What is a lead?

A lead is a touch of a user with a business capable of generating a targeted action. A call, a request, a comment, a like, or subscription-and many other events-speak for leads. Leads in marketing include not just online but also offline actions: filling out a questionnaire at some event, giving your contact details during some consultation, and many more.
Situations can be many, the only condition is that which converts an action into lead is the trackability and ability to contact the potential customer.

In other words, targeted leads are the contacts of prospective customers. Leads for a website mean any interaction with a potential customer in the course of which his contact details are obtained, and whether these contacts will turn into conversion or not depends on further work of a sales department.

Lead levels

Most often, we segment leads according to the level of brand loyalty of the user. Cold leads mean a low level of loyalty or involvement of a user in a brand; the user is just getting acquainted with a product or service and is not yet sure whether he wants to perform a target action.

Warm leads: Generally, a warm lead is a medium level of loyalty or engagement with the brand. The user already knows the product or service and may be considering placing an order.

Hot leads: High level of loyalty or user engagement with the brand, interested, and wanting to make a purchase or place an order for a service.

Naturally, the leads can smoothly turn from cold leads to warm leads and from warm leads to hot leads. That is what lead generation is all about: creating not just new leads but also advancing existing leads from lower engagement levels to higher ones.

Classification of leads by source of receipt

Organic leads: They come to the site through organic search, i.e., without advertising campaigns.
Advertising leads: Received with the help of paid advertising campaigns such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.
Referral Leads: Became aware of the company on recommendation by other customers or partners.

Classification of leads lets a company focus its sales process, further develop its marketing activities, and raise the chances of closing leads into real customers.

Stages of work with lead

Work with leads is done in several stages:

Lead generation: Attracting leads by various marketing channels: PPC, SEO, articles, posts in social networks, and email newsletters. Thanks to lead generation, the contacts of possible customers are collected in order to create an individual offer base. Lead generation is divided into inbound (when customers contact the company on their own) and outbound (when communication is initiated by specialists of the sales department).
Lead scoring: Also known as lead qualification, this estimates the level of interest and involvement of the prospects with the brand:
- Hot: Ready to make a deal right now.
- Lukewarm: Having a need for the product but not ready to buy it at the moment.
- Cold: Those who are studying the market or who have left contacts but are not yet planning to make a purchase.
Lead distribution: Determining who will interact with certain groups of leads and how. Generally, email marketing is fitting for cold leads, advertising and content are prepared for warm leads, and hot leads are processed by sales managers who find out in detail what the particular customer needs.
Lead nurturing: Communication with leads at all stages of the sales funnel, with the goal of closing the deal. For this purpose, users are offered the most relevant content, which shows all the advantages and value of the product and dispels doubts, leading the client to make a purchase or order a service.

Methods of attracting leads to the site

In order to increase the number of attracted leads, use such methods as:

Adding content to the website: Specially created landing pages that describe all the advantages of the product or service and have a simple form to make contact with company specialists.
Adding videos: A video about the product or an overview of the service to more effectively convey necessary information and dispel user doubts.
Regular publication of relevant content: The frequency depends on the niche and audience, ranging from daily posts to one article per week.
Sending email newsletters: Use a subscription form that includes a call to action.
Using pop-up windows: After some time on the site, users can be prompted to subscribe to the newsletter.
Optimizing the contact page: Non-standard and creative design approaches attract more users than standard template pages.

Lead Generation Tools

Lead generation tools can be any platform where a user has some trackable contact with the brand. The following are some of the most common lead generation tools:

Landing page or land page: Contains a key unique value proposition for the brand, a list of benefits from the product or service, and one or more calls to action.
Feedback form on the website: Allows users to provide their contact information or questions directly on the site.
Order a callback on the website: Users can request a callback, which provides an opportunity for direct contact.
Dynamic phone number on the website: Uses a call-tracking system to help track the page from which the call is made.
Lead form within a Facebook advertising campaign: Consists of text, creatives, and a form with questions for the user to fill out.
Confirmed application on the website: A form with completed customer details, confirming their interest.
Analytics: Tools for tracking lead generation channels and evaluating effectiveness.

Tracking sources is crucial for effective lead generation, enabling analysis of return on investment and scaling successful strategies. It’s important to identify which leads or lead generation tools convert better and how to increase their quantity. Outline target actions worth tracking at the outset and determine which KPIs should be measured. This forms the backbone of effective marketing activity for the project.

Maintaining a consistent chain of actions throughout all lead processing stages is essential. Timely actions should be taken to promote leads through the sales funnel. Regular interactions with leads should be systematic and part of an integrated strategy, involving tools such as email marketing, retargeting in social networks, and PPC remarketing.

Lead Processing

Lead processing is primarily the responsibility of a manager, supported by a CRM system as an auxiliary tool for capturing interest and setting tasks at each step. Generally, lead processing may involve various actions:

Phone calls
Email correspondence
Sending promotional materials
Sending quotations
Meetings at the office of the company or client
Zoom calls

All interactions with a lead, from initial contact up to the point they become a client, belong to this stage. The manager’s role includes identifying the lead’s interests and needs, preparing proposals, discussing potential collaboration options, and ultimately preparing a contract and/or issuing an invoice. Once the contract and invoice are issued, the lead transitions into a client.

It is important for all lead interactions to be promptly logged in the CRM system as tasks, with reports on their completion. This allows the manager to track the real-time status of each lead, manage workload distribution among team members, and ensure that all steps in lead management are handled efficiently.

What is Lead Generation?

Another frequently mentioned concept related to leads is lead generation. If the lead is the goal, lead generation is the means to achieve that goal. Lead generation is a marketing strategy aimed at identifying potential customers with specific contact information. In lead generation, a contractor—either an individual or a company—commits to providing a certain number of leads for the client company, either by collecting their contact details or directing them to the client’s website, where they can submit their information.

Lead generation has become especially common online, where companies actively gather potential customer contacts through surveys, prize draws, subscriptions, and other forms of engagement. Most companies in need of potential customer contacts outsource this process to specialized professionals rather than managing it internally. Sometimes, “lead generation” may also refer to the work done on databases of potential client contacts.

Lead Re-Processing

In addition to generating new leads and managing current ones, there is the concept of lead re-processing. This involves maintaining and managing leads who, for any reason, previously declined cooperation. Instead of removing these leads from the system, they are marked accordingly for potential future engagement.

Lead re-processing enables the following actions:

Send a “goodbye letter”: This letter expresses regret that the client is leaving, offers a brief questionnaire to understand the reasons for declining, and may suggest alternative solutions. A well-written goodbye letter can sometimes bring the potential client back.
Gather information on rejection reasons: Take detailed notes on the reasons for rejection and retain the lead for future follow-up. The lead may have declined due to temporary circumstances such as budget constraints but might still be interested in the product. Store this lead in the database and send occasional greetings, such as holiday emails. Later, the manager may reconnect, at which point the lead may be ready to proceed.
Reassign or schedule future engagement: The lead can be transferred to another team member or contacted again after a certain period.

Why Businesses Require Lead Generation

Lead generation enables a business to identify potential customers and engage with them more effectively for eventual conversion. The main benefits include:

Finding quality prospects: Lead generation targets consumers who show interest in the brand through ad interactions. This ensures that generated leads are relevant to the business.
Brand recall: It helps keep the brand in the customer’s mind for future purchasing needs, supported by online lead generation campaigns.
Reduced ad spend: Focusing on lead generation helps maintain controlled advertising expenses.
Time savings for sales teams: With lead generation, prospecting is managed by marketing, freeing up sales teams to focus on converting high-quality leads.
Performance tracking: Lead generation campaigns offer measurable data for analyzing and optimizing ad spending.
Foundation for customer loyalty: Consistent communication with leads establishes a dependable relationship with prospects before they become customers.

Differences Between B2B and B2C Lead Generation

While B2B and B2C share some similarities, there are significant differences in lead generation strategies:

B2B (Business-to-Business)

Longer sales cycle: Involves multiple stages such as vetting, negotiations, and approvals, often taking longer than B2C sales.
Group decision-making: Buying decisions are typically made by multiple parties or a committee, with a focus on business metrics such as ROI.
Communication channels: Email, webinars, trade shows, conferences, and B2B platforms like LinkedIn are common for B2B communication.
Individualized approach: Products and services are often higher-priced, requiring a tailored approach.
Long-term relationships: B2B relationships are usually partnership-like, with strong emphasis on aftersales support.

B2C (Business-to-Customer)

Shorter sales cycle: Decisions are made faster, often by a single person based on personal needs.
Mass communication: Social media, online ads, and email marketing are effective B2C channels.
Emotional purchase drivers: Brand interaction and emotional appeal play a larger role in decision-making.
Lower price point: Products tend to be more commoditized and affordable than B2B offerings.
Less personal relationship: While brand loyalty exists, B2C relationships are often less personalized and purchases less critical.

Both types of businesses need to understand their target audience to select effective lead generation methods.

Popular Lead Generation Methods

Several methods are widely used for generating leads. The type of method can vary depending on the industry, target audience, and available resources.

SEO – Google Organic Search

According to Marketing Charts, 59% of B2B and 49% of B2C marketers rely on SEO to generate leads. Search engine optimization positions a company’s product or service pages at the top of search results, bringing a steady flow of organic traffic and attracting potential customers.

Content Marketing

The Content Marketing Institute reports that 85% of B2B and 60% of B2C marketers use content to generate leads. Valuable content, including articles, videos, and infographics, engages the target audience. Understanding which type of content best reaches the audience is key for effective content marketing.

Social Media

Being active on social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram helps generate leads through advertising, engaging posts, and entertaining subscribers. Social media showcases who may be interested in your products or services and keeps them informed about the latest news and offers.

In social media, lead generation involves two stages:

Lead Generation: Attract potential clients to subscribe to your page and build a rapport with them.
Lead Conversion: Guide subscribers to your website, where they can learn more about your product or make a direct purchase. Here, prospective customers may be asked to share contact information.

Email Marketing

Email lead generation involves gathering data from potential customers, often through newsletter sign-ups. Information such as the customer’s name and email address is stored in a marketing database and can later be used for email campaigns that help convert these leads into paying customers.

Paid Advertising

Paid advertising allows businesses to reach large audiences and build leads quickly. Platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads enable targeted outreach to specific demographics and people interested in particular topics, ensuring that ad spending focuses on potential customers who may be interested in the product or service.

Webinars

Hosting online events attracts an audience interested in your company’s activities. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 58% of B2B marketers use webinars for promotions. Webinars can be effective: 73% of B2B webinar attendees become leads, as noted by Webinar Care.

Referral Programs

Encouraging existing customers to refer your company to others is powerful, as people trust recommendations from friends and family. According to Signpost, 92% of consumers trust personal recommendations. Utilizing referral programs taps into a new pool of potential customers.

Selecting the Best Lead Generation Channel

Choosing the right lead generation channel involves a strategic approach, a deep understanding of the target audience, and the industry landscape. Here are some steps to identify the best channel for lead generation:

Understand Your Target Audience: Determine where potential customers spend time online and which social networks they use. Research where they seek information and products.
Evaluate Existing Channels: Identify which current channels generate the most leads and assess the costs and quality of leads generated from each.
Establish a Budget: Determine the budget for lead generation and identify channels that offer good ROI within this budget.
Test and Optimize: Run short-term campaigns across various channels to see which performs best, and apply A/B testing to refine your approach.
Analyze Competitor Channels: Observe your competitors’ channels. Consider whether any unexplored channels could provide a competitive advantage.
Consider Long-Term Goals: Evaluate which channels align with the company’s long-term objectives and strategic growth.

The best channel will vary based on the business, target audience, and specific market. Identifying details within each of these elements is crucial for optimizing lead generation.

Importance of Cold Lead Generation for B2B Businesses

Cold lead generation involves reaching out to potential customers who have had no prior engagement with the brand. Even with just an email or phone number, a well-planned approach can turn them into customers. Here are some key benefits of cold lead generation:

Access to New Markets: Cold lead generation helps companies discover new customer segments or industries.
Steady Lead Flow: A continuous influx of new leads supports business growth.
Increased Sales: More leads lead to more sales opportunities, ultimately increasing revenue.
Product Improvement Insights: Potential customers’ feedback can highlight areas for improvement in products or services.

Two main methods exist for generating cold leads:

Cold Calling: Sales teams reach out to potential customers to understand their needs and offer relevant solutions.
Cold Emailing: Companies send emails or newsletters to individuals who haven’t interacted with the brand, ideally in exchange for valuable content like a checklist or webinar.

Steps to Set Up Cold B2B Lead Generation

Setting up cold lead generation for B2B involves several steps:

Create an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): Define the characteristics of an ideal customer by analyzing current high-value customers, focusing on loyalty, spending, and growth potential.
Develop a Script: Create a communication script that addresses the audience’s needs and pain points, offering clear solutions. Personalize the conversation to build rapport.
Automate Processes: Use tools to streamline lead generation and manage relationships. Chatbots, for example, can engage website visitors and capture valuable data.
Conduct A/B Testing: Experiment with different elements (e.g., scripts, email subject lines, landing page designs) to determine what resonates most with the target audience.

How Crowdy Chatbot Can Assist in Lead Generation

The Crowdy chatbot is a powerful tool for enhancing lead generation. It engages potential customers, collects valuable data, and improves overall customer experience.

Instant Interaction: Crowdy immediately responds to visitor queries, enhancing customer satisfaction and increasing the likelihood of converting casual visitors into leads.
Personalized Recommendations: Through natural language processing, Crowdy analyzes visitor behavior and provides tailored product recommendations, increasing the chance of conversion.
Analytics and Optimization Integration: Crowdy integrates with analytics tools, helping businesses track visitor behavior, assess marketing effectiveness, and optimize campaigns.

Incorporating Crowdy into a website’s structure is a strategic solution for businesses seeking to generate high-quality leads and improve sales performance. Crowdy enables deeper customer engagement and supports both lead acquisition and customer retention.