Would you like a system that consistently gives you clients? Here are 5 profitable reasons you should generate leads for your service business online.
Quick question: Which would you prefer? To have a system that consistently gives you clients or to have a business where you must always go out to get the clients?
There’s always one objection that comes up whenever I speak with service professionals about getting their clients online.
They always ask the question, “Do I really need to do that? I could just hire an offline marketer who would go round companies, submit my proposals and then get contracts from some of them. Generating leads online sounds like so much work.”
What they don’t realize is that it’s almost the same thing online. The only difference is the terrain.
According to this study by Demand Metric, content marketing generates 3 times as many leads as traditional outbound marketing, but costs 62% less. In other words, you spend 62% more when you go out to look for leads and clients.
The reason for the objection to getting clients online is because the internet is virtual and so, it doesn’t look realistic.
When I started out as a freelance writer, I got my very first client online, through a very popular forum. All I did was learn how to write a really good pitch. A few days later, I got a request and I worked with that client for several months, without meeting him physically.
You may say, “But that’s freelance writing. I’m a consultant, it won’t work for me.” Then you should probably read this post about how Lori Peterson gets her consulting clients online.
Why Should You Generate Leads Online?
So far on this blog, I’ve always talked about the importance of generating leads who would hire you for your services. And also ensuring that you have a solid system that gradually takes you out of the picture until you focus on what matters in your business.
So the question becomes, “Is there a reason for generating leads online? Yes? No?
Well, here are 5 profitable reasons you should consider getting your leads online;
1. You’ll Build a Consistent System of Getting Clients
Here’s another stat for you from the guys at MarketingProfs: 37% of B2B marketers are using marketing automation to generate leads.
There are two ways to attract leads and clients online: advertising and content marketing. Both have their pros and cons. While advertising is good for businesses with high budgets, it’s a one way traffic. Most times, if you don’t get the visitor to subscribe to your list, you’ve lost them. And so, the only set of people you can convert into visitors, followers, buyers are people on your list.
With content marketing, it’s a little different. The internet is one huge digital media balloon, and content is the air that fills it. A piece of content you wrote 6 months back could be the reason a potential client contacts you today. When it comes to long term benefits, content helps educate unqualified people even before they subscribe to your list. And it helps you get clients straight from that piece of content, without any extra work on your part.
With advertising, once your ads stop, your reach is limited. With content, if it’s engaging and personalized enough, it continues to get shared and read as long as it is live on the internet. This leads us to our next point.
2. You Gain Exposure To Potential Clients Globally
As a service business, you can deliver services to people anywhere in the world. It all depends on how you structure your business to make this happen.
82% of marketers who blog daily acquired a customer using their blog, according to Hubspot. What this means is that the moment you make content marketing your primary lead generation model, you’re liable to get more clients.
And as stated in the previous point, once content is published, it stays there. This brings the question, “how do you then select who you want to see your content? After all, you can’t work with everyone, can you?”
I doubt it.
This is where having a content strategy formed around your ideal client is important. You want your content to do two things: repel some people and attract the others.
If your content keeps attracting everyone, then you don’t have a focused strategy that would deliver the kinds of clients you want. And if you don’t get the kind of clients you want, how then can you get the next benefit?
3. If Done Right, You Can Be Selective Of The Clients You Work With
The idea behind lead generation is to give you an influx of clients so that you can actually be selective about who you work with. If you don’t have a consistent flow of clients, you can’t afford to be selective. On the other hand, having them come in droves gives you the confidence that there’ll be more who will satisfy your needs.
How do you get to this level where you can get selective? It depends on your positioning.
Before coming to your website, where have these potential clients seen you? Is it on a popular authority website or on a blog smaller than yours? Where you publish your content matters a whole lot too.
Your guest blogging strategy has to be on point to ensure that your content is only published on places where the high paying clients hang out. If not, you’ll find yourself struggling with the low paying clients you have. And when all you get are low paying clients, the next benefit just can’t be yours’…
4. You Get Paid Your Worth
You’re only as expensive as you make yourself out to be. It’s your perceived value that causes clients to pay you any particular amount.
Having an influx of clients not only gives you the luxury to choose who you work with, but you make that choice based on what they’re willing to pay and the kind of work involved. Having that influx is what helps you increase your rates. One thing I believe is that for creativity, there’s no standard price. So if you feel increasing your rates is what would enable you serve your clients better, then go right ahead.
However, you also have to be smart about this decision. You’ll have to make that increase valid. This could be by offering something extra with your service, or increasing the value you give. Either way, more high paying clients always equals more money. And when they come consistently, it’s less stress.
5. You’ll Build An Audience That Listens To You – A Thought Leader
Everyone needs a raving fan base — a group of people who would hoot for them and share whatever they say. We all want to be recognized and be appreciated for the work we put out. There’s no other way to get this than from your audience.
An audience is what drives an online business. An audience is what makes money for internet businesses. It’s an audience that proclaims you leader. Without that audience, you’ll only exist in obscurity.
Yes, everyone starts out online at the level of obscurity. However, with a right content strategy, that obscurity only lasts for a time. By publishing content in the right places with large audiences, you get to tap into that audience and channel them into your business. provided they are the kind of audience you’re looking for.
Now that you know the importance of having leads for your service business, what’s the next step? How can you get started?
Simply answer the question I asked above. And if the answer to that is the first one, then enter your name and email address below to get my free 20 step blueprint on how to get your lead generation system started.
You can build a service business that pays the bills and helps you live the lifestyle you want. It just depends on the model you choose. Having a consistent inflow of clients would help you choose who you work with and also how much you’ll charge. And the good thing about it all is that you’ll also have an audience that supports you.
So, are you ready to save yourself a ton of headache by making your clients come to you? Let me know in the comments.
This is mind-blowing. You took me up on my request for a post on convincing businesses to come online. Not quite it, but close enough. Thanks!
Hi Busayo,
Actually, I’m still yet to develop that post :). But I’m glad this is close enough.
Thanks for your comment bro.
Thumbs up, bro!