Step 2 Leading the Way: Capturing Leads for your Business

This is the second of an 8-Step series on Lifecycle Marketing

In the first part, we looked at how you can drive traffic to your site. Now that you have their attention, it’s the perfect time to gain some valuable information on potential new customers and draw them a little closer to your circle. At first it might seem tacky to ask for information when delivering up a piece of content, but it really isn’t when you do it right.

Instead of thinking of it like demanding a price for your content, think of it as an opportunity for a potential customer to learn more about you and gain greater access to the content they liked. For example, if they liked your cake recipe, why not have them sign up for your baking company’s newsletter where they can receive several more recipes every month? Since they already have a positive attitude towards your product, you can nurture them towards a sale.

Visitors to your website are more savvy and have higher expectations than ever, so offering them the same old ‘lead magnet’ (unless it still converts like crazy) is something you might want to revisit. As technology increases, consumers expect better, deeper, more visual content that’s more personalized for them. The quality of your content will reflect the quality of the leads you get. 

Lead capture can come in a number of forms. At a trade show or convention or while working point-of-sale, you can use a physical copy (this only works well if you have someone to input the information in a timely manner.

If you have a mobile device such as an Android or iPad , you can just as easily use follow up and add people to your data base using a Hosted Web Form. If you have Infusionsoft, use their phone app, Snap By Infusionsoft, to scan the lead’s information directly from their business card – it’s almost magic! This works great at networking events too.

Whatever you do at physical events, be certain you have at least one lead capture form on your website and social media to make it really really easy to market to the leads who optin.

Whether you’re using a hardcopy or the latest in data capture software, you’ll want to determine what type of information you need beforehand. At minimum, you’ll want their email address, and most likely their name. Depending on your industry, you might want to know their preferences, what other websites they frequent or something specific about their buying habits. In our fictional baking company example, perhaps the web form asks if there is anyone in their family suffering from a gluten allergy. If the baking company has a line of gluten-free products, they have just found a sales opportunity.   

There’s a fine line to walk when you design your form. If the form is too long, some people might balk at filling it out, regardless of your content. Too short, and you don’t collect enough information to get a quality lead. If possible, send visitors a thank-you affirming they filled out your form. It’s critical to set clear expectations about how you intend to use the information and how you will ensure its security. 

Once you have some solid leads, it’s time to start using them. Step Three of our Lifecycle Marketing series will look at how to convert leads into sales by nurturing them with high value content. 

Check out our Infusionsoft Demo HERE