Lead technology is the number one challenge for entrepreneurs right now. Thousands and thousands of free assets are competing on your viewers’s consideration, and clients are rapidly catching on to the truth that most of those “Final Guides to Such-And-Such” aren’t actually price giving up their private info for.
Jessica Meher, CEO and Co-Founding father of Wonderment, put it rather well on Twitter:
So many #SaaS corporations right now produce the identical content material mktg formulation as they did 10 years in the past.
E.g. ebooks on “the whole information to X” or weblog posts on “5 explanation why.” and so on.
This shit works, till it doesn’t. Now’s an excellent time to invent the brand new e-book. Get artistic.
— Jessica Meher (@jessicameher) February 6, 2018
To generate leads, you want greater than high quality lead magnets and optimized lead gen landing pages. You’ll want to suppose outdoors the field. Strive one thing somewhat bit totally different. Perhaps even somewhat bit… experimental.
So: How do you give you really nice concepts for lead technology campaigns?
We talked to a number of the legendary entrepreneurs working right now and requested them to share their most artistic lead gen examples. And consider me—these of us wanted fairly a little bit of convincing to spill their most helpful and attention-grabbing concepts.
However we acquired ‘em right here for you: 10 distinctive examples lifted straight from the key advertising playbooks of the professionals. Use these concepts as inspiration on your subsequent lead gen marketing campaign. Or, simply hold them helpful for the following time you wish to strive one thing extra attention-grabbing than creating one other e-book or webinar.
Prepared? Let’s get cookin’.
Bounce to a artistic lead gen concept:
- Create an interactive tool that generates qualified leads
- Embed lead capture forms directly in video content
- Interview a third-party expert (and embed gated resources)
- Send attention-grabbing direct mail that delights
- Share a customer experience that builds connection
- Generate word-of-mouth leads in online communities
- Promote a personalized template that solves a problem
- Access new audiences with cross-promotion campaigns
- Experiment with new types of content (and act on what works)
- Entertain your audience with a surprising quiz
There’s an excellent motive why so many manufacturers—together with HubSpot, Moz, and, sure, even Unbounce—have invested effort and time to create free instruments. Device-based advertising is fashionable as a result of even easy interactive concepts can gas campaigns that generate boatloads of certified leads.
For instance, Larry Kim, CEO of MobileMonkey, says they developed a Free Keyword Tool for the Wordstream web site. Entrepreneurs may use it to analysis and prioritize new key phrases in only a few minutes.
And whereas growing an interactive lead magnet may look like lots of work (you most likely want somebody who is aware of find out how to code), Larry says they have been in a position to generate an enormous variety of leads because of this.
Right here’s how the device works. You begin out by getting into a key phrase or web site URL that you just’re concerned with analyzing. To hone the outcomes, you may as well select the trade and nation you wish to deal with.
What makes this device significantly intelligent is the way in which it shows the outcomes. Hit the “Search” button, and also you’ll immediately be capable of see a number of the associated key phrases. However all the opposite info? It’s hidden, blurred out, or obscured indirectly.
This neatly creates a curiosity hole for guests, who really feel like they’ve already began the method of doing analysis on their key phrase. All they should do is take one teeny-tiny additional step to get their outcomes.
That ultimate step? You gotta hand over your e-mail tackle. Increase, lead generated. And as Larry reviews, it’s develop into a near-bottomless supply of recent leads:
This easy device took simply 3 months to construct, but has generated over 1,000,000 e-mail signups.
However bear in mind: Even a easy device might be costly to create. When contemplating your tool-based advertising concept, be certain it’s one thing your viewers will discover worth in—earlier than you begin constructing.
2. Embed lead seize types straight in video content material
Do you have to be gating your finest content material?
I consider it was ol’ Billy Shakespeare who as soon as wrote: “To gate or to not gate? That’s the query. Whether or not ’tis nobler within the thoughts to undergo the slings and arrows of outrageous web site visitors, or ask for an e-mail tackle in opposition to a sea of troubles…”
Sooner or later, each marketer faces this dilemma. You may have an incredible piece of content material—now are you going to offer it away free of charge as a option to entice natural visitors? Or do you gate the content material and use it as a lead gen magnet?
Cara Hogan, then Content material Strategist for Zaius (acquired by Optimizely), thought of these choices and requested—why not each?
For his or her Advertising and marketing Unboxed video collection, Cara says they took a hybrid method to gating their content material. Reasonably than lock all the pieces behind a kind, they embedded types into every video—and it’s an important instance of artistic lead technology.
We created the Advertising and marketing Unboxed video collection as a top-of-funnel piece of content material designed to have interaction our target market of B2C and commerce entrepreneurs. By together with a lead gen kind throughout the video itself, we encourage individuals to subscribe, however we don’t require it.
The types draw simply the correct amount of your consideration, with out being too distracting. It slides off the video if you happen to transfer your mouse off the display screen, however then pops again on everytime you come again. All in all, it’s a really tasteful lead-generating marketing campaign that Cara says has pushed some critical outcomes.
We’ve generated lots of of internet new leads from this video collection up to now. We’ve solely printed 10 complete episodes, and older episodes proceed to earn subscribers over time. A few of these subscribers have since been nurtured to develop into new Zaius clients.
3. Interview a third-party professional (and embed gated assets)
For a lot of manufacturers, constant running a blog is a key supply of lead technology. Each time you set out an article, it’s a possibility for somebody new to go to your website, uncover your product or companies, and decide in for extra communications.
However you don’t have to create all of that content material by yourself. Interviewing consultants in your discipline (kinda like we did for this text) and sharing their recommendation or perspective generally is a incredible approach to usher in new audiences.
Take, for instance, this lead gen instance delivered to us by Aaron Orendorff, beforehand the Editor in Chief of Shopify Plus. To assist Shopify rank for some worthwhile key phrases—akin to “ecommerce replatforming”— Aaron interviewed a high-profile expert within the trade.
Aaron says it’s the standard of the interview that makes this lead gen instance work.
Reasonably than a heavy-handed gross sales pitch, the piece is an interview with Paul Rogers—one of many brightest and most revered leaders in ecommerce … That objectivity—and framing the article as an sincere dialog a couple of ‘soiled phrase’—is highlighted all through.
However wait—how do you truly generate leads with an interview or weblog put up? Aaron defined that they peppered the article with three separate lead gen CTAs (including an Unbounce popup) to current guests with downloadable content material associated to the subject of the interview.
It goes to indicate: Any piece of content material can develop into a lead magnet, as long as you’re providing actual worth to your viewers.
4. Ship attention-grabbing junk mail that delights
Junk mail may look like an old-school advertising tactic—however that’s precisely what makes it so darned attention-grabbing for lead technology. Why not focus your efforts on a smaller buyer phase, and put collectively packages that basically get them to take a seat up and take discover?
For instance, take a look at these direct mailers that Hero Conf despatched out to advertise their PPC advertising convention. The occasion organizers used an excellent artistic method to get the eye of entrepreneurs like Casie Gillette, SVP of Digital Advertising and marketing at KoMarketing:
Oh man. @heroconf this is without doubt one of the coolest items of junk mail I’ve ever acquired! Who knew video may very well be so superb in such a small bundle? 👏 pic.twitter.com/aQnlV2y71G
— Casie Gillette (@Casieg) January 31, 2019
Each bit of mail embedded a small video display screen to indicate clips of the presenters who could be talking at Hero Conf. And whereas these will need to have price a good bit greater than a typical occasion brochure, Casie says the distinctive packaging actually helped to win her over.
What acquired me was if you happen to performed the video to the top, they’d a free ticket provide—you simply had to reply to the e-mail they’d despatched earlier … By putting the provide on the finish, solely those that watched the video throughout would study in regards to the provide. A extremely cool option to seize consideration.
Positive, this isn’t precisely a lead technology instance, however the identical rules apply. If you join along with your viewers in pleasant and sudden methods, they discover—they usually’re extra prone to have interaction with you, too.
5. Share a buyer expertise that builds connection
Making a connection along with your viewers is essential to efficient lead technology. Of us have to belief you earlier than they’re gonna hand over their contact info. And top-of-the-line methods to construct belief is with social proof, like buyer testimonials and optimistic critiques.
Andrew Davis, best-selling author and keynote speaker, has pointed out that almost all video testimonials are fairly dry. They’re often simply lots of speaking heads, with nervous clients babbling on about all of the explanation why they like some advertising model. They don’t really feel genuine.
However there’s additionally a unique kind of video testimonial—one that truly tells the full buyer story. And though these might be tougher to provide, they will additionally serve up a unique kind of oblique lead technology for what you are promoting.
For example, Andrew suggests watching this video on YouTube that not too long ago went viral: Vance’s Incredible 365-day Transformation. The video now has over 100 million views and 120,000 feedback on YouTube.
Not like different video testimonials, this buyer story is shot in real-time. It’s compelling, it’s emotional—and it doesn’t have a single name to motion.
As a substitute, Vance mentions all through the video the food regimen and train program he’s utilizing to drop a few pounds. The references begin out refined, however finally develop into a most important focus of the video. Andrew calls this an “implied CTA” that generates leads by inspiring viewers to take the following step.
An awesome testimonial video wants no name to motion. It truly ought to create a second that conjures up individuals to do the following search … It doesn’t want a button, it simply invitations people who find themselves so impressed to truly take a look at the following step of the product.
If you wish to do this for your self, all that you must do is begin fascinated about how one can body your buyer tales extra like, effectively, tales. Join with viewers on a private or emotional degree, and tease out the outcomes in order that they get curious to study extra. Then, when it comes time to ask them for one thing (like an e-mail tackle), they’re much more prone to say sure.
6. Generate word-of-mouth leads in on-line communities
For freelancers, consultants, and smaller advertising companies, you may need to take a barely totally different method to guide technology. Whilst you can nonetheless construct lists utilizing lead magnets in your web site and touchdown pages, lots of your success will even come from phrase of mouth and social interactions.
For instance, Nichole Elizabeth DeMeré, B2B SaaS Consultant, says their go-to lead technology technique has been to construct honest connections with different individuals in each on-line and offline advertising communities.
Being an energetic member of my favourite communities has led me to obtain leads from different members, as a result of I’m demonstrating experience in that area.
Nichole says that being an energetic group member on web sites like Growth Hackers has typically led to them turning into part of the staff, chargeable for both group administration or progress.
This can be a mindset shift from conventional lead technology campaigns. As you construct relationships and exhibit experience, individuals will naturally begin to consider you or your organization for future alternatives. The secret is to be genuinely useful and selfless in your interactions, and to attempt to construct precise friendships with different members of the group.
The factor is, ‘getting leads’ was by no means my finish purpose for any of those communities. I used to be simply actively constructing relationships by bringing worth to others.
The fitting template on the precise web page generally is a highly effective device for producing leads. That’s as a result of guests are keen to surrender their private info in alternate for one thing sensible they will truly use.
However whereas conventional templates are often simply generic PDF downloads, Ross Simmonds, digital marketing strategist, says you will get higher outcomes by making a downloadable template that’s extra customized and interactive.
Nearly each viewers loves a template. When you can take into consideration a easy template that arms your viewers with the steps they should take to resolve an issue, it may be an important win. Even higher: Make it an interactive template that provides the consumer the power to obtain it on the finish.
For example, Ross factors in direction of this Free Privacy Policy Generator created by Shopify.
Privateness insurance policies are a kind of issues that ecommerce enterprise homeowners know they want, however most likely don’t have time to create. And whereas Shopify may have given their guests a pattern coverage or directions on find out how to create their very own, as an alternative they determined to go above and past by constructing a customized template generator.
The shape you fill out to generate your privateness coverage serves two functions. Not solely does it assist personalize the template along with your firm information, but it surely additionally lets Shopify observe up meaningfully with each lead that makes use of the device. How cool is that?
The template method is attention-grabbing as a result of there’s a real worth alternate. When you’re providing a template that’s intently aligned along with your services or products it may be each a rewarding consumer expertise and a rewarding lead technology tactic.
If you’re developing with your personal lead technology concepts, take into consideration worth. “What drawback can I resolve for my viewers?”
Positive, you don’t wanna give all the pieces away to get anyone’s contact info—it’d put you outta enterprise. Nevertheless it’s vital to do not forget that producing leads is an alternate of worth along with your viewers. They get one thing, you get one thing. Give and take.
Simply be certain they really feel like they acquired their e-mail’s price.
Cross-promotion isn’t a brand new concept—but it surely’s one thing too few entrepreneurs take into consideration with regards to lead technology.
The laborious half, in fact, is discovering the precise model to companion with. If the opposite firm is just too comparable, then your audiences may already be overlapped. (See additionally: Competitor.) If the opposite firm isn’t comparable sufficient, you then run the chance of selling to individuals who simply don’t care about your model or merchandise.
That is the place a little bit of outside-the-box pondering can come in useful. Britney Muller (previously Senior search engine marketing Scientist at Moz) factors to this significantly intelligent instance of cross-promotion between Hydrate IV Bar and Live Love Lash:
Reasonably than companion with one other well being or health firm for his or her cross-promotion, the entrepreneurs at Hydrate IV Bar determined to strive a unique technique. They considered totally different locations the place their goal clients may be out there to strive an IV bar, and struck up a sensible partnership primarily based on that:
The Hydrate IV Bar staff was sensible in pondering outdoors the field for native lead gen! In what cases are individuals ready of stillness/relaxation the place they might additionally profit from IV remedy? Lash extensions! This cross-marketing has completed very effectively for each companies and seems like an environment friendly use of time for his or her clients.
And the factor is, there are all types of distinctive cross-promotion alternatives out there that entrepreneurs may miss. Let’s say you’re a working shoe firm, for instance. The apparent cross-promotion alternative could be a sports activities retailer, proper? However you might additionally companion with a fitness center or coaching facility, and goal athletes within the locations the place they spend probably the most time. Or, heck—how a couple of canine coaching workshop for folk with energetic puppers?
The great thing about a lead technology marketing campaign that leverages co-marketing is each corporations get publicity to an entire new viewers. Reasonably than focusing on the identical individuals time and again, you’re all of the sudden speaking to plenty who’ve by no means heard of you earlier than—and that may make ’em extra receptive to listening to you out.
9. Experiment with new sorts of content material (and act on what works)
Generally, the most effective lead magnets can develop outta tasks which have little or no to do along with your precise enterprise. When you dig into associated matters, you possibly can uncover complete segments of consumers who in any other case may not have been uncovered to your model or advertising.
And with regards to aspect tasks, Ryan Robinson is a self-described aficionado. As soon as, he launched a public challenge on his weblog to validate a random enterprise concept in beneath 30 days with solely $500.
The undertaking took up lots of Ryan’s time for that month, despite the fact that it was one thing he was doing on the aspect. He figured it could simply be an attention-grabbing option to educate readers on find out how to validate their enterprise concepts, and maybe usher in some new audiences to his weblog. However he was stunned by the variety of leads he was in a position to generate because of this.
I noticed a large surge in visitors throughout my first week of the problem. All through the course of the complete month as I up to date the problem put up, I picked up nearly 3,000 new subscribers on my weblog.
To benefit from all these new leads, Ryan even constructed a brand new course primarily based round his studying.
A pair months after the problem wrapped up, I launched a course about validating concepts to that new viewers … This new group of subscribers that tuned in and stored a detailed eye on my problem have been very certified leads, and that course ended up producing over $15,000 in income throughout simply the primary week of open enrollment.
What do they are saying? “No dangerous concepts in a brainstorm?” Strive approaching lead gen campaigns with the same philosophy. Experiment. Create new sorts of content material, content material on new matters, new content material codecs. You by no means know which one is gonna catch fireplace—and when it does, make sure you’re prepared to gather the… smoke.
(That’s a nasty analogy. Leads. Gather the leads, is what we imply.)
10. Entertain your viewers with a shocking quiz
On-line quizzes have been round for years, however many entrepreneurs nonetheless haven’t found their potential for lead technology. They’re highly effective as a result of they’re so compelling—guests even have enjoyable filling them out, after which get tremendous curious in regards to the outcomes. (“Why sure, I do wish to know which piece of IKEA furnishings finest represents my character… LACK? That is bullshit.”)
To discover a artistic quiz instance, we went to the quizmaster herself, Chanti Zak. Chanti is a quiz funnel strategist and copywriter who makes a speciality of creating quizzes for lead gen, and actually brings a particular aptitude to the quiz creation course of.
For example, she shared this saucy quiz she created to focus on entrepreneurs for Jenna Kutcher’s web site.
The important thing to an important quiz? You’ve acquired to shock and delight guests with each click on, in order that they keep engaged all through the method. Throw them a pair curveballs alongside the way in which, after which hit ‘em with outcomes that talk to their distinctive state of affairs.
The outcomes go deep into what uniquely positions you to create a profitable enterprise. The customized outcomes meet individuals the place they’re at and are deliberately designed to empower them to take motion.
To draw probably the most leads, you’ll wish to create a quiz that speaks on to your model and goal market. For this instance, Chanti created playful questions and solutions that basically get within the headspace of a budding entrepreneur.
When this interactive and customized method is the primary impression somebody has of your model, your possibilities of changing them from onlooker to buyer are exponentially greater than with a generic lead magnet.
And the technique appears to have labored too, with this quiz alone producing over 100,000 leads.
In pondering by your personal lead technology concepts, don’t neglect that leisure is effective, too. Individuals don’t wanna be lectured. (Oh jeez, are we lecturing?) Take into consideration methods you can also make your lead magnet pleasant and interesting. Life’s too critical as it’s—inject somewhat enjoyable into your advertising campaigns, wouldya?
Able to launch extra artistic lead technology campaigns?
In fact, we’re solely scratching the floor with these 10 concepts. There are all types of various methods to generate leads, together with extra tried and true strategies. You would host a webinar, provide a free e-book obtain, run a contest, or purchase advertisements on social media. The alternatives are nearly limitless.
No matter you strive, a very powerful factor to recollect is that this: With a view to generate certified leads, that you must provide up worthwhile content material. Give these top-of-funnel leads one thing that’ll educate, entertain, inform, or encourage. And for the most effective outcomes, be sure you pair your lead magnet with an optimized landing page that drives your guests to take motion.
