5 Reasons why we are going all-in with digital lead generation in 2020
If you have been forced to look at the marketing puzzle as it relates to social distancing—and almost all of us have—you know that the solution is not easy. As marketing directors and owners, we are dealt with an awful hand right now.
Making new connections is still important to your business, and so much of your customer’s attention has gone to the digital landscape and social media. If there is one tactic that is standing out to us this year, it is digital lead generation. Here are the top reasons why.
1. Face-to-face has been canceled. The trade show that you count on for leads has most likely been pushed off for 2020. Virtual conferences just aren’t the same. It’s not just about marketing, which is the practice of getting your message right. You need the chance to make personal connections.
2. It is all about the data. A friend of mine who is an entertainment advertising specialist recently told me that owned data, like opt-in email addresses, is going to be the most important marketing asset starting now. Privacy regulations are continuing to crack down on how you collect information. Lead Generation Marketing (LGM) tells you who is interested in your service or product. It also gathers when they are active and how long their vetting process is. If your current marketing efforts aren’t bringing back data, you are wasting money.
3. Forget those trade show space costs. What’s the minimum you spent on attending a trade show? Between renting your space, creating a booth, travel, and accommodations, the average minimum spend for a 2-3-day show is $28,000. Compare that to a 10-month digital lead generation campaign, which would go for a similar starting budget.
4. None of us does one thing. Share your story. How many times have I heard a client tell me that their customers tell them, “I didn’t know you offered that service/product!” With a smart marketing automation system behind it, your communication plan tells prospective buyers everything that you do over time and collect that ever-important data.
5. Time to raise your personal digital efforts. It’s time to set the standards higher for your personal branding. On many of the campaigns we develop, we make the company and its leaders look like superstars. People want to work with people. Setup your people to look like the superstars they are.
For more information about tactics and approaches to digital lead generation, here are some starting points.