5 Effective Lead Generation Tactics That Brought Us Results

Generating quality leads is crucial for running a successful B2B business. So, what lead generation tactics can truly bring results? In our journey as a growing business, we've experimented with various strategies. What worked? What didn't? Here are some insights, lessons learned, and effective lead generation tactics we discovered.

Why did LinkedIn Pulse articles not generate leads?

We used to publish articles on LinkedIn Pulse frequently. However, they didn’t perform as well for generating leads. Instead, they promoted Top of Funnel engagement. So, how do they function? As noted by marketing expert Mark Ritson, effective marketing is 60% long-term and 40% short-term. Thus, these articles helped boost our brand over time.

But were they effective for lead generation? Not necessarily. They significantly increased our brand awareness, boasting an average of 87 likes, 46 comments, and over 6,000 post views.

Key takeaway: If your goal leans towards immediate leads, this method might not be your best choice.

How did PR contribute to lead generation?

Public relations, particularly through press releases and editorials, significantly contributed to our lead generation efforts. Have you ever noticed how articles in reputable publications can drive traffic? Getting featured in a well-known local publication can result in a surge of website visitors.

In fact, we experimented with both free and paid publication methods. What were the results?

What are the pros and cons of newspaper publications?

The ideal scenario involves journalists reaching out to profile your business. The advantages? You gain free publicity based on the publication’s reputation and readership.

However, the downside is a lack of direct website links. We once had an article published in De Tijd which spiked our traffic impressively. But since newspaper sites often lack links back to your website, tracking is tricky.

How does paid publication differ?

With paid publications, you secure a spot and can include trackable links and calls-to-action. Websites like Bloovi and Forbes allow these options. The benefits? More leads, better tracking, and generally qualified prospects.

But, the cost is around 30EUR per lead, making it pricier than social media ads.

What are the benefits of influencer lists?

Creating Top Ten lists of business influencers proved effective for us. These lists not only offered visibility to the featured influencers but also drove substantial traffic to our site. People love being recognised, and these lists generate buzz and engagement.

In late 2019, we began highlighting influencers’ social media presence through dedicated articles. Do you think influencers shared the content? Absolutely! We notified them post-publication, leading to increased visibility.

What were the pros and cons?

Creating the lists took minimal time and resulted in 5x the reach and visits of typical posts. However, while traffic surged, not all leads were high quality. We found that many attracted from these lists did not always convert into paying customers.

Why are case study one-pagers effective?

Engaging with our customers has been central to our strategy. We use these interactions to create concise case studies. These one-pagers showcased our work while demonstrating social proof.

On LinkedIn, we ran ads featuring these case studies. This approach not only summarised our value proposition but also encouraged leads and demos.

What worked and what didn’t?

It forced us to hone our value proposition effectively. In less than a page, we outlined our pitch and added social proof, making it a fantastic exercise. However, advertising them alone wasn't ideal as few targeted users understood our services. Targeting those already familiar with our business yielded better results.

What is the value of expert opinion articles?

Producing expert opinion articles can yield lasting benefits. It involves reaching out to industry leaders to ask them meaningful questions. Have you seen the traction such articles can generate? We once featured insights from Seth Godin and Rand Fishkin, which elevated our credibility.

What are the advantages and disadvantages?

This method ensures content is reliable and backs it with authoritative voices. However, bear in mind, such articles resonate more for organic traffic rather than rapid lead generation.

How did witty LinkedIn ads perform?

We took a different route with our LinkedIn ads by injecting humour. Instead of traditional functional ads, we focused on engaging one-liners to communicate our value.

Did this approach succeed? Yes! We received significant engagement, with comments praising our creativity. These ads led to a fourfold increase in visibility and triple the usual clicks.

Are there risks?

While many enjoyed the humour, others may perceive it as unprofessional. If you’re targeting a more traditional audience, consider a factual approach.

What lessons did we learn from creating an e-book?

Creating a valuable resource like an e-book has been a priority for us. It needed to resonate with our audience and offer genuine insights. We produced our e-book Win on Social Media and launched a campaign around it.

This resource combined many previous strategies. We included numerous examples and engaging language while leveraging past successes.

What were the pros and cons of the e-book?

Being able to say, "we wrote the book on that" certainly adds authority. If your lead magnet accurately reflects the audience's inquiry, leads are generally well qualified.

However, it’s essential that the e-book meet expectations. If it fails to deliver, potential leads can feel misled. Ensuring we created genuine value was our only significant challenge.