NicholeIf you’re trying to get more business load leads, there are plenty of different ways to do it! Here are 5 proven methods that will make your business stand out from the competition and bring you loads of new business quickly.
1) Advertise in Trade Journals
Trade journals are a great place to get your business noticed by other companies in your industry. These journals serve as both a way-finding resource for companies, and a means of advertisement for organizations. Trade journal ads are typically one page long, with the company logo at the top, contact information at the bottom, and two middle columns for text. The cost of trade journal ads varies depending on how many words you want to use and how often you want them published: Monthly costs start around $1200, quarterly from $4000-$5000, and yearly from $8500+.
Along with trade journals, online local business directories can be a great place to find potential clients. Although these listings may not generate as many leads as advertising in industry-specific publications, they are more cost-effective and will allow you to reach a broader audience. These websites also work like a yellow pages directory: users can search for companies by name or category and even get driving directions if needed. The majority of local business directories offer a free basic listing option, which may include your company description, address and phone number. Some even provide photo space or videos so that potential customers can learn more about your organization before contacting you.
2) Attend Local Meetings
The most effective way to get more business leads is by going out into the world and talking with potential customers. Networking events, conferences, trade shows and conventions are all excellent places to meet new people who might be interested in your services. Some events also have contests where you can find new contacts as well. It’s important not only that you attend these types of events but also to maintain contact with people after they leave.
The easiest way to do so is by collecting email addresses. Attendees at networking events typically don’t have time to talk in-depth with everyone there, but if you get an email address, you can send them a short follow-up later. Ask for their business card and make sure you have their full name and business information on it as well. Finally, ask if they’re open to receiving emails from you about your services, perhaps offering a free report or coupon in exchange for their contact information.
The exchange of business cards could also help. Once you’ve exchanged business cards, follow up with a phone call or email soon after. At conferences and events, people are often looking for extra contacts, so make sure you have something to offer right away. Ask if they have time for a brief discussion over coffee or lunch, where you can tell them about your business and make a real connection. If you have useful information to offer right away like coupons or a report, do so; it will help make up their mind in your favor. These initial discussions aren’t meant to be highly formal—they’re just an opportunity for each person to learn more about who each other is and how they might be able to help one another.
3) Place Ads Online
One of the most important things to do when you want more leads is to place ads online. This will increase your online exposure which in turn increases your chances of getting loads of traffic. By buying an ad on one of the larger web sites, like Facebook, or even a smaller niche site where people might be more interested in your type of business, you can generate lots of hits and increase your visibility for free. Remember that online advertising is about reaching as many people as possible with a single ad and with as few ads as possible.
4) Grow Your Email List
If you want more load leads, then you should focus on growing your email list. Collecting contact information from your customers can only get you so far, because, for the most part, people will only buy from people they know and trust. It may seem counterintuitive at first glance to offer something valuable in exchange for someone’s contact information, but it really isn’t. Why? Think about this: You know when someone is interested in a product or service because they reached out to find out more information about it. You are going to do all of the hard work by reaching out and contacting them with something worth their time and giving them the opportunity to get what they want in return.
5) Grow Your Social Media Following
- Set up social media profiles on all the major platforms that your target customer is using, and then build a schedule for consistent posting.
- Comment on the posts of other influencers in your industry with a useful insight or questions in an attempt to get them to follow you back.
- Offer to do free work for influential bloggers and brands in exchange for either inclusion of their posts into your feeds, mention on their channels, or reposting of one of your blog articles with a link back to you.
- Turn likes into followers by paying Instagram users who are likely to have the same following as you to like your post. For example, if you have 10k followers and someone offers 100 likes for $10, it would be worth it!
- Join Facebook groups related to your business niche and share valuable information. The more time you spend helping others, the more people will want to help you out when they need something.
Nichole
