How can you avoid common lead generation pitfalls?

It starts what the most important question - What is a Lead? Create an objective definition of what constitutes as lead, so that your entire team (sales, marketing, business development) can aim towards the same goal.

Many marketers go wrong by not connecting your overarching goals to your strategy and tactics. Don't try and get '4 birds with 1 stone' by being too broad in coverage. Map one goal, with one strategy, using a good-fit tactic(s). Common failures include: 1. Using multiple CTAs within one email or other mediums. When facing many decisions, generally people choose none. 2. Not adapting forms to meet specific requirements with tailored fields. Are we looking to have them book a demo? Sign up for a newsletter? Request a lead magnet? Don't use all forms the same with the same questions. 3. Treating all stages in the customer journey exactly the same. A cold lead may not be ready for a demo –?but they might be ready for your newsletter.

It's a common misconception that a one-size-fits-all approach works in lead generation. A clear understanding of your target audience is essential, whether you're focusing on the top of the funnel to build awareness, the middle of the funnel for engagement, or the bottom of the funnel for conversions

SMART goals not only provide a roadmap but also offer a framework for ongoing evaluation. This allows you to make data-driven decisions, refine your strategies, and better align your marketing efforts with broader business goals. For instance, if your goal is to generate 100 qualified leads in the next month, you can break this down further: Specific: Aim for 100 qualified leads, not just any leads. Measurable: Use analytics tools to track the number and quality of leads generated. Achievable: Ensure you have the resources and strategies in place to realistically achieve this number. Relevant: Make sure these leads are for a new product launch, aligning with your business objectives. Time-bound: Set a deadline for one month from now.

Everything you do has a compounding effect on the future, so you should focus on your positioning before targeting. If you do not do decent research on your market and understand clearly how you should position yourself in the market you are impacting your (future) sales team's results. I recommend looking into April Dunford's methodology to understand the structured process of correctly positioning your product or service in the market.

"RIGHT" prospecting is everything. It all starts with "RIGHT" prospecting. Here is a framework I use: 1. Pick the "RIGHT" industry. An industry that knows what you do and already uses a similar product or service that you sell. 2. Understand who the decision maker is. 3. Start by targeting the local city where you live. 4. Make sure they are active on LinkedIn. 5. Use Sales Navigator to get all the data. 6. Send them a cold pitch. That's all you need to do to land your first 100 customers.

Some ways to get started: - start with working out your customer profile, and then your target ideal customer profile. - think about industry, plus the working profile of the buyer in your target company. - identify firmographics that are opportunistic to you and play to your strengths.

Creating detailed buyer personas is an excellent way to avoid this pitfall. These personas act as semi-fictional representations of your ideal customers, helping you understand their needs, challenges, and behaviors. This, in turn, allows you to create content and offers that are highly relevant and engaging to them. Segmentation is another key strategy to enhance targeting: Stage in the Buyer's Journey: A person who's just becoming aware of a problem they have will need different information than someone who's comparing solutions. Tailor your content to meet the needs of each stage.

We are in an era that needs 'super specificity'. That means defining a very specific persona, in a very specific environment/industry that has a very specific problem with a specific outcome that your solution can help produce. And, if you have multiple products and services, it may be different for each one.

First, stop using AI to write content. You are killing a lot of potential opportunities. Here's a good framework for the type of content you can create on LinkedIn that can increase your conversions by up to 500-600% in just 12 months: 1) Talk about your failures (being vulnerable helps you connect better). 2) Talk about your learnings. 3) Build in public. 4) Do collaborative posts. 5) Talk only about "YOUR" experience to give your unique perspective on a topic. ...and finally, my favorite, talk about trending topics in your industry. If you build quality content at the top of the funnel, you will emerge as a thought leader in your industry and improve your conversions.

Creating high-quality content is not just about avoiding grammatical errors or using high-resolution images; it's about delivering value in a way that resonates with your audience. Here's how to do it: Valuable: Your content should solve a problem or answer a question for your audience. It should add value to their lives, making them more inclined to engage with your brand. Engaging: Good content captures attention and encourages interaction. Whether it's through compelling storytelling, eye-catching visuals, or interactive elements, your content should be designed to engage. Informative: Your audience is looking for expertise and insights. Providing well-researched, accurate information positions you as an authority in your field.

How does lead generation work? - Defining an ideal customer profile (ICP) - Finding out a problem this ICP has - Having a solution for your ICP - Finding effective ways to reach your ICP - Engaging your ICP in a sales funnel with you and closing orders One of the most challenging steps is providing value to your ICP before they officially engage or give you an order. This "value" can also be called a "lead magnet" because this value will help establish a rapport with the lead. Suppose you give substantial "value" as a free resource, e.g., a free practical guideline to remote control if you offer remote industrial automation services. Then, you can pitch your remote service package to the customer's ears.

If your lead magnet doesn't resonate with your target audience, you're missing a golden opportunity to engage and convert. To create a strong lead magnet: Align with Audience Needs: Make sure your lead magnet solves a real problem or fulfills a need for your target audience. Showcase Expertise: Use the lead magnet to demonstrate your knowledge and authority in your field. Test and Tweak: Don't settle for the first version. A/B test different lead magnets and formats to find what truly engages your audience and drives conversions.

Consider ways to "earn" the information being sought in the form fill - offer nuggets of relevant thought leadership to assure the lead they are sharing their information with a worthwhile provider. If you can give the recipient control of the channel through which they will be engaged, do so - don't require both an email and a phone number. If someone provides both pieces of data, still ask them how they want to be contacted - phone, email, or text.

Here's four of the most life-changing form tips you'll get on LinkedIn articles: 1. Never ask for "optional" information. If it's optional, apparently you don't need it. 2. Optimize your form based on lead quality. Increase friction if you need commitment (qualification questions). Decrease friction if you need volume (layout, reduce form fields, question types). 3. Ask what *makes sense* based on your offer. You don't need their company name, monthly marketing budget, & mailing address in exchange for a cheap/bad digital whitepaper. 4. Experiment with form elements. Multi-step, "trust" language (Norton badge or "We don't sell your info"), hidden fields to weed out spam, or on-form email/phone verification for cleaner contact data.

You're not making any high-ticket SAAS sales or booking any professional services without the follow-up. And people rarely book appointments directly over email directly. What's that mean? You need an integrated, robust follow-up –?and good data infrastructure (to understand what's working and what's not). You may need 20 touch points before someone books a call with you, but they can't all be within one medium. Consider any and all of the following: email, SMS, call, social media, mailers (yes, *paper* mail, if possible). Then, use all of these to try and spark a conversation. Quit going straight for the appointment or sale. Address the lead and the specific pain point they're having. Open the door for a chat. The rest will come.

In the world of B2B marketing, acquiring customers is a journey that demands patience and persistence. The process isn't a one-time event; it involves consistent follow-ups, value addition, and continuous engagement. Drawing from my extensive 34-year experience in the corporate world, I can attest that successful conversion often unfolds after a comprehensive 12-13 year cycle of nurturing and relationship-building. This long-term perspective is key to establishing lasting business relationships and driving sustainable growth.

It's important to remember that some of your best new leads can come from existing clients. In addition to asking an existing client for a referral, consider spending some time researching who they know on LinkedIn or at a local association. Then, when you have a specific list of 4 or 5 people, ask them how they know these people and if they would be willing to introduce you. This makes it easier for them to help you while you get a strategic introduction to someone they know who may have a need for your product or service. People love to help others, just make sure you make it easy for them to help you.

From my own experience, I'd say the trick to avoiding the usual lead generation slip ups is to keep testing, testing, and testing some more.