Lead management: the self-directed buyer

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Lead management has faced big changes in the past ten years. The rise of the self-directed, knowledgeable buyer has forced marketers to focus less on blanket outreach campaigns and more on getting discovered by consumers who are looking for answers. This can be challenging, but the most successful marketers have no problem. They rely on a smart, integrated approach to demand generation and inbound marketing.

Here are five ways to help leads find you:

1. Get comfortable with SEO.

Using Search Engine Optimization effectively is one of the best ways to attract organic leads. SEO evolves quickly and often, so make it a priority to stay on top of the latest developments and maximize your potential. When consumers have a problem, the internet is usually the first place they turn. You should be ready.

2. Invest in content.

Make sure your company has a great content strategy, and trust it to fuel your inbound marketing efforts. If you want leads to stumble upon you when solving a problem, focus on content that provides value to their lives. Answer their questions before they even ask.

3. Go visual.

Our culture is visual. Put a priority on design, and make sure your content is outfitted with a clickable, shareable graphic. This will drive traffic to your site and get more people talking about your product.

4. Provide education.

Take your content production one step further. When consumers search for answers, they often look to videos, tutorials and webinars for help. Decide which issues are your specialty, and develop educational content to address them. Depending on your niche, you might consider SlideShare, YouTube, podcasts or eBooks as your next step.

5. Think value.

In everything you do, think value. Adding value to your community’s lives will generate word of mouth advertising, and more leads will discover you. Whether it’s your website or your next email campaign, value is key. Make it your top priority, even if it takes greater investments of time and money to make it happen.

What tips do you have for getting discovered by leads? Please share below!

Image via (cc) gerlos

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