Lead Generation 101: The Ultimate Guide to Generating Leads

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Ever feel like you’re shouting into the void of the internet, hoping someone hears about your products? 

You’re not alone. 

In the world of ecommerce, attracting customers can feel impossible.

But what if there was a way to turn website visitors into potential buyers? That’s the magic of lead generation. We’re talking about people who’ve shown interest—they want to hear more from you!

This is lead generation 101: we’re going to uncover different types of leads, why lead generation is important, and how you can generate leads quickly with your marketing team.

Let’s dive in!

What is a lead?

Let’s start by clarifying exactly what a lead is.

In the simplest terms, a lead is someone who has shown interest in your product or service.

They are most likely visitors who are intrigued by what you offer and download your free guide or sign up for your newsletter. 

Congratulations! You’ve just generated a lead—a potential customer who’s interested in learning more.

Types of qualified leads

Not all leads are created equal. 

In the world of lead generation, it’s all about attracting potential customers and guiding them through the buyer’s journey until they become loyal customers. 

We’ll break down the different types of leads so you can tailor your approach for maximum sales.

1. Marketing qualified leads

A marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a visitor who has interacted with your lead generation efforts, like subscribing to your email list, downloading an ebook (lead magnet), or engaging with your content marketing. They’re showing interest, but they need more nurturing before they’ll be sales-ready.

MQLs are important because they represent potential customers who are already aware of your brand and have shown some level of interest. Compared to random visitors, MQLs are more likely to convert into paying customers.

To convert a marketing qualified lead into a sales qualified lead (and eventually into a customer), you need to nurture them effectively by sending personalized email campaigns, using retargeting ads, or offering special discounts.

2. Sales qualified leads

A sales qualified lead (SQL) is an engaged lead, and one who is further along in the customer journey. They’ve requested a demo, booked a sales call, or otherwise shown a clear desire to learn more about your product or service. 

Sales qualified leads are crucial because they’ve moved beyond the initial stages of awareness and interest and are now evaluating your product or service more seriously. This makes them high-priority leads that require immediate and focused attention. 

Time to connect them with your sales team!

3. Product qualified leads

A product qualified lead is someone who is on a free trial or using your freemium model. Unlike other types of leads, PQLs have experienced the value of your offering firsthand. Their active engagement suggests that they could become paying customers.

To convert PQLs into new customers, your approach should be focused on enhancing their product experience and addressing any barriers to purchase.

What is lead generation?

Lead generation refers to the process of building connections with potential customers. 

It’s the strategic approach used to transform website visitors and curious prospects into leads, or individuals who have shown clear interest in your offerings.

Here’s how it works:

  • Attract attention: Compelling content and targeted offers act as the initial hook, attracting your ideal audience to your website or landing pages. This can include informative blog posts, engaging social media content, or strategically placed online ads.
  • Capture contact information: When a visitor interacts with your content, like downloading an ebook or registering for a webinar, they’re essentially raising their hand and expressing interest. This is your chance to capture new leads by collecting their contact details (name, email address, etc.) through well-designed lead generation forms.

This valuable information allows you to nurture these potential customers through targeted communication, guiding them through the sales funnel.

Why is lead generation important?

Lead generation is the lifeblood of any business looking to thrive. 

Let’s break down why it deserves a starring role in your marketing strategy and what lead generation can do for your business:

  • Fuel growth: Without a steady stream of new leads (a.k.a. potential customers) your business stagnates. Lead generation ensures a constant flow of prospects who can be nurtured and ultimately converted into paying customers.
  • Build brand authority: By consistently creating high-quality content like blog posts, white papers, or webinars (these are called lead magnets), you showcase your expertise and value proposition. This not only attracts prospects but also increases your brand’s visibility and credibility.
  • Boost sales potential: More leads often translate into more sales opportunities. With effective lead gen strategies, you can significantly increase your chances of converting them into customers and boosting your revenue.
  • Enable data-driven marketing: Lead generation allows you to gather valuable data about your prospects, such as their demographics and interests. This goldmine of information helps you understand their needs and preferences, enabling you to tailor your marketing materials more effectively.
  • Improve sales efficiency: Imagine your marketing and sales departments armed with a list of qualified leads (those with a high interest in your offering). Lead generation streamlines your sales process by focusing on qualified leads. This saves your team valuable time and resources.

5 tips to generate leads quickly

As an online business, you probably want a steady stream of leads, and ideally, you want them fast. That’s where these 5 lead generation tactics come in.

1. Use popups

Popups are powerful tools for grabbing attention and prompting immediate action when used strategically. They allow you to tailor your message to specific website sections or visitor behavior.

Let’s take a look at two types of popups that can be particularly effective in lead gen (with examples).

First up, we have exit-intent popups, which are a great lead capture technique. For example, you could offer a discount code when a visitor shows signs of leaving your site. This can keep them engaged and encourage them to provide their email address in exchange for the discount.

This is a powerful way to capture leads who might be on the verge of bouncing without converting.

DTC brand Vegetology used a mystery discount in their lead generation campaign. 

Vegetology generate leads via mystery discount.

Next up are timed popups. Let’s see an example from Craft Sportswear to learn how you can use time-delayed popups to engage leads.

Their lead gen popup appears after a visitor has spent a few seconds on a page. This is smart, as it gives the visitor time to engage with the landing page. Instead of asking for email addresses, they collected phone numbers. 

Craft SMS sign-up popup is a pure lead generation 101 example.

To ensure your popups are effective and generate plenty of new leads for your business, follow these best practices:

  • Offer something valuable: Make sure your popup offers something of real value to potential leads. This could be a discount code or a free gift. The more valuable the offer, the better your lead gen form will convert.
  • Use clear, concise messaging: Your popup should have a clear and concise message. Use a compelling headline and a brief description to explain the value of your offer. Include a strong call-to-action (CTA) that tells the visitor exactly what you want them to do.
  • Design matters: Your popup should be visually appealing and match your brand’s style. Use high-quality images, clean fonts, and a design that catches the eye without overwhelming the visitor.
  • Strategically time and place them: Be smart about when and where your popups appear. Avoid showing popups immediately when someone lands on your page, as this can be off-putting. Instead, use exit-intent or timed popups to catch visitors at the right moment.
  • Optimize for mobile: Ensure your popups are mobile-friendly. Mobile visitors should have a seamless experience, and the popup should be easy to close if they’re not interested.

Ready to improve your lead generation strategies? Get started with these templates that incorporate the best practices above:

2. Promote lead magnets

Turn website visitors into leads with high-value freebies! 

Craft downloadable resources like checklists, templates, or in-depth guides that directly address the challenges your target audience faces. 

For example, you could create…

  • A checklist to help customers prepare for holiday shopping, ensuring they don’t miss out on essential items or special deals.
  • A budgeting template that helps customers manage their spending on monthly ecommerce purchases.
  • A beginner’s guide on how to identify eco-friendly products and why sustainability matters.
  • A study of consumer shopping habits sharing how and why consumers make online purchasing decisions.

These lead magnets should be directly tied to your business and showcase your expertise. By offering valuable solutions upfront, you build trust and encourage visitors to exchange their contact information for access.  

You can promote your lead magnets strategically on well-placed popups to level up your lead capture game.

3. Use gamification

Who says lead generation can’t be fun? Gamification injects a playful element into your strategy, boosting engagement and capturing more leads.

Here are two effective gamification tactics to consider:

  • Lucky wheel popups: One of the most popular gamification strategies is the lucky wheel popup. Visitors spin to win discounts, free products, or exciting prizes. But there’s a catch—they need to enter their email address to spin! This interactive approach not only draws in new leads in but also significantly increases the likelihood of turning them into customers. 
  • Scratchcard popups: Scratchcard popups are another fun way to engage visitors. Just like physical scratch cards, users “scratch” a digital card to reveal a prize. This could be a discount, a free item, or another special offer. As with other gamification tactics, users must enter their contact information to participate.

A gamified marketing funnel is a win-win: visitors get a chance to win something awesome, and you gain valuable contact information for potential customers.

4. Create a quiz

Who doesn’t love quizzes? Including them as part of your lead generation strategy can be a great move.

Create quizzes related to your industry that provide value or entertainment to your target audience. 

For example, a skincare brand might offer a quiz to determine the best products for a user’s skin type. 

To see their personalized results, users enter their email addresses.

Quizzes are a powerful tool because they not only entertain and educate visitors but also encourage them to interact with your brand, ultimately leading to more leads and a deeper understanding of your target audience’s needs.

5. Host webinars and online events

Webinars are powerhouses when it comes to generating leads. Host online events to showcase your expertise, connect with your audience, and collect high-quality leads

Offer valuable insights and practical tips relevant to your target audience’s challenges.

By requiring attendees to register with their email addresses beforehand, you capture leads who are clearly interested in learning more about your offerings.

Webinars not only establish you as a thought leader in your industry but also create a sense of trust and build relationships with potential customers.

5 best lead generation tools

Looking for the top tools in town? Here are 5 of the best digital marketing tools for lead generation!

1. OptiMonk

OptiMonk is a powerful lead generation tool to help you generating leads.

OptiMonk is a powerful tool that helps you create engaging popups and other on-site messages, which are essential for your lead generation tactics. This tool enables you to capture visitors’ attention with targeted offers and promotions, such as exit-intent popups, timed popups, and gamified popups.

With OptiMonk’s customization and targeting features, you can tailor messages for different segments of your target audience, increasing the chances of converting visitors into qualified leads. 

With OptiMonk’s A/B testing features, you can test different popup designs and messaging to see what resonates best with your audience. 

This data-driven approach helps you optimize your lead capture efforts and generate more leads.

2. HubSpot

HubSpot helps you with outbound and inbound lead generation efforts.

HubSpot is a comprehensive marketing platform offering a suite of essential lead generation tools. 

It includes features for creating high-converting landing pages, lead capture forms, and live chat to attract leads.

HubSpot’s customer relationship management (CRM) platform stores and organizes contact information, making lead management easy. Its powerful analytics help you improve your lead generation efforts.

With HubSpot, you can streamline your lead generation process, optimize marketing and sales strategies, and attract high-quality leads. Entice visitors with content (inbound), nurture them into MQLs, and then use targeted outreach (outbound) to qualify them as SQLs. This improves your lead gen program and your sales pipeline.

3. Leadpages

Leadpages is a tool specifically designed for building high-converting landing pages, which is an essential step in generating leads. It offers a wide variety of customizable templates to match your brand and resonate with your target audience.

With its drag-and-drop editor, creating a professional landing page is quick and easy, even without technical skills.

Leadpages integrates with many email marketing services and CRM tools, making it a seamless addition to your lead generation strategy.

This integration helps streamline your lead capture efforts and enhances your ability to generate high-quality leads. Leadpages also offers features for A/B testing your landing pages, allowing you to optimize them for maximum conversions.

4. Mailchimp

Mailchimp helps you with your lead nurturing efforts. and sales lead generation.

Don’t just blast emails, nurture leads! Mailchimp goes beyond its famous email marketing functionalities to offer valuable tools for lead generation. Create engaging lead gen forms and automate nurturing email sequences to keep your leads engaged. 

Mailchimp’s user-friendly interface makes it easy for anyone to manage email campaigns, while detailed analytics provide insights into their effectiveness. 

This versatility makes Mailchimp a perfect fit for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) looking to enhance their lead gen campaigns and build stronger customer relationships.

5. Intercom

Intercom simplifies the lead generation program with sophisticated targeting and segmentation options.

Engage visitors in real-time! 

Intercom is a powerful tool that helps you connect with website visitors right when they need help. Its live chat feature allows you to answer questions, provide support, and instantly collect contact information from visitors. 

But Intercom doesn’t stop there! Automated chatbots ensure you can capture leads even when your team is offline. Sophisticated targeting and segmentation options let you personalize messages based on user behavior and preferences, further enhancing your ability to generate and nurture leads effectively.

5 extra tips to generate leads

The lead generation process can be tough, which is why we’re bringing you these extra tips to get your lead gen efforts going strong.

1. Optimize your website

Your website is your digital storefront, and optimizing it is crucial for attracting and converting visitors into leads. 

But how?

Ensure your website is user friendly, mobile responsive, and has clear calls-to-action (CTAs) that encourage visitors to convert into leads. 

2. Try social media lead generation 

You can also harness the power of social media marketing to expand your reach and engage with your audience. 

Run contests and giveaways on social media to incentivize participation and capture leads. Social media should play a major role in your marketing funnel. 

Offer a limited free version of your product or service and encourage sign-ups on social media posts. This can convert them into satisfied customers later.

3. Offer referral programs 

Referral programs are a brilliant way to tap into the power of your existing customer base and leverage their influence to attract new customers and high-quality leads.

Encourage existing customers to refer new customers by offering them rewards or discounts. Simplify the referral process as much as possible to remove any barriers to participation. And don’t forget to actively promote your referral program to your existing customer base!

4. Track and analyze results

Regularly monitor the performance of your campaigns. Use website analytics tools like Google Analytics to monitor key metrics such as traffic, conversion rates, and bounce rates. 

You can also leverage marketing automation tools to track leads throughout the sales funnel—from initial contact to conversion—and identify areas for improvement in your lead generation strategy.

FAQ

What’s the difference between a lead and a qualified lead?

A lead is any potential customer who has shown some interest in your business. This could be someone who visited your website, downloaded a white paper, or signed up for your email list. A qualified lead, on the other hand, is a lead who is a good fit for your product or service and is more likely to become a paying customer. A lead can be categorized based on lead quality into marketing-qualified lead and sales-qualified lead.

How can I create high-quality lead magnets?

A high-quality lead magnet is a valuable piece of content that entices potential customers to share their contact information. It should be relevant to your target audience’s needs and interests, and it should provide them with something useful and informative. Examples of lead magnets include ebooks, white papers, webinars, and checklists.

What is lead scoring?

Lead scoring is the process of assigning points to leads based on their actions and demographics. This helps you identify the hottest leads (those most likely to buy) so you can prioritize your sales efforts.

Inbound vs. outbound lead generation: which is better?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Inbound marketing focuses on attracting qualified leads through valuable content, while outbound marketing involves reaching out directly to potential customers. The best approach often involves a combination of both.

What are some common lead generation mistakes?

Some common lead generation mistakes include not having a clear target audience, not offering a valuable lead magnet, and not nurturing your leads properly. The lack of communication between your marketing team and sales team can also lead to mistakes or inefficiencies in your lead generation process.

Wrapping up

Now that you have a solid understanding of lead generation, you’re ready to launch your own lead generation campaigns.

There are many resources available to help you, including lead generation platforms like OptiMonk, where you can get started today with your forever free account!

Remember, lead generation is an investment in the future of your business. By attracting high-quality leads and nurturing them through the sales funnel, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your sales goals.