7 Key Lead Generation Trends to Pay Attention to in 2022.
COVID-19 abruptly closed the doors to lunch meeting rooms, conferences, and all other offline sales and marketing activities critical to lead generation. What should we do?
The pandemic threw a wrench in the works. Lead agents cannot afford to wait for things to return to normal. The only way forward is to go completely digital. They require data that can be collected, evaluated, and used to make better judgments. Analytics and data insights, according to experts, will fuel effective marketing communications.
These operations range from lead creation to client relationship management (CRM). In the following sections, we’ll look at some of the most important and rising trends that marketers should be aware of and use.
1. Lead Generation Is Moving Online
The epidemic has caused a significant shift in how firms function. B2B organizations, in particular, that relied on in-person sales methods have been forced to abandon their previous procedures to adapt to the extraordinary developments. With rigorous remote work settings in place, networking and selling activities, as well as lead generation, moved to the digital stage.
As it turns out, B2B sellers and buyers are more than ready to abandon sales-centric approaches in favor of marketing’s digital lead resources, including websites, social media, content marketing, email marketing, and others. Buyers’ readiness to do purchases on digital channels is equally encouraging.
One disadvantage of transitioning from conventional to digital platforms is the need to grasp the various procedures of lead generation, prospecting, scoring, and nurturing. And, as a result of the abrupt transformation, B2B enterprises must learn quickly.
2. Live Chat and Video Conferencing
With in-person meetings and networking declared risky in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic, digital platforms have risen to the top of the list of communication methods. In terms of communicating with B2B buyers and closing agreements, video, and live chat have emerged as the most successful mediums.
According to a McKinsey & Company report, video interactions are more useful than phone conversations for B2B decision-makers. This includes not just interacting with current and future consumers, but also with coworkers, vendors, and suppliers.
3. Marketing Through Influencers
Aside from attracting a larger audience and prospective consumers, influencer marketing may assist businesses in other ways. For starters, they don’t have to spend as much money “infiltrating” the niche. They enlist the assistance of someone who is already influential in the field.
Second, many influencers themselves employ analytics and data. Businesses that collaborate with them may be able to better understand their niches. Third, marketers may use influencers in a performance-based marketing plan. Because they only pay for outcomes, they save money and resources.
Finally, enterprises may gain access through various digital platforms. As a result, they broaden their reach across several mediums. An increase in both reach and engagement can lead to a rise in both lead volume and lead quality. If you pick wisely, influencers may be excellent lead-generation partners.
4. Lead generation via social networks
Because of the worldwide health catastrophe created by the COVID-19, social media channels have become an even more important source of leads. But, with over half of the world’s population spending more time on social media, how can businesses convert them into qualified leads?
One method is to push content personalization to a higher level. Brands frequently tailor their content to the audience they wish to attract. While this increases your number of followers or subscribers, it does not always result in quality leads. Personalize your content depending on leads to strengthen your interaction with your audience. This involves getting to know the leads you want to attract on a more personal level, as well as the social media platforms on which they are most active, their areas of interest, and so on.
Using cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning is another technique to reach more leads on social media. With AI algorithms, artificial intelligence and machine learning have been utilized to automate traditional lead creation tactics, making lead generating considerably more efficient.
AI technology is used to “listen” to social media users, which enables social media platforms to send tailored information to their target potential consumers based on their interactions and areas of interest.
Whatever approach you choose to generate leads from social media, keep in mind that you must establish, maintain, and expand your email list by guiding your social media fans or followers into your email marketing funnel. While email marketing remains one of the most difficult sorts of digital marketing, it is also one of the most powerful lead-generation channels.
5. Chat-bots
Companies, in general, are anticipating what AI can achieve for them. Some, on the other hand, employ a very unique deployment: chatbots. Chatbots will become the driving force behind company communications, according to experts, and more firms are interested in investing in chatbots to boost their customer support services.
Furthermore, according to current statistics and research on chatbots, more customers are willing to use chatbots. This applies to a wide range of sectors, from B2B companies to B2C brands. Simply said, many people feel that chatbots have several advantages.
However, there are still issues with chatbot installation. To begin with, chatbots, especially properly developed ones, are not inexpensive. While this may not appear to be a concern for big enterprises, small and medium-sized firms may be discouraged from investing in chatbot technology due to budget restrictions.
However, as chatbot technology advances and the demand for 24/7 help rises, we anticipate that their use will increase. We also anticipate that more firms will employ chatbots to direct prospects to digital touchpoints.
6. Video Content
Video material is so popular that researchers believe it will account for 82 percent of all Internet traffic by 2022. They anticipate it to reach 75% this year. Furthermore, six out of ten consumers choose to watch internet videos over TV.
As a result, marketers take advantage of this by employing video content marketing across numerous platforms to boost reach, revenue, latency, and engagement. The majority of marketers post their video material on YouTube. However, they are increasingly using sites such as Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Simply said, video material is quite prevalent in today’s marketing. Furthermore, current video marketing data indicate that this trend will not abate very soon. Media use and consumption are projected to rise in the next years. New viewers are drawn in by interesting videos. Furthermore, new viewers emerge as new leaders.
So, if you haven’t already begun to maintain a digital presence for video content, you’ll find it more difficult to compete with others shortly. Your work may become lost in a sea of other media. As a result, if you haven’t employed this strategy before, you’d be wise to start thinking about how to accomplish it right now.
7. Creating leads via email
Marketers create leads via email in a variety of methods. Some people utilize landing pages to get users to sign up for their newsletter. Others, on the other hand, prefer events to create email leads.
There are, however, new ways based on improved technology that goes beyond traditional email marketing. Interactive emails are one of them. The second type of email is known as narrative email (STE).
