What are the best lead generation strategies for startups? New companies need to make sure that they get the word out and bring customers in. There are ways to do that which have a track record of success across industries. A startup’s long-term viability depends on using those methods right away. They won’t give instant results, but it’s important to build the momentum right from the get-go. These successful lead generation methods center around providing valuable content. That means content that informs and interests your prospects.
Use A Variety of Content Types to Provide Options
The last few years have seen a shift in the types of content that companies are most likely to produce. it used to be that everything you would find on a website was text-based. That was mostly because of the simple limitations of the Internet at the time. With the rise of mobile browsing, Wi-Fi, and 4G Networks, those limitations no longer matter.
The best lead generation strategies for startups call for presenting a variety of content across many platforms. That means not only providing information on your company’s website, but also on other websites. That means using social media. It means not only are you sharing documents and images, but also video and audio content.
Video’s Exponential Power
Many of your potential customers are looking for more detailed information about ways to solve their problems. The old saying goes that a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s more of an artistic principle than a scientific one. Let’s run with it, though, because there’s definitely an element of truth in it. By that metric, a picture can convey information thousands of times faster than words.
Extrapolate that into a video. At thousands of pictures per minute, you’re able to provide millions of times more information with video. Not every customer wants that much information that fast. Those who do find it useful and convincing, though.
The Efficiency of Audio
Also, consider the value of long-form audio content, such as podcasts and audiobooks. The advantage of audio content is that listeners don’t have to devote their complete attention to it. You can’t read or watch a video while driving, or while doing the dishes. But you can listen to a radio interview or a podcast. By providing audio content, you enable your prospects to increase their own efficiency. It’s a way to instantly add value to their lives, which increases their engagement with your brand.
There is a connection between these different content types and lead generation. You’re giving customers and prospects what they want! Having access to the information they need about your company and your solutions, they can make decisions about whether to buy. Providing this content for free will draw in many organic leads. Putting it behind simple opt-in forms also allows you to gather much more information to help you reach out to them.
Optimize Content To Prevent Information Overload
One of the great drawbacks of the information age is the problem of information overload. It may seem that providing many different types of content would worsen that problem. The trick to avoid that is to produce your content in very specific ways and to organize the way you present it. The best lead generation strategies for startups sit behind simple landing pages, and they’re based on the principle of recycling your content.
Website Design
You want to make sure that your web design is as streamlined as possible. What you provide should be obvious from the instant somebody visits your page. Older websites used to be very cluttered, full of information and links. You still need that, but you can organize it into coherent menus with a logical structure. Make sure that specific links to each type of content are visible: blogs, videos, podcasts, and more!
Downloadable PDFs and ebooks can have a specific section, too. Those can also be offered via landing pages and pop-ups. You might not like the idea of using pop-ups if you’re familiar with what the early age of advertising on the internet was like in the 90s. There are much better ways to use that technique now, though, and they’re worth looking into.
Content Recycling
The other important way to avoid the problem of information overload is to provide a variety of formats that say the same basic things. For example, say you make a video of your CEO talking about common issues in the industry you serve. From that one video, you can derive dozens of different types of content.
You can edit the video itself, and cut it down into shorter segments. You can isolate the audio and turn that into a podcast. Transcriptions of the video can become PDFs or topics for dozens of blog posts. The possibilities are limited only by the imagination, but it’s all the same information! You present it in different ways for the benefit of different prospects. Rather than overloading them with too much information, you reinforce the right information.
Even the Best Lead Generation Strategies for Startups Need Confirmation
The strategies we’ve discussed are particular tactics you can use within your organization. It’s not likely, though, that they will provide instant results. Building an audience takes time. Although these are the best lead generation strategies for startups to pursue, new companies still need as many leads as they can get, as fast as possible.
The trouble is that leads from non-organic sources can be of risky quality. You never quite know what you’re going to get when you buy a list unless it has been pre-qualified. That, of course, is exactly what Smart Funnel does. For the benefit of our customers that need lots of leads fast, we get lists of contact information and verify their accuracy and relevance. Once we hand them over to you and your sales teams, you can be confident in your investment. Contact us today for the jump start you need while you ramp up your own lead generation strategies!
