides the tools needed to automate these processes. The result is a qualified and organized database of prospects (leads) that your business can use to target your message.
Automation can simplify your business’ direct marketing actions and allow you to focus your attention on following up on the leads. Using an email finder guarantees you a sustainable stream of prospects to contact and automated forms then allow you to identify which customers would be the most receptive to your final sales pitch.
The marketing landscape is evolving quickly and many marketing traditionalists may not have heard of these new approaches. Cutting-edge technology is making it possible to expand your customer base, multiply your growth and do so in a way that differentiates you from your competition.
The advantages
There are many different digital and direct-marketing strategies available. Automating the processes through lead-generation infrastructure makes your outbound marketing significantly more efficient at an affordable price.
By far the cheapest direct marketing method is email marketing. Despite its low conversion rate, it has the highest return on investment available. Email marketing is an effective way to enhance traffic, visibility and sales which is why this approach boasts the highest ROI compared to other (much more expensive) methods. The low conversion rate can be improved in many ways and when you add in the expanded capabilities possible with lead-generation SaaS, it’s clear that this is the best option for a tight marketing budget.
Make the best use of your valuable time by automating the most tedious and repetitive tasks. The use of a lead-generation infrastructure is a good way to guarantee a reliable and continuous stream of new leads for your company.
How it works
Advanced search features that lead-generation infrastructures provide allow you to put together mass lists of contacts that fit your unique criteria. The lists are comprehensive and highly targeted so with each entry you increase your chances of contacting interested customers and converting them into viable leads.
For example, let’s say a lot of your work involves installing or refinishing pool decks. Many of your clients live in similar neighborhoods and are in a certain income bracket or hold similar positions within companies. Using advanced features, lead-generation firms can narrow the search of leads to match pool owners who meet those criteria. They use the information to build a highly targeted database of prospects you haven’t reached yet.
An established company with a reliable lead-generation infrastructure can build massive, precisely targeted contact databases for customers all over the world in only a few days using back-end technology to mine data. An application-programming interface then crawls, extracts and verifies prospects’ email addresses. Additionally, integrated Customer Relationship Management software allows you to launch a “drip mailing campaign” (a set of prewritten messages sent out on a predetermined schedule) with powerful retargeting and funnel generation.
