It goes without saying that the underlying objective of any company is to generate sales. But, before you can make a sale, you need to generate leads. That’s what makes a sound lead generation strategy so important.
There are plenty of methods, approaches, and techniques when it comes to lead generation strategy, and what works for one business doesn’t necessarily work for another. Yet, there’s one common factor that underpins them all: a well-considered content marketing strategy.
That’s because, no matter your business model, content is the only sure way to connect with your target audience. When it comes to being found online, content truly is king.
Content Marketing Generates Leads
They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Well, in the case of content marketing, the proof of the lead generation potential is in the statistics! For example:
- Companies who post content consistently are known to generate 67% more leads than companies who do not. (Hubspot, 2010).
- Businesses who prioritise their blogging efforts are 13 times more likely to see a positive return on investment. (Hubspot, 2019).
- Content marketing gets three times more leads than paid search advertising. (Content Marketing Institute, 2017).
You read that last point correctly: when executed well, content marketing significantly outperforms paid advertising in producing leads for your business.
Content Marketing Makes You Visible
It’s clear that content marketing is a powerful tool in your business’s lead generation kit. But, you might be left wondering: “What good is effective content marketing if I can’t be found online in the first place?”
The answer is simple: content marketing doesn’t just reach customers who have already found your website or social media channels. Rather, it is by far the most successful means of making your business visible to new prospects.
If you find yourself asking how to get found on Google, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, the answer is always the same: a consistent, high-quality content strategy.
That’s because the content-surfacing algorithms used by such platforms aim to connect their users with high-value content. As a result, you need a content marketing plan that considers the best way of delivering real value to your audience.
If you can develop a content marketing plan that meets your customers’ need for value, you are well on your way to establishing their trust and influencing them to try your product, subscribe to your service, or complete whatever inciting action is vital to your business model.
How to Plan Content that Generates Leads
So, how can you start producing high-quality, valuable content that gets your business found online and establishes trust with your audience?
Inbound marketing — marketing designed to draw prospects in, rather than pushing outwardly via promoted channels — is fast becoming the most fruitful method of generating sales leads without cold calling or other, more aggressive sales tactics.
The first step in a successful content marketing plan is to understand your audience. This is an absolute necessity, and should be done before any content is created.
That’s because you need to understand where your potential customers are in order to target the channels they visit most. Further, you need to know as much as possible about your prospects to ensure the content you produce is centred on their needs — and therefore primed to provide them with the most value. Remember, offering value to potential customers is the only real way to build their trust and influence their decision-making journey.
Once you’ve researched your audience, you can begin to plan a schedule of regular content releases that address their needs and provide real value.
This is where your company’s expertise comes into play. Your content should help customers solve their problems and provide them with valuable insight. Before long, you’ll become their go-to resource, having established your company as an authority in its field. That’s what will ultimately give your prospects the confidence they need to buy into your products and services.
At Prize Content, we conduct extensive market research for our clients. Then, we take their expertise and distil it into an ongoing series of high-value content that establishes trust and authority, drives customer engagement, and nurtures leads through the decision-making process.
Your business could be generating more leads through content marketing. Find out how by speaking to Prize Content today.
