6 Must-Use Ecommerce Lead Generation Strategies for 2022

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Do you find lead generation challenging? If yes, it may help to know that the problem is not unique to you. The truth is 68% of B2B marketers are sailing in the same boat.

Generating high-quality leads is a hurdle many struggle to overcome. Yet, the same report shows that 87% agree that lead generation tops the priority list for successful content marketing.

Ecommerce owners cannot ignore the vital role of lead generation. How can you hope to survive the competitive business environment without customers?

We will share some effective, workable strategies in our article.

Establish a Sales and Development Team

It is easy to describe the relationship between sales and marketing like that shared by siblings. They like and understand the importance of each other. Yet, underneath lies a current of dislike, which can manifest in fights.

The biggest gripe for sales is marketing does not give them good quality leads. On the other hand, marketing feels that its role is to get the leads and pass them on to sales. The latter should then do their part to qualify them.

Investing in the right technologies can help the sales teams. The benefits of a simple CRM, for instance, are plentiful. It makes it easy to track, organize and manage leads within the pipeline. Lead capturing capabilities means you never pass up on potential leads. The teams can concentrate on selling, rather than the tedious data entry processes.

Yet, that does not totally solve the sales vs. marketing squabbles. The perfect solution lies in having a sales development team. They are that middle ground between the two ‘warring’ factions. Sales development teams have three core roles. These are lead generation, nurturing, and qualification.

It starts with creating connections and building relationships with potential customers. The basis for the success of such teams in lead generation is quite simple. People will buy from a company they know, like, or trust. That is why creating connections and nurturing relationships early in the sales cycle.

If you cannot afford to hire full-time teams, there is the option of outsourced sales development services. The companies take over the lead generation process and hand over qualified leads to your sales department.

Using outsourced marketing teams is cost-efficient. You can also be sure of results due to contractual agreements that base payment on pre-set KPIs.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is easy, right? After all, it does not take genius-level intelligence to write and publish articles or posts. We can confidently say this thinking will not work for your lead generation.

You see, there are some things that you must get right. So what are they?

Who Are You Talking To?

Before publishing any content, ask yourself one question. Who am I talking to? Create a fictional representation of the customers you want. Have an in-depth understanding of them, including needs, gaps, what they like, etc.

With a content marketing firm you are assured of a result-driven content strategy that can increase value to your business. They can produce relevant content that speaks to customers’ pain points and get you more quality leads.

Once you define your target, segment the list. Even within specific demographics, there are distinct differences. Yes, all moms want baby products. But, factors like economic differences will determine who you target with specific products.

Map Out the Customer Journey

The content should address every pain point in the customer journey. A first-timer would want information about the company or products. Return customers may want to know what more you have to offer.

Search Engine Optimization

Good rankings on the search engines will increase brand visibility. The goal is to appear on the first results page. Implementing best SEO practices for content marketing will significantly improve your chances. Ensure the following:

Using keywords that target audiences are likely to use. There are tons of keyword research tools you can use for this.
Ensure a pleasant user experience (UX) on the site. You will lose a significant amount of website traffic with slow loading, hard to navigate pages.
Mobile optimization because many online shoppers use smartphones to shop.
Local SEO to target people within your region. You may argue that this is not critical for an eCommerce platform. But, it may surprise you that many people would like to support local businesses. Here is something to motivate you, Up to 80% of local searches end up converting.

PPC or Paid Search Advertising

Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) on search engines puts you right where online users are. Improve click rates with the correct placement based on keywords.

Let’s say you sell baby products, and your target market is first-time parents. A good idea would be to place the ad in search results for “best baby products.” Look at the result page below as an example.

PPC is cost-effective because you only pay if someone clicks on the ad. Prominent ad placement on the first results page increases the chances of people clicking on the link.

Implement Lead Magnet Strategies

Leads magnets work by enticing and motivating customers to take a specific action. For the lead generation process, that would be to leave contact information or subscribe to your platforms. You could offer coupons, free shipping, product samples sales, or discounts.

Remember, potential customers must perceive the lead magnet as having a high value, informative or helpful.

Email Marketing and Referral Programs

Email marketing provides a way to nurture relationships and maintain a connection with potential customers. A customer who provides contact information is ready for a relationship. They are excellent for lead magnet targeting.

Remember our earlier point of segmentation? Email marketing allows for the best targeting with specific messaging. You achieve high open rates with messaging that is relevant to the potential targets.

Email marketing is also a very effective b2b lead generation technique. 93% of B2B marketers use this method to distribute content. 59% say the largest source of their ROI comes from email marketing.

Take advantage of your customer lists to implement referral programs. Offer incentives for those who refer others to your business.

Sales Lead Generation from Social Media

Ecommerce customers are internet-savvy individuals. That means a large percentage have active social media accounts. The different platforms provide a place to connect and nurture relationships.

Develop engaging content that captures attention and provides value. Pay attention to one fact. As the name suggests, the platforms are social. That means engaging, interacting, and ongoing communication with audiences.

Once the audiences see you as an authority and credible, they will start to build trust. That is what you need to convert them into leads for the business.

Final Thoughts

Effective leads generation strategies are crucial for your eCommerce business. We have looked at some workable strategies above.

One excellent solution is to outsource the work to sales development service providers. They do the hard work of generating, acquiring, and qualifying the leads. It frees up the sales team to concentrate on converting the hot leads.