7 Helps for Consistent Online Leads for Ad Agency New Business

help for ad agency new business

Business development doesn’t have to be so difficult. By creating simple steps and processes you’ll have a system to boost online leads.

Here are 7 tips to get started:

1. Consistently Use Lead Generation Platforms

The battle for new business has moved online.

80-90% of business to business transactions begin with a search on the web. - Marketing Sherpa Click To Tweet

You want to enlarge your agency’s online footprint to generate more leads.

These are some proven platforms:

  • For over the past 10 years, I’ve recommended a niche blog for agency new busines. I’ve helped create over 450 personal blogs for agency principals. It provides a perfect platform to reach a specific target audience. It also helps to establish a positioing of authority.
    It’s like a fishing expedition. You fish for a specific fish with a particular bait. And, you fish away from the boat (the agency’s website) so you don’t scare off the fish.
  • Reshare your content through social media. Also, repurpose your online content into white papers, eBooks, SlideShare presentations and videos.
  • Create your own training events. Add lead generating webinars, online training courses, offline seminars and workshops. This is a way to build relationships and buy-in from prospects. You can establish value and a positioning of expertise fast. Without difficulty, your very first face-to-face meeting can become a paid engagement.
  • Most agencies haven’t tapped into the power of social media for creating leads. It’s because they’re doing it wrong. Use your personal accounts to grow your online community of prospects. That’s were the engagement with prospects will come. Not through the agency’s social media accounts.

2. Create Specific Calls-to-Action

A call-to-action is an important element for generating inbound leads.

What is the first step you want a prospective client to take?

Every call-to-action (CTA) must immediately answer two primary questions:

  • First, what do you want prospects to do?
  • Second, why should they do it?

An effective CTA will remove the guesswork. Here’s a helpful resource: Hubspot’s 101 Examples of Effective Calls-To-Action.

3. Qualify Your Leads

For a successful lead generation program, identify and qualify your best prospects.

A business development person without leads is like a fish out of water. Neither can survive very long. Yet …
 
Unqualified prospective client meetings are as bad as no meetings at all. It is a waste of agency time and resources.
A resource you will find helpful,  Hubspot’s 101 Examples of Effective Calls-To-Action.

4. Try Speaking for New Business

    • Speaking at events provides you with instant credibility. It’s an excellent tactic for business development. Especially for for small to midsize agency owners. Speaking to prospects is the most effective form of lead generation.

Public speaking is an essential component to my business development program. I have been the keynote speaker for more than 400 events in the U.S., Canada and in the UK. Speaking on topics related to leadership, business development, and social media. It’s typical to come away from these meetings with new clients. That’s why my you should want more opportunities to speak.

5. Eliminate Web Forms to Connect with a Person

Most people don’t like completing online forms. Prospects have no idea who gets their information, how it’s followed up or used.
Make your contact information available to prospects. Remeber, you’re not selling widgets! Make it easy for them to reach you. A prospects interest is often short-lived.

6. Add and Optimize Landing Pages for More Leads

Landing pages are vital to producing inbound leads. According to some studies, over half of landing page visitors leave within 5 seconds. You need to know how to get the most from them. For instance:

          • Using correct targeting and testing methods can increase conversion rates up to 300%.
          • Only 52% of businesses and agencies test landing pages to find ways to improve responses. – Marketing Sherpa’s Benchmark Report
          • 48% of landing pages contain different offers. You should have only one specific proposal.
          • Adding videos on a landing page can increase conversions by up to 86% according to a study by Eye View Digital.
          • Lengthy landing pages have the greater potential to generate more leads. Accourding to Email Monks, 220% more leads come from a call-to-action below the fold.

New business success is dependent on the number of qualified leads. So, the first logical step it to develop effective landing pages.

7. Provide Social Proof

As part of my consulting work, I’m asked to review a lot of agency websites from a new business perspective. Recently, I was reviewing the website of a large agency in New York. I wasn’t surprised that I didn’t find a single testimonial from a happy client. A good number of agencies neglect to add this important component to their marketing mix.

Third-party validation is a powerful tool.

63% of consumers indicate that they are more likely to purchase from a site if it has reviews and testimonials. – CompUSA and an iPerceptions study Click To Tweet

What is one of the easiest ways to empower your lead generation program? Add client testimonials and recommendations.

What Is Your Lead Generation Process for Ad Agency New Business? Email me at michael@michaelgass.com if you’d like to set up a time to discuss.

Additional articles that may be of interest:

photo credit: futureshape Please Help via photopin (license)

About Michael Gass

Consultant | Trainer | Author | Speaker

Since 2007, he has been pioneering the use of social media, inbound and content marketing strategies specifically for agency new business.

He is the founder of Fuel Lines Business Development, LLC, a firm which provides business development training and consulting services to advertising, digital, media and PR agencies.

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