The reigning lead generation tools like social media, Google Adwords and email marketing are extremely effective and necessary tools, but they may have to share the spotlight with a few often overlooked, yet highly effective tools that are poised for a surge in 2016:
YouTube:
Depending on your type of business and creative acumen, generating leads within YouTube can literally change your business. The average internet user spends 88% more time on a website with a video. By sharing your videos on YouTube, with an embedded link or annotated form with a link, where the number of people watching each day has increased by 40%, your small business website can effectively use call-to-action strategies to increase leads and subscriptions.
Connect in Person:
Do you offer a product or service that can shine with a live demonstration, or one that increases in value once itโs manually operated? In 2016 you may want to disconnect from the web and host a pop-up shop where your local community can take advantage of the chance to see, feel and use your product or service. Have a bakery? Host a cooking class. Running a daycare? Organize an open house or child development workshop. The options are limitless and the connections, a.k.a. leads, are priceless.
Host a Podcast:
Podcasts are the only medium that allows you to connect with users on the go. Whether your potential lead has a busy lifestyle, or is the consummate multitasker, you can reach them by audio - recording your message and sharing through an RSS feed that they can access anytime. If you compare blogging to podcasting โ iTunes reports 250,000 podcasts in iTunes. That gives you a blogger to podcaster ratio of roughly 1950 to 1. Simply placing a form and call-to-action on your website directing people to your podcast can turn a site user into a lead with just one click and form. This tactic would work especially for a new product or service launch.
Adding these suggestions to your already effective arsenal of lead generation tools can add significant value over the next year.
