When you turn a site visitor into a lead, and then that lead becomes a customer, you’ve done your job but you still need to follow up on that accomplishment. As the experts at HubSpot say, “A successful lead generation engine is what keeps the funnel full of sales prospects while you sleep.”

With so many moving parts involved in successful lead generation, it’s easy to lose sight of some of the tactics available for use. That’s where this blog post comes in — we’ll cover the most popular and effective techniques utilized by electronic manufacturers and suppliers today to increase leads and generate revenue online.

Offer value to your audience through great content

Yes, eCommerce store owners need to create content. It’s not just about those flashy sales pages. You want to provide people with information, inspiration, and news.

It all comes back to the shortened buyer’s journey. A consumer can go from the top to the bottom of the sales funnel in just minutes, even if the idea to buy a product has just occurred to them. Attract people, educate them, and point them where you want them to go.

Related: Industry Insights: What Drives Manufacturing Leads’ Buying Journey?

Keep the reader on the site

In many cases, when it comes to eCommerce lead generation, you only have one visit to snag the sale. Obviously, you want to keep your visitor on the site as long as possible.

Testing different opt-in forms can help. If you capture your lead’s contact information, you can follow up and remind him or her that you exist.

Additionally, sprinkle internal links throughout your site, especially at the bottoms of pages or where people tend to stop scrolling. Use juicy anchor text to inspire excitement and curiosity.

Create links to related products — preferably with images — and consider offering a free, no-opt-in tool your leads can use. For instance, on a clothing site, consider adding a sizing chart where leads can enter their measurements.

Related: How to Engage Prospects That Are Not Ready to Buy Yet

Email Marketing

Many businesses may think that email marketing is only best used when communicating with existing prospects and customers. Not so! Email can be a great channel for new lead generation. Here are some ways you can use email to generate more new prospects:

• Focus on an opt-in strategy. If you’re buying email lists and spamming your prospects, no one will want to share your email with others. They will only want to unsubscribe! The first step to email lead generation is to make sure you have happy subscribers that enjoy receiving emails from you.
• Send people valuable offers. If you send really interesting or valued offers — whether it’s downloads, discounts, or educational content — people will more likely share your emails with their friends or colleagues.
• Give people the tools to share. Don’t forget to add a “Forward to a Friend” link or social media sharing buttons within each email so people are encouraged to pass it on. 

Social Media

Social media isn’t just for liking funny pictures or posting what you ate for breakfast. Social media and social ads are emerging channels that businesses now utilize to generate leads. Here are some tips for generating leads on social networks:

• Build a loyal following. Building a relationship with potential customers is a critical first step. Social media connections are really about people-to-people, not always company-to-individual. Get to know your audience online, communicate and share information. In order to generate leads, you need to have a human interaction with others.

• Remember, social media is a dialogue. Companies that only use social media to blast out messages about themselves or send spam messages aren’t using social channels effectively. The goal is to interact with others and be helpful. When you share content on social media, don’t always post something that relates to your company. Share links to other interesting industry things you’ve found online. People will be very thankful you are noticing their work, too!
• Influence connections for content sharing. Publishing and sharing content that directs traffic to targeted landing pages is the single biggest lever to increase lead generation through social media. Share your new content offers by posting links to landing pages, and in addition, share blog posts, discounts, and other great resources.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Killer B2B Social Media Marketing Strategies

Conclusion

The possibilities are endless! By establishing your digital goals and implementing an online marketing presence, you are able to network, connect, educate, sell, partner, and communicate with a number of people and companies you may not have had the opportunity to before. So, get out there and start establishing your digital marketing and lead generation strategy. Remember: 

• Set your digital marketing goals
• Leverage social media outlets, and
• Share knowledge