It's time to make your website work for you.
If you follow these 3 steps, you’ll be able to consistently bring new leads into your business that are automatically qualified for your service. Once implemented, you’ll have an automated lead generation system that works for you while you sleep. Won’t it be great to have leads come to you so you can focus on other important tasks?
“Damn right“, I hear you say. Great, let’s make this happen…
I’ll get into more detail very soon but here’s what we’ll be doing in a nutshell.
Step 1: Creating Your Framework
Your ‘Lead Generation System’ requires 3 important components that (working together) will take your visitors on a journey that leads to an end goal. This will be a solution they need and you have. The journey you provide will position you as the ideal solution to their problem.
The 3 components of your framework are:
- Your Website
- Your Lead Magnet
- Your Email Nurture Sequence
Step 2: Educate, Engage and Nurture Potential Clients
You’ll get your prospective clients to sign-up for valuable free content that will automatically qualify them for your service, build trust and rapport, and filter out poor quality leads. By doing this, you’ll know that these potential clients are already engaged and will see you as their ideal solution. When the time comes to make the sale, they’ll be in the right mindset and you’ll be in the perfect position.
Step 3: Drive affordable, profitable traffic to your Lead Magnet
You’ve got your amazing new ‘Lead generation System’ in place, now you just need the right visitors to see it. You can, of course, use your existing channels (website visitors, social media, SEO etc) as part of your traffic plan but if you really want to get things moving and you don’t already have a high traffic website, then you’ll need to invest in paid traffic. In this section, we’ll look at the main platforms available (Google and Facebook), when to use each one, and things to be aware of before you invest.
Article Index...
Want to navigate this article for easier reading? Use the links below to find the section you need, when you need it.
- Website Framework
> Optional Extras
Website Speed
Website Copy
Customer Journey
Call To Action - Lead Magnet
What Is A Lead Magnet
Collect and Automate Emails
Email Capture Providers
Creating Your Offer
Landing Page
Email Nurture Sequence - Driving Targetted Traffic
Google Search Ads
Facebook Ads
PPC Summary
Thank You
How to create your framework
1. Your website
As mentioned above there are 3 components to your framework. The first is your website.
For this strategy, you’ll need to make sure your existing website has the functionality you need to build your Lead Generation System. Don’t worry, there’s nothing too taxing here and if you’re using WordPress you’re definitely ready to go. You simply need…
- The option to add and craft new pages – Unless your website runs on a completely custom CMS (content management system) then it’s pretty much guaranteed that you won’t have a problem here.
- A way to collect email addresses using an autoresponder – For this, you’ll need to choose an email capture provider and integrate it into your website. If you’re using WordPress or other popular CMS then most email capture providers will have a plugin or provide code for you to just copy and paste in order to collect and store email addresses.
- A method of adding tracking code to your website pages – Whether you’re using Google, Facebook or both to track your visitors, you’ll need to install a piece of code to track the success of your offer and gather data to improve.
> Optional extras...
If you’re pushed for time and happy that your website’s great, then skip ahead to the Lead Magnets section.
Although it’s a little outside the scope of this article, you should also consider checking your website for the following pitfalls as this will help with your overall visitor engagement (and ultimately sales).
- Website Speed – If your website takes more than a few seconds to load then you’ll lose traffic before you even start. Ideally, you’ll want to make sure your pages load in 2 seconds or less. However, that’s not always feasible or practical. Personally, I’d recommend keeping it as close to 3 seconds as possible. If it reaches 5 seconds then you really need to make some changes to bring that load time down. If you’re not comfortable doing this, speak to your web developer (or check out our speed optimisation service). It may simply be that you need a better web-host and/or some good caching software.
- Website Copy – If it’s been a while since you looked at your website as a visitor then take some time to read your copy. Does it still accurately represent your brand and the service(s) you offer? Be aware…
Your customers aren't interested in you!
This might sound harsh but your website visitors couldn’t give a stuff about how many years you’ve been in business or that you have the best showroom in town. At least, not yet!
When somebody first finds your website they just won’t be willing to spend valuable minutes reading all about how great your company is, how many staff you have, or about your various divisions. Bombard them with this on their first visit and you’ll bore them quicker than a tv insurance advert.
Similarly, they don’t want to keep reading “I” and “We” as they scroll through your content.
Don’t believe me? Read the following 2 sentences.
- At Arcway PC’s we have been building high-quality computer systems for 15 years. We pride ourselves on being the best PC specialists in the East of England. Order A new PC today.
- Need A new PC that can handle your workload and won’t slow you down? Talk to Arcway PC’s and get a custom-built solution that leaves your old PC for dust.
Which of the above are more compelling and focus on the needs of your visitor? Take some time to go through your web copy and make sure it speaks to your visitors.
- Customer Journey – While you’re there, have a look at the journey your customer will take. Is there a logical path?
Are they guided to a course of action that you want them to take? Can they easily find the information or service they need? Do they know precisely what you offer within a few seconds of arriving?
If your visitor has to read 6 paragraphs to find out how you can help them then they’ll probably give up and go somewhere else. They will want more information in time but you must engage them first.
- Call To Action – Have you made it easy for your visitors to take action? If they have to look for a call-to-action then they just won’t bother. Make sure they’re never too far away from a button or link that takes them exactly where they need to go next.
2. Your Lead Magnet
Already know what a lead magnet is? Awesome! Go grab a drink and celebrate. This bit will be super easy for you.
No idea what the hell I’m talking about?
Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. It sounds more complicated than it really is.
What is a lead magnet?
A Lead Magnet is an offer of something for free (usually), in exchange for entering your name and email address. It encompasses…
- A landing page
- An offer
- An email capture
You’re going to give your visitors something that they want. In return, they’ll give you their name and email address along with their permission to email them. Now you have a path of communication. In time, you’ll build up a list of subscribers that are receptive to the service(s) you offer.
Your lead magnet allows only 2 possible outcomes. Either they’ll leave your page, or they’ll subscribe to your offer. Once they’ve subscribed, they’ll be redirected to a ‘thank you’ page. At this point, you’ve achieved your objective. This is where those optional extras come in to play. You can now present them with other parts of your website. What you show them here will really depend on your style and the services you offer. It may be a relevant article or something that continues to build on the relationship you’re developing with them. It could be a direct sales page, content upgrade, or one-time-offer (just be careful not scare them away before you’ve built that trust).
Collect and Automate Emails
To connect with your subscribers you’re going to need a tool that can collect and automate the sending of emails. It needs to do the following:
- Collect Name, Email Address, and permission to contact (complying with GDPR)
- Send a sequence of emails that you’ll create, in the right order and at the right time (email nurturing).
- Segment your subscribers into groups so you can ensure you only send emails that are relevant (e.g. it won’t try and sell a service to somebody who’s just bought it).
Once you’ve set it up, this will all be done on autopilot so you never have to worry about it again. There a lots of options for tools you can use to achieve this. Each have their own pros and cons. This article isn’t about reviewing which is best but I will put a few popular choices here so you can compare and make your own decision.
Email Capture Providers
In no particular order, here are 5 of the best-known Email Capture providers (also known as Email Marketing Software).
At the time of writing this article, I’m using Mailerlite and have had no problems with them. Having said that, I am considering looking at ConvertKit or Constant contact as I’ve heard awesome things about both of them. If you’ve checked them out but still aren’t sure which is right for you then check out this comparison by WPBeginner.com. Whichever you choose, just make sure that it integrates easily into your CMS. If you’re a WordPress user, you’ll ideally want to them to provide a plugin that you can install and make it truly hassle-free.
Creating Your Offer
Now it’s time to get creative!
Think about what you could offer the people you’re trying to connect with. It needs to be valuable enough that they are willing to share their email address. It also needs to be relevant to the service you will eventually offer them. It could be a free guide, an ebook, a discount coupon, a workbook or a webinar. These are just a few examples. You should offer whatever you feel will connect best with your visitors.
Go ahead and create whatever it is you’re going to offer your visitors.
Want a real-life example?
Download my FREE guide “GROW YOUR BUSINESS WHILE YOU SLEEP” and see how it works for yourself. This valuable guide will show you how to:
- Understand the key elements that make up your lead generation system
- Learn how to get into the mindset of your customer and think about their biggest problems
- See how automation can run your Lead Generation System while you sleep, nurturing and educating your prospects
- Find out why having a predictable pipeline of leads will ensure you stay off the sales rollercoaster
- Learn how to test and tweak your lead generation system, helping you to squeeze out the best results
Your Landing Page
Landing pages have many names (squeeze pages, opt-in pages, Splash pages etc.) but they all mean the same thing. This is simply the page where you present your offer. If you want to see my landing page for the free guide above click here: Grow Your Business while Your Sleep. As you can see, I’ve used a different page structure but followed the core principles shown.
Your landing page should follow certain rules. Because you want your visitors attention focussed solely on the offer your presenting, it’s essential that you remove any other distractions. Unlike most (or all) of your other website pages, you’ll want to remove menus, navigation links, and any other distractions that could cause them to click away from your page. That includes any footer links (with the exception of standard copyright info, designer credentials, privacy policy, terms and conditions).
Here are some good rules to follow to ensure your landing page is a success…
Now it’s time to create your own landing page!
Follow the rules above and make sure your CTA (Call-To-Action) is strong. Set this up with your email capture service so that when your prospect clicks that CTA they can input their name and email address (you’ll send them their freebie automatically via email).
Your Email Nurture Sequence
Your email nurture sequence is a series of emails that starts by welcoming your subscriber and providing them with the offer they signed up for. Then, on a regular basis (e.g. every 1-2 days), they’ll automatically be sent another email. Each of these emails will be carefully crafted to provide value, build trust and establish you/your service as the best solution to their problem. The last email in the sequence will usually be a purchase offer, meeting request, or something that’s geared towards a sale. This will of course vary depending on the service you offer.
Now it’s time to write your email sequence. This will again depend on what you offer but 5 or 6 emails is generally a good rule thumb. This ensures enough time to establish trust but not so much that your prospect has sought a solution elsewhere.
Set your email capture provider up to send 1 of these emails every 1-2 days (again, use your judgement call on this).
One of the great things about this technique, is that even if your prospect isn’t ready buy, your efforts still haven’t been wasted. You can set a rule in your autoresponder that automatically moves non-buyers to your ‘ever-green newsletter’. Now you can remain in contact with them and continue building trust using automated emails. Not sure what to write about? Chamber of Commerce have an awesome guide on building out your subscriber list and using email marketing to grow your business.
Congratulations! You've created Your first Lead Generation system
Now you just need the right traffic...
If you already have a high traffic website or a large number of engaged social media followers then this driving traffic to your lead magnet won’t be a problem. If not, then you going to need to use other methods. Whilst SEO is an option, it’s not well suited to landing pages and often takes considerable time to see results. It’s time to invest in paid traffic.
There are many types of paid traffic including (but not limited to):
- Banner Ads
- Video Ads
- Contextual Ads
- Email Ads
- PPC
The most widely known (and usually the best starting point) is PPC (Pay Per Click). As the name suggests, you pay each time somebody clicks on your ad. The amount you pay will depend on your competition. If it’s a highly competitive market then you’ll have to pay more to outbid your competitors so that your ad gets shown. If there’s little competition then your click will be much cheaper.
On most platforms PPC allows you to target very specific audiences so you can take steps to ensure that the people who see your ads are likely to be interested in your service.
Although there are a number of PPC platforms, the biggest market share fall to Google and Facebook (LinkedIn can also be worth pursuing for certain types of B2B).
Both Google and Facebook have their advantages so it really depends on the product/services being advertised as to which is better. In many cases, utilising both platforms can offer great results.
The biggest difference between the two is the way in which the visitor finds your advertisement.
Google Search Ads
This is where your ad appears based on keywords typed into Google’s search bar. If you’re an accountant in Leeds and somebody Googles ‘Accounting Services in Leeds‘ then you’d probably want your ad to appear in the results because you know that searcher is a potential prospect. This type of advertising is highly targeted and can be fantastic as long as there are people already searching for what you offer.
It’s worth noting that Google does have other advertising opportunities including display (where your advert appears on other relevant websites and Google partners) and YouTube ads (short video ads that appear before or during another video).
Facebook Ads
In general, people on Facebook are not searching for products or services (they’re just casually scrolling). So, Facebook ads rely on interruptive marketing. The ad needs to catch the users eye and generate interest. This is perfect for products and services that people aren’t generally searching for (e.g. a new child toy subscription service).
However, because Facebook has such specific targeting options it can also be used for standard services (like accounting). With Facebook ads, you can control all types of demographics and interests that allow you to show your ad to those who are likely to engage with it. Facebook tracking pixel will allow your ad campaign to improve over time as it learns the type of user that provide you with the result you’re looking for.
PPC Summary
Whichever method you decide is right for you, it’s important to understand a few things.
- There is a steep learning curve. Both platforms have their own training tutorials but be aware, they may be a little focussed on getting you to spend as much as possible.
- It takes time! You can’t just throw in £200-£300 then decide it hasn’t worked for you. You’ll need constantly test and tweak your campaign to see what’s working and what isn’t.
- You need data. The first stages of any campaign often don’t yield results. To begin with, you are really buying data rather than sales. Once you have data to work with you can optimise your campaigns to produce better results. But (as above) this takes time. Don’t expect immediate results.
Learning how to market your business via PPC isn’t easy. But, it’s an incredible skill to have under your belt. Once you’ve mastered it along with your Lead Generation Machine), you’ll never have to worry about getting clients or customer again.
Thank you!
There was a lot to get through here and you made it to the end! Thanks so much for investing your time in me. It shows that you’re serious about making positive changes in your business. Despite the information given here, it just isn’t possible to go too in-depth without this turning into a book. So if you’d like your own lead generation system and want to know more then check out my free guide below.
Want to know more?
Download my FREE guide “GROW YOUR BUSINESS WHILE YOU SLEEP” and see how it works for yourself. This valuable guide will show you how to:
- Understand the key elements that make up your lead generation system
- Learn how to get into the mindset of your customer and think about their biggest problems
- See how automation can run your Lead Generation System while you sleep, nurturing and educating your prospects
- Find out why having a predictable pipeline of leads will ensure you stay off the sales rollercoaster
- Learn how to test and tweak your lead generation system, helping you to squeeze out the best results
