Effective Alternatives to Cold Calling that Will Generate Leads – Authentically

Although people may tell you that the days of cold calling are gone, the truth is many companies still use this method of lead generation despite extremely low conversion rates. According to this article, cold calling methods have a 1-2% success rate in booking an appointment. From there, conversion rates continue to dwindle, and you can do the math… it is going to take a whole lot of calls in order to close a sale. This is neither cost-effective nor sustainable.

So, what’s the good news? The good news is there are better ways to reach your target market that are much more efficient and effective. Not only will it save you time and money but implementing these tactics will generate authentic demand for your product and/or service.

How to Use Social Media To Generate Leads

Educate your audience– Share posts that show how your solution solves your target market’s problem. Try implementing video content, such as Instagram reels, creating fun polls that spark conversation, or sharing a resourceful article that your audience will find valuable and entertaining.
Actively participate in LinkedIn and Facebook groups– Join groups where your target market is hanging out and establish yourself as an expert. Actively participating in the group whether it is sharing a valuable article or commenting on a post will build relationships and creditability.
Engage and reply to all comments and inquires– If your target market is reaching out in some capacity, not only are they already aware that you exist, but they are likely interested. The hard work is done, time to build a relationship! Try taking the conversation offline via phone or email. This may expedite the process and speed up your conversion rates.
Host virtual events– Hosting an information session, training or even a virtual product demo is a great way to engage your audience and interact with them. Depending upon your target market, you may want to consider going “live” on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok. You can also host Zoom webinars or pre-record a video for your viewers to watch back on-demand.

Other Ways to Increase Website Traffic and Awareness

Write a blog– Content is still king making it one of the most effective ways for you to get the right eyes reading about your product or service. When writing your content, ensure you have completed keyword research and that your article addresses your target market’s problem at the very beginning.
Networking– LinkedIn networking can be extremely powerful whether you are a small business or corporation. Begin with connecting to prospects that you share mutual connections or similarities with. Every good salesperson knows the importance of building rapport making this a good place to start. Rather than selling them off the bat, try sharing valuable industry content or other types of tools that point towards your solution such as a case study, whitepaper, infographic, or e-book.
Offer something for free– Anything from a free consultation to a free downloadable can attract your target market and at a minimum, get them into your email database. Consider asking yourself, what can I offer that will differentiate me without giving out away my “secret sauce”.
Encourage your customer to share– Word of mouth is one of the most powerful types of lead generation. In fact, 92% of people trust it over any other kind of marketing initiative. The truth of the matter is people trust other people. Take online reviews for example. 84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. Furthermore, 91% of people regularly read online reviews when making a purchasing decision.

Today, these authentic selling methods are much more effective in generating quality leads that are highly likely to convert into a closed sales. Better yet, the right strategy can generate more leads faster and cheaper than cold calling. It’s time to implement these tactics and authentically generate demand!