Modern marketing exists in an opt-in environment. Each year the push model of marketing, in which a product or service is mass marketed to a large audience is fading and the pull model is taking hold. The “pull model” of marketing implies consumers choose the marketing messages that are relevant to their life and work. In the virtual world a torrent of information is circulating all day every day. Only those companies using a marketing strategy people actually find desirable are succeeding.
Who would actually choose to be marketed or sold a product?
People seeking solutions to the problems they face at home and at work would opt-in to being marketed and sold a solution. Once such content is created and publicized, people will be drawn or “pulled” into hearing the message. If the information is truly valuable, prospects will very likely be willing to exchange contact information for content relevant to their situation, i.e. produce a lead.
What content will compel customers to exchange information?
The answer to this question, of course, depends upon the market a company competes and the nature of their customers. Without a doubt though, good, timely, and relevant content is the key regardless of the industry. This goes to the heart of a solid sales strategy: know your markets, know your products, know your customers, and feel their pain. A business that has these fundamentals down to a science can start to solve customer problems; and content that solves problems is both compelling and valuable.
The best way to deliver this content is through white papers, research documents, opinion papers, and toolkits.
Once this task is complete, gathering well qualified sales leads is easy. Simply place the problem solving and compelling content behind a simple registration form. Simple is the key. According to Corey Eridon of Hubspot, “11% of US adults have abandoned an online purchase because they didn't want to register online or the site was asking for too much information, according to Forrester Research.”
The more information one requests on a form, the less likely it is too be completed.
An example of this lead generation strategy is illustrated by a website the author of this article built. On this website and blog, which solves many of the challenges a restoration company faces when gathering leads, a Fire Restoration Lead Generation Toolkit can be downloaded for free by anyone seeking out such information. The only requirement for access to the toolkit is the name and an email address of the person downloading. Although other information is requested, only the most basic of contact information is required.
It may surprise some marketers to find that even though the requirement is minimal to access useful and relevant information online, prospects very often choose to fill out the entire form regardless, because they are choosing to hear a marketing message. They in fact want to be sold. This is modern marketing in action.
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