Lead Generation in 2024: What You Need to Know - Part 1

You want to work, but not with everyone and anyone. You probably want to work with your dream client, right? How to achieve that? Let's see…

As a User Experience designer, one of my responsibilities is to advocate for users and human-centred design. What will be a common repeating line in this article is 1:1 human connection and relationships. It all comes to that. There are other factors, but that’s the main, primal one. If you click you click. If you manage to build rapport or so-called connection, then you are one step closer to building trust and laying stronger foundations.

But if you have to start from somewhere and you need to see the bigger picture, where should you start from? My advice would be on your personal development and branding (personal or business). If you know who you are as a person and business, you will know how to talk about yourself and your services or products. Mind you, that is a continuous process and iterations are included.

Then from within, knowing yourself a bit more, you would know what type of clients you want to attract and approach. Yes, you can attract and choose, and you can also approach and pitch to your dream clients. It’s a two-way street and being proactive is key.

Let’s start with the checklist, shall we?

• Your Online Presence and Content Marketing Matters — how you show up on Google search is as important as how you show up on social media. The language you use, the way you connect or sometimes disconnect with your audience. It is a skill and it needs practice. Also to top the difficulty level, content marketing becomes a bit harder when you don’t know who your audience is. Should you speak as a brand, do you use “we” or “I”, but in your “team” is just you? Well, I would say do what sounds more authentic to you. And don’t overcomplicate it, keep it simple, keep it human. From my personal experience whenever I stay focused on the connections I am creating via social media rather than the metrics, numbers and analytics, I actually see more growth. Oh, yes, something I am also guilty of and that is being anti-social on social media. Sounds easy, but sometimes we get overwhelmed by creating content and forget the central aspect of it — connecting with other humans. It's also easy to switch to the mode of doom scrolling and getting all types of doubt. What’s important is to stay focused, have a plan and genuinely connect with your audience.

‍Pro tip: Google your name, right now! Check what other people see! For even better results open the tab in incognito mode.

• Networking and Relationship Building — When was the last time you went to a networking event? Let me know in the comments! Successful people want to help other people to succeed. That’s a fact. Just because they want to pay it back or because they have future plans with you in the picture. So whenever you can try to network as much as possible and create connections with the attendees. Live networking events are the best in my opinion. If you go alone, which I recommend even if you don’t know anyone, is a great idea to think of questions you might ask people around you to establish a bridge for a small talk. From a simple orientation or organisation question, to “What do you do for a living? Which speaker was your favourite? How long have you been a [insert profession or industry]?”. And last but not least have your LinkedIn ready for sharing, before you leave. 😉

Modern research believes that the average consumer needs to view an ad at least 7–8 times before it’ll really sink in. — That it is also your offer!

• Email Marketing and Automation — Is it outdated or is it still as powerful? Something I am still building and figuring out actually! If you have a passion for content writing you should probably also learn more about copywriting. But remember nowadays people want and need something special, something that fits them. A few of the benefits of using email marketing and automation are:

1. Wide Reach: Email allows you to reach your  audience quickly. With a well-maintained email list, you can communicate with hundreds or even thousands of subscribers at once.
2. Targeted Communication: Email marketing allows you to segment your email list based on various criteria, such as demographics, behaviour, or purchase history. This segmentation enables you to send highly targeted and relevant content to different groups of subscribers.
3. Personalization: Personalization is easy because you can address recipients by their names, tailor the content to their interests, and send personalized product recommendations. Anything personalised tends to perform better and encourage a stronger connection with subscribers.
4. Measurable Results: Email marketing provides analytics and tracking. You can monitor open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and other metrics to assess the effectiveness of your campaigns. This data helps you learn more about your campaign and improve your strategies for better results.
5. Increased Traffic: Email marketing can also drive traffic to your website or blog. By including relevant links and call-to-action buttons in your emails, you can direct subscribers to your desired online destinations.

If you want more exclusive insights on interesting topics, then don't hesitate to check the Work In Progress Podcast and also become a Curious Gang Member by subscribing to my newsletter! See you on the other side.