ideas on generating leads

[trixyben]

I am due to start my new business (renewable energy solar, boilers etc) soon and am looking ideas at ideas on generating leads, i am thinking mailshots, lealet drops, store stands etc Just curious to know how some o you generate your leads.

any ideas

 

[CoaterMark]

I've heard solar gets quite a few leads from the internet.

Could try canvassing for it, I know some solar companies do it. If you're new to that side of things I'm quite happy to pm you a script.

 

[Leap Frog Data]

I will send you a solar script that qualifies and confirms an appointment from a cold call.
Dont waste money on internet generated leads.
Get data that is :
Homeowner
Interested in Green Products
Has a disposable Income that could afford Solar
Wants someone to call them regarding solar

Specify your target market----
It saves time and money

Kenny
01244 428 536

 

[RobinJames]

i have to disagree with you Leap Frog...

You must not ignore the power of online advertising. Make sure your website is good quality and you will attract enquiries - these are a lot easier to sell to than cold calling.

 

[ktrott83]

Hi

If you want to target people who have expressed an interest in solar energy, I might be able to source some data for you. Pm me to let me know if you need anything.

Kirsty

 

[curtisr0213]

i usually target people between 60-80 years old (anyone younger is at work when we call or don't have a job so no money or they wont think of it as a worthwhile investment seeing as they will probably move before the return is made) (that can be argued that they could have it they can see a return and when they sell up they make most of thier money back just from that)

• they own thier own home
• have downsized or decided to stay in thier property
• have a life saving probably a cash isa (you can use the feed in tariff return against the isa return)

• Internet Leads are direct to people interested in them but have to find that site, while telephone canvassing is direct to everyone that is perfect for solar energy if you have the right data and technique.

Hopefully that helps and/or makes sense

 

[Matt121]

You can try cold calling. If you have a targeted contact list then you can try contacting decision makers through the phone.

 

[webgeek]

Dont waste money on internet generated leads.

LOL! How about, don't waste money on buying lists and hiring telemarketers....?

There's rarely a case of telemarketing outperforming organic search marketing in terms of longevity and long-term ROI. It keeps delivering even after the SEO has ceased.

Pay Per Click can vary, depending on the product/service and sector, but is faster at generating results than telemarketing, can be finely regulated in terms of cost and rate of lead flow and has much less overhead.

What about email instead of tele? The cost per contact is much lower, ability to deliver in quantity is much greater, and it can leverage remarketing in being followed with PPC campaigns.

Ignoring online marketing is great, if your from the pleistocene era.

 

[CarlBowen]

Good old door knockers work well for home improvements as does having displays on market stalls etc. DON'T dismiss internet leads you can always pre-qualify them

 

[bizrep103]

Door knocking people's houses is intrusive doesn't work with most people. The previous persons comment about only targeting people 60-80 proves my point. Its an uneducated brute force approach to sales and there are far better ways of going about it.
Dropping well crafted leaflets with call to action is fine. The only way to build this type of business up with longevity is to create a network of referrers. This could be anything from garden centres to house improvement type firms with trade counters. You could leave POS material with those businesses and even offer financial kickbacks to incentivise.
In this instance where you have a clearly defined target market then cold calling is acceptable.
Actually knocking on someone's door and not even bothering to spend the few pence it would cost to post a leaflet smacks of bottom feeding.
Any business who knocks my door out of the blue is immediately associated with poor customer service, weak product that they need to do that and lack of respect. You get the picture no door knocking lol.

 

[eventdomain]

You want to ensure you'll be found in the most effective way possible for your cash - and that means the internet.

Everybody uses the web now, that means you at least need a website to showcase what you do, to drive enquiries and capture customer data.

You need without question:

1. A Website to capture the customer/sell services
2. Separate blog - to make regular content for SEO/Sales purposes
3. Website links, related content and SEO keywords
4. Targeted advertising on reasonably priced portals and verticals
5. Local media coverage
6. Twitter content
7. Banner exchanges (UK ones)
8. Get some link swaps going
9. Newsletter advertising (Others newsletters)
10. Set up your own newsletter as a marketing tool


Apart from SEO/Website, most of the above can be done quite cheaply eg:

Very Basic Website - £500 to £1500 depending on wants/needs etc

Blog - £200

Content - Free

Link swaps - Free

Banner exchanges - Free

Press coverage - Free

Own newsletter marketing - Free

Twitter - Free

 

Door knocking people's houses is intrusive doesn't work with most people. The previous persons comment about only targeting people 60-80 proves my point. Its an uneducated brute force approach to sales and there are far better ways of going about it.

Agree to a point

Dropping well crafted leaflets with call to action is fine

Nope they go in the bin unless you are 60 to 80 !

. The only way to build this type of business up with longevity is to create a network of referrers.

One way? The ONLY way? That is ridiculous, its your approach perhaps but its a growing market, there are many ways

This could be anything from garden centres to house improvement type firms with trade counters. You could leave POS material with those businesses and even offer financial kickbacks to incentivise.

You HAVE to leave financial incentives, otherwise nothing will happen

In this instance where you have a clearly defined target market then cold calling is acceptable.

Yes, people without this technology


Actually knocking on someone's door and not even bothering to spend the few pence it would cost to post a leaflet smacks of bottom feeding.

Posting leaflets instead of knocking on the door smacks of lazy sit on your ass and hope people ring you!

Any business who knocks my door out of the blue is immediately associated with poor customer service, weak product that they need to do that and lack of respect. You get the picture no door knocking lol.

Total rubbish, door knocking works, there is a reason why companies do it!

Everyone seems to post from what they do and not what you should do


Leaflets
some door knocks
some calls
referalls
seo
contra marketing agreements

Do everything!

Have door knockers leaflet areas, then follow up with a call

Referals are a no brainer and obviously you build a network

Telesales guy says.. do telesales
Printer says ... print leaflets
Doorcanvasser... Knock doors
SEO guy... do seo


Do them all within your budget and have them work for you in more than one way.. i.e. the doorknockers leaflet an area that has their code on it, so that they get dolla when the telecanvassers follow up... its well written and happy customers refer you, with an incentive and a greater one that leads to a contra marketing deal.

Or pray... ahahah..

Back to Ryder cup

 

[webgeek]

Sorry, but the 'SEO guy' was merely pointing out the obviously bad advice about ignoring internet leads.

I'd love to hear some ROI figures on telemarketing, flier drops and other forms of marketing - but they're so rarely shared that baseline data seems pretty hard to come buy.

Organic SEO is easily forecast. PPC even easier. Email is a bit harder, but still is a multi billion Pound industry so it has some decent numbers to go by.

The bottom line is: ignore anyone who tells you that internet leads are worthless

 

Not meaning YOU as the SEO guy i meant everyone is selling their own angle! You need to attack it from all sides..

 

[DavidAshdown]

I agree with extremeld, still nothing wrong with good old fashioned ways. The internet is not the ONLY source of leads and in today's climate, every angle needs pursuing.

 

[webgeek]

Unless you're on an unlimited marketing budget, you can't afford to try everything. All angles = too expensive.

Focus on something with high ROI. Do it and do it well = go deep!

 

[DavidAshdown]

All advertising and promotion is expensive, its how you manage it.

 

[CallboxInc]

I suggest you pair online advertising with telemarketing, or email marketing with telemarketing. The good thing about online marketing is that it is affordable but it usually takes time, so it is best that you partner it with telemarketing as a follow up medium.

 

[Storage King]

Leaflets drops and direct mail are a good starting point, however you do need to do a lot of them to get results.

I would get involved in anything local such as networking groups and exhibitions.

Depending on who your target market is, you could give talks to local groups such as the Womens Institute etc.

Free adverts on Gumtree can also bring in a small amount of leads, but you need to place ads on regular basis.

 

[CallboxInc]

Online marketing, make sure that you are visible online. Then do email marketing and pair it up with telemarketing. By doing so, you can maximize the your target.

 

[r2b2]

It is the way to go...SEO..I am big believer of that. Even with google updating its algorhythm you can still count on it.. Just be careful though

 

[r2b2]

You want to ensure you'll be found in the most effective way possible for your cash - and that means the internet.

Everybody uses the web now, that means you at least need a website to showcase what you do, to drive enquiries and capture customer data.

You need without question:

1. A Website to capture the customer/sell services
2. Separate blog - to make regular content for SEO/Sales purposes
3. Website links, related content and SEO keywords
4. Targeted advertising on reasonably priced portals and verticals
5. Local media coverage
6. Twitter content
7. Banner exchanges (UK ones)
8. Get some link swaps going
9. Newsletter advertising (Others newsletters)
10. Set up your own newsletter as a marketing tool


Apart from SEO/Website, most of the above can be done quite cheaply eg:

Very Basic Website - £500 to £1500 depending on wants/needs etc

Blog - £200

Content - Free

Link swaps - Free

Banner exchanges - Free

Press coverage - Free

Own newsletter marketing - Free

Twitter - Free

one has to be careful with link swaps though..if not done with the right website, it could cause more harm than benefit...so make sure that the website you link swap with has a similar target market as yours.

Seo sounds overwhelming but is really not...just need patience

 

[eventdomain]

No - its just better to link with related/targeted websites than any old thing, which is a mistake many make.

Its better for conversion of those visitors.

 

[webgeek]

When you say free, you actually mean the business owner has to spend their time doing those things instead of running the business and doing the meet 'n' greet thing in gaining community exposure.

Time is money, no matter how you stack it up...