| Growing your in-house database should be at the top | | | | encourage the recipient to follow through and fill out |
| of every marketers list. Why? When done correctly, | | | | the form. In addition, you should give prospects the |
| it will house your most qualified and responsive | | | | option to call you, in case they do not feel |
| prospects. Though organic list growth may take time | | | | comfortable filling out the form. |
| and effort, you will definitely see a high return on | | | | 6. Use a lead capture form. Your landing page can |
| your investment. | | | | either link to a lead capture form or you can embed |
| Consider the following techniques to acquire new | | | | the form in the landing page itself.a. Since, your |
| leads and grow your list with success. | | | | prospects will be more prone to fill out a shorter |
| 1. Who is your ideal lead and how do you reach | | | | form than fill out a long and drawn out questionnaire, |
| them? Create a profile for your best customer(s). | | | | limit the amount of information you are asking them |
| This should include things such as age, gender, | | | | to provide in exchange for their premium. Besides the |
| hobbies, job function, how do they shop (online or at | | | | basic name and email address, think of including one |
| stores), where do they shop, what they read, | | | | or two other demographic questions. These |
| website do they visit, etc. | | | | questions should be well thought out to provide you |
| 2. Analyze your competition. Take some time to find | | | | with information you can leverage for future |
| out what your competitors are doing to generate | | | | campaigns.b. In addition to the demographic |
| leads. If they have an e-newsletter, be sure to sign | | | | questions, your form should include a check box |
| up to receive it. This will help you find out what type | | | | giving people the option to opt-in to receive |
| of promotions they are running, any marketing | | | | information about your company and future |
| alliances they have formed, and how they are | | | | promotions. According to the CAN-SPAM Act, if |
| positioning their product or service. Then take some | | | | people do not explicitly say that they would like to |
| time to find out which websites and / or magazines | | | | receive emails from you in the future, it is unlawful to |
| they advertising in, whether they are running PPC | | | | send them commercial marketing emails.c. If you do |
| campaigns and if so which key words they using, etc. | | | | not currently have a way to capture leads, an easy |
| Most of this can be accomplished with simple web | | | | way to do this is by signing up for a web-based email |
| searches. | | | | marketing software. All of them will provide you with |
| 3. Reach your best customer. Once you've created | | | | both the lead capture form and a database to house |
| your customer profile(s) and finished your | | | | the acquired leads. They all provide you with the |
| competitive analysis, you are ready to develop your | | | | ability to download your list as well, so you can |
| lead generation strategy. Your strategy can include | | | | upload the new leads into your main database. Some |
| initiatives such as: banner ads on websites that your | | | | are quite inexpensive with a monthly cost as low as |
| target audience visits, PPC campaign using relevant | | | | $19.99. |
| key words, direct mail or email campaigns to | | | | 7. Track your efforts. If you track your lead |
| magazine subscriber opt-in lists, etc. You can also | | | | generation efforts, you will be able to pinpoint which |
| approach other products or service providers for | | | | initiatives are working the best and focus more of |
| co-promotions or mutually beneficial partners. If you | | | | your energy on those. You might decide that others |
| have time to dedicate to creating editorial content, | | | | aren't worth your time. Easy ways to track your |
| two other great lead generation and PR strategies | | | | initiatives are:a. Web Analytics: sign up for a free |
| are starting a blog or an e-newsletter. | | | | Google Analytics account. This will enable you to |
| 4. Your offer is everything! You must create an | | | | track how many people are visiting each page on |
| intriguing offer that will prompt recipients to willingly | | | | your site and which campaign they are coming |
| give you their information in exchange for something | | | | from.b. In your lead capture form, include one |
| they want. Your offer should be something of great | | | | questions asking people how they heard about you |
| interest to your target audience. For instance, you | | | | with a drop down menu where customers can select |
| might send an email introducing your company to a | | | | from a list of your current marketing initiatives.c. |
| magazine subscriber opt-in list that you believe your | | | | Landing Pages: make sure you have a separate |
| target audience reads. By including a free | | | | landing page for each marketing initiative. Each email, |
| downloadable document such as an industry salary | | | | banner and PPC ad should have its own landing page |
| guide, a list of the hottest bars in town, or a best | | | | so you can track page visits to these dedicated |
| practices whitepaper, you will be able to capture | | | | pages with your Analytics account. d. Dedicated 800 |
| contact and demographic information for many of | | | | numbers: There are services that will provide you |
| the recipients. Another approach is to ask them to | | | | with a range of 800 numbers that redirect to your |
| answer a few short questions in exchange for movie | | | | main phone number. Including a dedicated 800 |
| tickets or some other premium. Once you've | | | | number on each landing page will enable you to |
| captured their information and they've opted-in to | | | | associate each call with a specific campaign. |
| your database, you will be able to continue | | | | Remember, even if are accurately targeting your |
| communicating with that lead on an ongoing basis. | | | | best customer, your campaign will only be a success |
| 5. Create a landing page. It is extremely important to | | | | if you get them to act on your offer and opt-in to |
| guide the campaign recipient through the entire | | | | your database. Be sure to spend enough time tailoring |
| process. By creating a landing page on your website | | | | your message and offer to the people who will |
| that mirrors your campaign's message / offer both | | | | receive your campaign. |
| from a design and copy perspective, you will | | | | |