Lead Generation – Can Your Business Afford Not To Do It?

In order for your business to thrive you need a fresh supply of leads on a regular basis. The problem is that obtaining these leads can be expensive so it is a challenging task when you are first starting out and don\’t have much in your budget to spare. Here are some things to consider that might lower the cost of getting business leads.

Many sites use a simple sales letter type page that has one objective – to sell an item. While this may have some success, it generally does nothing for you in terms of future sales contacts. Sure, you have the person\’s name and all, but once they have bought that item, there is no follow up to it.

This type of sales process is singular and contains you to a single sale to a single customer. What you want to do is design it so you have a way of selling other items you have for sale to that same customer. Now, sales letter type pages require an effective text that drives the customer to hit the \”Buy\” button at the end. Sales copy is a skill that not all people have, so having it written for you is the answer.

Copywriters that have a proven track record don\’t work cheap so this is one of the major expenses involved with setting up a sales website. However, this is an expense that pays for itself over time. You will need a certain number of sales to offset the initial outlay before you realize any profits, but this is true of most any business you would start.

Other expenses you will have to consider are related to the website itself. Not only do you need professionally written copy, you also need an appealing website, domain registration, and hosting. With the first business model, you will have to cover all of your expenses from single sales and will always need to keep ahead of your costs.

On the other hand, a site that generates leads on a continuous basis will pay for itself over and over again. Believe it or not, this does not have to be elaborate or flashy. A simple offer of a free item like a report or white paper can be made in exchange for a little information. Usually this is a name and email address. So for the cost of $0, you now have a contact that you can market to as long as they remain on your list.

Since that person has agreed to receive your email(s), there is no danger of a SPAM report from them. Once they have accepted your initial offer and given you their information, they are asked to confirm that they want to register on your list. This is called double opt-in and it works like a charm. Not only do you now have a prospect, you have a prospect that knows what you offer and wants to receive it willingly.

Lead generation monetizes your list every time a new person joins. The total cost? A few minutes and some time to follow up. The results? Lasting recurring sales from a customer who now trusts you implicitly.