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5 Startup Specific Lead Generation Ideas

Start-ups are in a longstanding slump. To be precise, the number of new US start-ups dropped from 122,000 in 2005 to 77,000 by 2017.

What on earth happened? Why the sudden decline?

It’s hard to say. Multiple factors have contributed to startups failure over the time. However, the volatility of the start-up world is unlikely to have helped. It is common knowledge that the vast majority of new businesses close after only a few years’ trading.

It begs the question: what can new start-ups do to facilitate their success?

Generating new leads is a central component. After all, leads are the life-blood of any business. You could have the best product ever made. But if no-one knows about it, then it’s guaranteed to fail.

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More leads translate to higher conversions; higher conversions equals greater revenue.

Are you wondering how to accrue more leads for your new start-up?

Keep reading to discover 5 top lead generation ideas to help it succeed.

1- Master Content Marketing

Content marketing is king of lead generation these days.

The principle is simple. Create epic content that ranks highly in search engines, and watch the traffic roll in. Of course, the truth of the matter is a little more time-consuming and complex.

Mastering content requires a solid insight into search engine optimization. That could be another article in its own right. However, the fact of the matter remains: creating epic content that provides true value to a user is sure to generate interest in your business.

Likewise, the major benefit of focusing on content to generate leads is the cost involved. Aka, there is none! Sure, it takes time but requires zero expenditure. For bootstrapping start-ups that can be a godsend. This proven formula might be of interest.

2- Guest Posts & Email Outreach

Exposure is the name of the game.

You need your brand and business to get out there into the world. You need to maximize your reach to your target audience. Without this exposure, you’ll find it difficult to generate leads.

Many businesses pay for exposure through things like Google Ads. And it can work. You can skyrocket your website and content to the top of Google. That effectively guarantees eyes on your business.

However, the money involved can throw a spanner in the works. Two alternative means of gaining exposure (that don’t cost a penny) include guest posting and email outreach.

Guest posts entail writing content, for free, for other websites. In exchange, you expose your brand to a new audience and get backlinks to your content (helping them rank in search engines). People reading those posts may find themselves to your site.

Email outreach is exactly what it sounds like. Craft unmissable emails to influencers and people who’d be interested in your business. You could promote your latest content too. Otherwise, you could simply introduce yourself and what you do.

Again, it’s about getting your name out there and making connections. Simple email outreach can be an effective (and free!) lead-gen strategy.

3- Share on Online Platforms

The internet is your friend.

Billions of people are online these days. All of them have the potential to find themselves on your business website.

Developing an online presence pays off. It’s important to do two things:

  • Share your content online
  • Interact and engage in online communities

There’s no point writing or filming something awesome if no-one is going to see it. Sharing your content online is a cheap and effective way to engage people with it. Pick your platform(s) of choice.

Again, social media marketing could take up an entire article. It goes without saying that mastering social platforms can be advantageous. Likewise, LinkedIn for B2B services is a top tool at your disposal. Find where your target audience hangs out online. Then direct your attention there.

Engaging in forums and online communities is akin to networking in real life. It’s about forming relationships, developing your brand, and gaining exposure by introducing yourself to others.

Over time you can become known as an authority in your niche. This automatically brings leads to your door.   

4- Provide Countless Ways to Opt-In

You want to convert traffic to your website into leads.

Sure, eyes on your webpage may be nice.

But, in reality, it means very little for your business if traffic alone isn’t the result you’re after. Remember, ultimately, it’s your product that you want to market.

Leads come from collecting contact details. With these sorted, you can set about cultivating the relationship with them. As trust builds, the chance of selling your product increases too.

Attract leads by providing opt-in opportunities on your website. Now, it isn’t enough to have a one-off subscribe box hidden in the sidebar! Instead, it’s your job to make it as easy as possible to collect someone’s details!

Incorporate the chance to opt-in at every turn. Rub webinars, offer free downloads, create PDFs, guides and unmissable resources…All of these encourage a user to give you their details.

5- Test Your Way to Success

Testing is key to business success.

Any marketer will tell you the same thing: analytics are of paramount importance. It’s vital that you constantly test, monitor and adjust accordingly.

Without testing, you don’t know what works and what doesn’t. Sure, you may get lucky off the bat. But it’s more likely that you’re missing out on leads for all number of reasons.

Even the slightest alteration can have a significant impact. Changing a word in the ad copy, the color of your opt-in box, or the font on your webpage…it could all make a serious difference.

Set up split tests to get objective data about your current set up. Make minor changes and assess the impact. Over time, you’ll learn exactly what you need to do to optimize your lead generation strategies.

Time to Employ these Lead Generation Ideas

There you have it: 5 top lead generation ideas for your start-up. Once you have hands on these basic techniques, little tweaks in your existing strategies and keeping up with the trends can help you grow further, and you can even consider starting lead generation business of your own.

The number of new start-ups is dwindling compared to times gone by. One reason for that may be the high likelihood of failure in the market.

To avoid failure, it’s vital that businesses generate leads. Without leads, there’s no way to convert. And with no conversions, even the best product in the world will never become a success.

Hopefully, this post has provided some top ideas for how to do it.

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Get the latest news, resources and tips to help you and your small business succeed.

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