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<\/a><\/p>\nIn this guide, I\u2019ll show you what lead generation is, why you need it for your business, how to generate qualified leads, and why inbound lead generation is much more effective than simply buying leads.<\/p>\n
Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n A lead is any person who indicates interest in a company\u2019s product or service.<\/p>\n Leads typically hear from a business or organization after<\/em> opening communication (by submitting personal information for an offer, trial, or subscription) instead of getting a random cold call from someone who purchased their contact information.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s say I take an online survey to learn more about how to take care of my car. A day or so later, I receive an email from the auto company that created the survey. This process is far less intrusive than if they\u2019d just called me out of the blue.<\/p>\n From a business perspective, the information the auto company collects about me from my survey responses helps them personalize that opening communication to address my existing problems.<\/p>\n Leads are part of the lifecycle of transitioning visitors to customers. Not all leads are the same. There are different types of leads based on how they are qualified and what lifecycle stage they\u2019re in.<\/p>\n Marketing-qualified leads<\/a> are contacts who have engaged with your marketing team\u2019s efforts but aren\u2019t ready to receive a sales call. An example of an MQL is a contact who fills out a landing page form for an offer.<\/p>\n Sales-qualified leads<\/a> are contacts who\u2019ve taken actions that expressly indicate their interest in becoming paying customers. An example of an SQL is a contact who fills out a form to ask a question about your product or service.<\/p>\n Product-qualified leads<\/a> are contacts who\u2019ve used your product and taken actions that indicate interest in becoming a paying customer. PQLs typically exist for companies who offer a product trial or a free or limited version of their product with options to upgrade.<\/p>\n An example of a PQL is a customer who uses your free version but asks about paid features.<\/p>\n Service-qualified leads are contacts or customers who\u2019ve indicated to your service team that they\u2019re interested in becoming paying customers.<\/p>\n For example, a customer could tell their customer service representative that they\u2019d like to upgrade their product subscription. At this time, the customer service representative would up-level this customer to the appropriate sales team or representative.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n These lead generators are just a few examples of lead generation strategies you can use to attract potential customers and guide them toward your offers.<\/p>\n Whenever someone outside the marketing world asks me what I do, I can\u2019t simply say, \u201cI create content for lead generation.\u201d I\u2019d get some really confused looks.<\/p>\n So, instead, I say, \u201cI work on finding unique ways to attract people to my business. I want to provide them with enough goodies to get them interested in my company so they eventually warm up to the brand and want to hear from us!\u201d<\/p>\n That usually resonates better, and that\u2019s exactly what lead generation is: It\u2019s a way of warming up potential customers to your business. This gets them on the path to eventually making a purchase.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n When someone shows an organic interest in your business, the transition from stranger to customer is much more natural. You enhance this transition through inbound marketing.<\/p>\n Inbound marketing<\/a> is a methodology to attract loyal customers to your business by aligning with your target audience\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n Creating tailored marketing experiences through valuable content is the core of an inbound marketing strategy that helps you drive customer engagement and growth.<\/p>\n Lead generation falls within the second stage of the inbound marketing methodology<\/a>. It occurs after you\u2019ve attracted an audience and are ready to convert those visitors into leads for your sales team.<\/p>\n As you can see in the diagram below, generating leads is a fundamental starting point in an individual\u2019s journey to becoming a delighted customer.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Lead generation ensures a steady flow of potential customers, which is essential for sustained growth and profitability.<\/p>\n Effective lead gen strategies also encourage long-term relationships, enhance brand reputation, and provide valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences. This results in a business that is better positioned to identify opportunities, respond to market demands, and achieve its strategic objectives.<\/p>\n The lead generation process involves several key stages: attracting, capturing, nurturing, qualifying, <\/em>and converting leads.<\/em><\/p>\n The first step in lead generation is attracting the right audience, and you typically achieve this by creating and distributing valuable and relevant content that resonates with your target market.<\/p>\n You can use various content marketing strategies, such as blog posts, social media updates, videos, webinars, and search engine optimization (SEO), to increase your online visibility and draw in potential customers.<\/p>\n For example, if you\u2019re a tech company, publishing insightful articles on the latest industry trends or producing instructional videos showcasing your products is a great way to attract individuals (or other businesses) interested in those topics.<\/p>\n Once you start attracting potential leads, the next step is to capture their contact information. Back in the day, you just asked people to give you their email.<\/p>\n However, now that there are probably dozens of other companies (your competitors) hustling for that same contact information, you have to go the extra mile by offering them something of value in exchange for their details. This could be an ebook, a free trial, a discount on their first purchase, or access to a webinar.<\/p>\n For example, a marketing agency might offer a free downloadable guide on improving online presence, requiring visitors to enter their first name and email address to access the resource.<\/p>\n After capturing a lead\u2019s information, nurturing the relationship<\/a> is vital to move them through the sales funnel. This involves engaging with leads through personalized email marketing campaigns, targeted content, and follow-up communications over time.<\/p>\n For example, a real estate company may send regular updates on market trends, new property listings, and home-buying tips to keep potential buyers engaged and informed.<\/p>\n Not all leads are ready to make a purchase immediately, which makes qualifying leads a critical step so you can focus your efforts on those with the highest potential. The lead qualification process involves assessing the lead\u2019s readiness to buy, their budget, authority to make decisions, and specific needs.<\/p>\n Techniques like lead scoring (which we\u2019ll discuss soon) help you identify the most promising prospects. For example, if you\u2019re a B2B company, you might prioritize leads that have attended multiple webinars, downloaded several resources, and have a company size that matches your ideal customer profile.<\/p>\n The final stage of lead generation is converting qualified leads into paying customers. This involves presenting tailored offers, addressing any remaining objections, and facilitating a smooth transition from prospect to customer.<\/p>\n In this phase, you need to implement effective sales strategies and timely follow-ups, and have a clear understanding of the lead\u2019s needs. For instance, if you\u2019re an online course provider, you might offer a limited-time discount to leads who have shown high engagement, encouraging them to enroll in a program.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Now that you understand the steps of the lead generation process, let\u2019s see it in action.<\/p>\n See how everything fits together?<\/p>\n To sum it up: A visitor clicks a CTA that takes them to a landing page where they fill out a form to get an offer, at which point they become a lead.<\/p>\n By the way, you should check out our free lead generation tool<\/a>. It helps you create lead capture forms directly on your website. Plus, it\u2019s easy to set up.<\/p>\n Get Started Free<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n The lead generation funnel<\/a> is a strategic framework that divides the customer journey into three distinct stages: top of the funnel (TOFU), middle of the funnel (MOFU), <\/em>and bottom of the funnel (BOFU).<\/em> Each stage has a unique purpose, tailored content, and specific tactics to engage prospects based on where they are in their buying journey.<\/p>\n At the top of the funnel, the primary focus is on awareness<\/a>. In this stage, potential customers are just beginning to recognize a problem or need, and they may not yet be aware of how to address it. The goal here is to create content that attracts a wide audience and generates interest.<\/p>\n This content includes:<\/p>\n Case in point: <\/strong><\/p>\n Say I\u2019m a small business owner researching ways to improve my digital marketing strategy. I come across a blog post that explains the fundamentals of SEO. This content sparks my interest and introduces me to the idea that effective online marketing requires targeted strategies \u2014 a realization that sets the stage for deeper engagement.<\/p>\n The middle of the funnel focuses on consideration and evaluation. By this point, potential customers have identified their needs and are comparing potential solutions<\/a>. The objective is to educate and nurture these prospects while building trust and credibility.<\/p>\n Some kinds of content to create for this purpose include:<\/p>\n Case in point:<\/strong><\/p>\n As a marketing manager, I download a beginner\u2019s guide on digital marketing from a marketing agency\u2019s website. Over the next few weeks, I receive a series of informative emails that delve deeper into topics like lead generation strategies and best practices.<\/p>\n Additionally, I view a pre-recorded webinar featuring a case study from a similar company that successfully improved its online presence. With these resources, I evaluate how the solutions might fit my company\u2019s needs and start considering a specific service provider.<\/p>\n At the bottom of the funnel, the focus shifts from evaluation to conversion. Prospects in this stage are well-informed and have a clear understanding of their needs. They\u2019re now evaluating final options and looking for compelling reasons to choose one solution over another.<\/p>\n In this case, here are some kinds of content that can tip them over to your camp:<\/p>\n Case in point:<\/strong><\/p>\n I have now been actively researching digital marketing agencies for months. After participating in several webinars and reading multiple case studies, I narrow my choices down to two providers.<\/p>\n At this point, I schedule a live demo with one of the agencies, receive a personalized proposal, and read testimonials from current customers. This final step addresses lingering questions and directly paves the way toward making a purchase decision.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Once you put all of these elements together, you can use your various promotional channels to drive traffic to your landing page and start generating leads.<\/p>\n But what channels should you use to promote your landing page? Let\u2019s talk about the front end of lead generation \u2014 lead gen marketing.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re wondering how to generate leads in digital marketing specifically, I think it\u2019s time to analyze your existing online channels<\/a> and identify opportunities for conversion. This can include everything from your website to your organic and paid social media presence.<\/p>\n There are even more channels you can use to get visitors to become leads. I\u2019ll discuss the most impactful below.<\/p>\n Content \u2014 and its trusty companion, SEO \u2014 are often the go-to methods businesses use to generate leads. And for good reason, too!<\/p>\n Ryan Robinson<\/a>, the founder and CEO of RightBlogger<\/a>, explains that content marketing and SEO \u201callow you to attract leads who are already interested in what you offer, rather than interrupting people with disruptive ads and promotions.\u201d<\/p>\n I find content is a great way to guide users to a landing page. Typically, you create content to provide visitors with useful, free information. You can include CTAs anywhere in your content \u2014 inline, at the bottom of the post, in the hero section, or even on the side panel.<\/p>\n Robinson shared an anecdote with me to illustrate just how powerful content and SEO can be for generating leads.<\/p>\n \u201cI vividly remember one client who initially found us after reading a blog post \u2026 That post showed him how AI writing assistants could streamline his process while still allowing for human oversight and quality control. A few weeks later, he signed up for one of our AI writing packages,\u201d Robinson recalls.<\/p>\n In other words, the more delighted visitors are with your content, the more likely they are to click your CTA and move onto your landing page.<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>HubSpot\u2019s Blog Ideas Generator<\/a> leverages search volume data from Semrush, giving you the insights necessary to identify content ideas that both search engines and website visitors will love.<\/p>\n Featured Resource:<\/strong> HubSpot Ebook Templates<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Email is a great place to reach people who already know your brand, product, or service. It\u2019s much easier to ask them to take action since they\u2019ve previously subscribed to your list.<\/p>\n Noel Griffith<\/a>, the CMO at SupplyGem<\/a>, knows all about using email marketing for lead generation. Griffith explains that within a few months of launching a new email newsletter, \u201cit became the top source of new leads for our business.\u201d<\/p>\n He says that \u201cby consistently providing helpful information for free, we were able to build strong relationships\u2026 When the time came for them to make a purchase or renewal decision, we were the first ones they thought of.\u201d<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>When writing emails, use CTAs with compelling copy and an eye-catching design to grab your subscriber\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n Featured resource:<\/strong> The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Email Marketing<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (previously Twitter), and LinkedIn are powerful tools for reaching potential leads directly.<\/p>\n These platforms make it easy to guide your followers to take action, from the swipe-up option on Instagram stories to Facebook bio links to URLs on X.<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n I love that you can also promote your offerings on social media and include a CTA in your caption. Learn more about social media campaigns in this post<\/a>.<\/p>\n While you can organically build an audience on social media, these platforms also allow you to run paid ads that help you build brand awareness and generate leads in a shorter period of time.<\/p>\n Jason Hunt<\/a>, the co-founder and CMO at Merged Media<\/a>, shares that \u201cthe real power of social media advertising lies in its ability to segment audiences very precisely and test different messages to see which performs best. This approach ensures that the message is being seen by a highly relevant audience, increasing the chances of turning those individuals into leads.\u201d<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>If you want people who see your ads to convert, be sure that your landing page and offer match exactly what is promised in the ad and that the action you want users to take is crystal clear.<\/p>\n If you need help with your email and ad campaigns, check out HubSpot\u2019s Campaign Assistant<\/a>, a free AI-powered tool that can help you create landing page copy, email copy, and paid ad copy for your marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n I think the great thing about using your blog posts to promote an offer is that you can tailor the entire piece to the end goal.<\/p>\n Suppose your offer is an instructional video on setting up Google Search Console. In that case, you can write a blog post about selecting your marketing metrics, making your CTA highly relevant and easy to click.<\/p>\n For a quick overview, check out our video guide:<\/p>\n Not sure what to write about? Use HubSpot\u2019s Blog Idea Generator<\/a> to brainstorm blog post ideas, create a blog outline, write your first draft, and publish to your website.<\/p>\n Featured resource:<\/strong> 6 Free Blog Post Templates<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n You can break down many sales barriers by offering trials of your product or service. Once a prospect uses your product, you can entice them with additional offers or resources to encourage them to buy.<\/p>\n Another best practice is to include your branding in your free versions so you can capture other potential customers, too.<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Referral, or word-of-mouth marketing, is helpful for lead generation in a different way. It gets your brand in front of more people<\/a>, increasing your chances of generating more leads.<\/p>\n According to Daniel Nyquist<\/a>, the CMO at Crosslist<\/a>, referral marketing is effective because you\u2019re asking satisfied customers to refer you to their network.<\/p>\n Nyquist told me that once he implemented a referral program to reward existing clients, referrals accounted for over 40% of new business within six months. Nyquist says, \u201cThe key is building genuine relationships and delivering exceptional value so people are eager to tell others about you.\u201d<\/p>\n Whatever channel you use to generate leads, you\u2019ll want to guide users to your landing page<\/a>. As long as you\u2019ve built a landing page that converts, the rest will handle itself.<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Industry events<\/a> are a great way to get face-to-face with members of your target audience. Through networking at events, you can nurture new contacts into qualified leads.<\/p>\n If you have the marketing budget, you can take this further and exhibit at events.<\/p>\n Exhibitions make qualifying new leads from your booth easier with a personalized demo or consultation.<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Business partnerships are often a source of huge untapped potential for lead generation. Your target audiences are usually closely aligned, even if your products and services differ.<\/p>\n Partner marketing<\/a> can be as simple as a logo placement on your partner\u2019s website. But you can take it further with joint content strategies, promotional materials, and more. This way, you both get your respective brands in front of each other\u2019s customer bases in a mutually beneficial way.<\/p>\n Another way to explore this is through partnerships with influencers that align well with your brand and objectives. Mike Falahee<\/a>, the owner of Marygrove Awnings<\/a>, has experienced a lot of success by collaborating with micro-influencers<\/a>.<\/p>\n He shares, \u201cYou can generate leads by working with micro-influencers whose followership is highly engaged and who fit your target demographic and brand values.\u201d<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019ve found communities are ideal for turning visitors into leads. They\u2019re also a great way to nurture and qualify existing leads.<\/p>\n For example, let\u2019s say I\u2019ve got a new free trial user. They have a question about the product, so they head to my knowledge hub only to find a forum of engaged promoters<\/a> discussing my product and providing guidance on how to use it.<\/p>\n Seeing how others use my product and the extent of my existing customer base can make the difference between a user who chooses to upgrade and one who simply walks away.<\/p>\n Remember, stellar customer service experiences are key here \u2014 this is what drives most users to openly talk about your products. Using dedicated customer service software<\/a> can elevate your customers\u2019 experience, as it includes all the features necessary to improve the customer\u2019s satisfaction. Some examples include omnichannel messaging, self-serve knowledge bases, and customer portals, as well as live chat and AI-powered chatbots.<\/p>\n Marketers and salespeople alike want to fill their sales funnel \u2014 and they want to fill it quickly<\/em>. Enter: the temptation to buy leads.<\/p>\n Buying leads, as opposed to organically generating them, is much easier and takes far less time and effort, despite being more expensive. But you might be paying for advertising anyway, so why not just buy leads?<\/p>\n First and foremost, any leads you\u2019ve purchased don\u2019t know you. Typically, they\u2019ve \u201copted in\u201d at some other site when signing up for something and didn\u2019t opt into receiving anything from your <\/em>company.<\/p>\n The messages you send them are unwanted messages. In my opinion, sending unwanted messages is intrusive. If the prospect has never been to your website and indicated an interest in your products or services, then you\u2019re interrupting them, plain and simple.<\/p>\n And if they never opted in to receive messages specifically from you, then there\u2019s a high chance they could flag your messages as spam, which is dangerous.<\/p>\n Hear me out. Once enough people flag your messages as spam, your email address will be flagged and shared with other email providers. Once you get flagged, it\u2019s really, really hard to become credible again. In addition, your email deliverability<\/a> and IP reputation will likely be harmed.<\/p>\n It\u2019s always better to generate leads organically rather than buy them. Learn how to grow an opt-in email list<\/a> instead of buying one.<\/p>\n\n
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What is a lead?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Product Qualified Lead (PQL)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Service Qualified Lead<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Why do you need lead generation?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nHow Lead Generation Works<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. <\/strong>Attracting Potential Leads<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Capturing Lead Information<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Nurturing Relationships<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Qualifying Leads<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Converting Leads to Paying Customers<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Lead Generation Process in Action<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Recommended:<\/strong> HubSpot\u2019s Free Lead Generation Software<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nThe Lead Generation Funnel<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Top of the Funnel (TOFU)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Middle of the Funnel (MOFU)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Bottom of the Funnel (BOFU)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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How to Generate Leads<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Create compelling content.<\/h3>\n
2. Send regular emails.<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n3. Use social media.<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n![\"use](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/lead-generation-5-20250225-2752142.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n4. Write informative blog posts.<\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n5. Offer product trials.<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n6. Ask for referrals.<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n7. Organize industry events.<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n8. Collaborate with other businesses and creators.<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n9. Build a community.<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nWhy not just <\/strong>buy<\/em><\/strong> leads?<\/strong><\/h3>\n