When we talk about lead generation, it’s usually a discussion of online methods. Don’t rule out the real world for gathering leads, though, since it’s a very effective way to get people interested in your business. In fact, there are several ways you can make those valuable connections without using the internet to capture them. Here’s how:
Attend Trade Shows and Conventions
These events are a great way to connect with your audience. The people who attend these functions are very interested in your market, so it’s worth checking out a trade show. Offer incentives for leads. For example, you can set up a giveaway that requires potential customers to write their email address or phone number on an entry in order to participate.
Hold a Class or Event
Have you ever considered hosting a class to get people more interested in your products or services? A good example of this would be a cooking class taught by someone who sells either the ingredients used, or the pots and pans, etc. If you offer the event for free, you’ll have plenty of people signing up. You can require their contact information in order for them to attend.
Give Away a Book
You may have seen the book offers where you only pay shipping in order to receive a physical book. The online version of this is giving away a PDF, but people are even more likely to provide their contact information for an actual book. You’ll get their email, phone number, and address so you can send the book to them. Make sure to include a disclaimer letting them know that you will be contacting them in the future to share more updates and relevant information.
Hold a Real Life Survey
People tend to enjoy answering questions about themselves and for that reason, a real world survey can be a great lead generation tool. Choose an area where your target market hangs out and design a survey to get more information. Don’t just use the survey as a promotional tool . . . take advantage of the opportunity to get more information on your target demographic. You will learn how to better serve them and that will result in more word-of-mouth advertising. Use the information you collect to create a more useful product or service.
Offer More Information
Whether you are launching a new product or just trying to promote an existing one, get people to give you their information so you can contact them in the future. If they want more information on what you have to offer or regular updates, they can give you an email or phone number. Try this method at fairs, trade shows, and conventions, where a highly interested audience will be attending. These are the ones who will be most interested in signing up for more information.
Print Advertising
While certainly not cheap, print ads can be an effective real world method of gaining leads. If you are on a small budget, try local publications first. For physical businesses with a brick and mortar location, a billboard can also be a worthwhile investment, depending on the prices in your area.
Print ads are not for everyone, but it can be an effective method of lead generation if you have the budget. Use a strong call to action to get those leads.
Just Ask
Networking is something we all do constantly. You meet people on a regular basis, so why not talk about what you do for a living? That can easily turn into a real life lead generation opportunity. The simplest way to get those leads is to ask if you can contact them with further information. Keep a notepad on you to write down their contact information and then make sure you send them a message right away. Or better yet, add the lead using your OSP mobile or web app. Wait any longer than 24 hours, and they could forget that they asked you for more information.
Nearly everything you’ll read on lead generation is focused on online options. Collecting leads on your website or blog is easy enough with an opt-in box, but don’t discount the value of manually collected leads, too! These can be some of the most responsive customers you have when all is said and done.
