A while ago I wrote an article that revealed the 6 deadliest small business marketing mistakes. I thought a lot about that list and I kept getting the same impression that there was one marketing mistake that I was missing.
So today I’m going to share the 7th and final deadly marketing mistake.
And the 7th Marketing Mistake Is…
…not having a systematic, lead generation system(s).
I know that in the previous article I told you that you should focus a lot of your resources on generating referrals from your customers and alliance partners…but that doesn’t mean you should neglect to have a system that generates fresh new leads.
Every business should have a systematic process for attracting new prospects and converting them to customers.
There’s a lot of ways you can do this (and sometimes it depends on the type of business you have as to what marketing methods you use.)
The Two Step Lead Gen Method
Other than retail businesses, most business will benefit from having a two step lead generation system. The first step is to get your prospects attention and then capture their contact information.
The second step is to convert those prospects into paying customers.
You can capture prospects attention using many different methods such as…
1. Trade shows
2. Online advertising
3. Door hangers
4. Billboard signs
5. Newspaper advertising
6. Magazine advertising
7. Newsletter advertising
8. Television advertising
9. Sponsorhips
10. etc….
The 2nd Step Is To…
…communicate, educate and invite people to take advantage of your offer.
In fact, YOU are involved in 2 step lead generation right now!
Somehow, I was able to get your attention, generate your interest and capture your contact information. Now I’m using the 2nd step to communicate with you through educational messages, like the one you’re reading right now, that (hopefully) build trust and affection.
But email newsletter marketing isn’t the only way to communicate.
You can use tools such as…
1. Direct mail
2. Offline newsletters
3. Webinars
4. Audio postcards
5. Video newsletters
6. Telephone
7. Live seminars
8. Online teleseminars
9. etc….
Each tool has it’s own place. They all work, if you use them correctly.
The Real Key Is To…
…create a SYSTEM that happens the same way over and over again that produces consistent results. Every business should have a systematic lead generation and conversion system or systems.
One Word of Caution…
A HUGE MISTAKE is to rely on just one method.
What if all you used was pay-per-click marketing to generate your leads.
Have you seen what Google Adwords has done lately. It’s basically fired a large chunk of it’s advertisers. Those who just relied on Google Adwords were/are hurting right now.
So you should have at least two to three different lead generation systems or sources for your incoming leads. If one dries up or dies, your business doesn’t shut down.
Would you be interested in learning the lead generation secrets of Gil Ortega, an unknown, behind-the-scenes, lead generation guru who turned $50 into a multi-million dollar lead generation company?
About David Frey
David Frey is the Founder, MarketingBlogger.com. He is also the author of the best selling book, "The Small Business Marketing Bible" and many other marketing courses. To find out more about this author, visit www.WhoIsDavidFrey.com.
