As an essential aspect of business growth and success, lead generation is all about drawing target audiences to a brand, product or service. It’s a process that drives a customer journey from complete stranger to a valuable lead and informs further nurturing on the path towards a closed deal. With so many avenues of marketing and sales funnels at play in modern lead generation strategies, it can get complicated. Luckily, there are many lead generation solutions available that can help streamline the process.
Read on as we learn more about lead generation and discover the best lead generation solutions on the market in 2023.
Why is lead generation so important?
Without an engaged audience and authentic leads, even the most beneficial businesses and offerings will struggle to gain traction. The lead generation process is therefore vital to a tangible connection between a brand and its desired population.
Lead generation strategies come to life across social media, on webpages and in emails - just to name a few. They stir interest, increase business visibility and capture those who are ready to spend. Dive deeper into lead generation strategies here, but generally lead generation can:
1. Expand customer base
Increasing reach to target audiences is key to the lead generation process. By providing markets with an attractive offer or information, you’re more likely to guide people towards your business and drive further action.
2. Generate valuable leads
Leads are more than just a pair of eyes, they’re consumers and businesses who have actively expressed their curiosity. This means effective lead generation builds an audience of potential customers who are easier to entice than those simply having a look-see.
3. Gain actionable data
Not only producing leads, lead generation solutions can also provide valuable data that can inform further marketing efforts and lead generation strategies. Many on the market offer comprehensive performance reporting and lead analysis capabilities as part of the package too!
4. Increase sales
The end goal of all lead generation solutions and strategies. Just think of it as a simple equation: powerful lead generation = more interest + better leads = increased sales.
Popular lead generation solutions in 2023
The lead generation process in our digital world covers a variety of communicative pathways and marketing approaches. This sees modern strategies encompass email marketing, social media marketing, website funnels and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising - all at once.
With such a large scope of opportunity, businesses can often get bogged down in it all and struggle to capture or capitalize on activated audiences. However, help is available. There are a multitude of lead generation solutions and tools that are actively igniting the lead generation strategies of business all over the globe.
The best lead generation solutions for email marketing
Email marketing is a common cog in lead generation strategies that implements email campaigns to promote businesses, products and services or encourage signups and downloads. Popular email lead generation solutions include:
1. MailChimp
One of the most popular email marketing and marketing automation platforms on the market, MailChimp is an all-in-one email lead generation solution.
Pros
- Design, personalize, segment, send and manage email campaigns or newsletters
- Easily integrated with other marketing tools
- Easy-to-use template editor
- Powerful analytics capabilities
Cons
- Not the widest range of email templates available
- Known to have emails sent straight to spam
- Expensive subscription plans
- Minimal capabilities in free plan
Pricing (USD)
- Free - $0/month | Basic functions with 1k monthly email sends
- Essentials - $13/month | Added testing and scheduling features with 5k monthly email sends
- Standard - $20/month | Personalization, optimization tools and better automations with 6k monthly email sends
- Premium - $350/month | Advanced tools, unlimited contacts,and priority support with 150k monthly email sends
2. AWeber
A leading email lead generation solution complete with automations and a simple email-building interface.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop email design capabilities
- E-commerce features
- Reactive customer support
- Better plan value when compared to competitors
Cons
- Comparably basic automations
- Fewer personalization options
- No dedicated segmentation section
- AWeber branding visible on cheaper plans
Pricing (USD)
- Free - $0/month | Basic functions for email lists up to 500 subscribers
- Lite - $12.50/month | Added automations and e-commerce tools for emails lists of any size
- Plus - $20/month | Unlimited automations, landing pages, email lists with 24/7 support
- Unlimited - $899/month | Unlimited everything
The best lead generation solutions for PPC advertising
Synonymous with first-tier search engines and social media, PPC advertising is a digital advertising model where the advertiser pays a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. Popular PPC lead generation solutions include:
1. Facebook Lead Ads
A popular PPC lead generation solution on a website with over 2.89 billion active users every month.
Pros
- Very targeted advertising
- Frictionless form experiences
- Easy data collection
- Mobile optimized
Cons
- Low conversion barrier may decrease lead quality
- Expensive per-lead costs
- Poor integrative capabilities
- Basic auto-fill forms
Pricing (USD)
- Average cost per click - $0.94
- Average cost per lead - $5.83
2. Google Ads
A PPC lead generation solution empowering ads across the Search (Google Search) and Display (websites) ad networks visible to billions of people every day.
Pros
- Easy setup with instant results
- Advanced analytics capabilities
- Very targeted advertising
- Flexible budget options
Cons
- Relies on ad design
- Can be intrusive
- Potential for high cost per click
- Optimization is time-consuming
Pricing (USD)
- Average cost per click - $1 to $4
- Average cost per lead - $40.74
The best lead generation solutions for websites and landing pages
Websites and landing pages are online destinations that most marketing efforts link back to. They commonly feature lead generation tools such as downloads, newsletter sign-ups and e-books.
1. Unbounce
A landing page builder for online marketers featuring a drag-and-drop interface.
Pros
- Expansive template gallery
- Simple page builder
- Plentiful integrations
- AI capabilities and Smart Traffic can increase conversions
Cons
- Conversion limits
- Limited capabilities in lower plans
- Relatively expensive
- Steep learning curve
Pricing (USD)
- Launch - $99/month | Unlimited pages capped at 500 conversions
- Optimize - $145/month | Unlimited pages capped at 1k conversions
- Accelerate - $240/month | Unlimited pages capped at 2.4k conversions
- Concierge - $625/month | Unlimited pages with more than 5k conversions
2. Instapage
A powerful landing page builder fueling personalized campaigns with optimization, reporting and growth tools.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop page creation
- Mobile-optimized templates
- Powerful analytics capabilities
- No conversion limits
Cons
- Relatively expensive
- Limited starter plan
- Rigid in text design and layout
- Minimal page width choices
Pricing (USD)
- Build - $99/month | Essential tools for high-converting pages
- Convert - Dependent on client needs and goals | Complete packages with massive integration capabilities
Integrate your lead generation solutions with LeadOwl: the ultimate lead generation solution
What if there was a tool that streamlined the solutions streamlining your business’ lead generation strategies? Introducing LeadOwl - the ultimate lead generation solution. This smartphone and web app revolutionizes the entire lead generation and management process with endless integrative capabilities.
Begin by connecting LeadOwl to any lead generation solution or major marketing platform such as the ones above. Then, from the palm of your hand, visualize and track the leads they produce instantly and respond to prospects from anywhere - 24/7. LeadOwl was designed to help businesses do what they do best - better.
- Be notified of leads in seconds
- Receive reminders about lead follow-ups
- Track response times
- Onboard your clients or sales reps
- Call, text, or email right from the app
- Connect to every major marketing platform
Prices begin at $29/month. Discover LeadOwl today with a 7-day free trial and realize how savvy marketers across the globe are amplifying their conversions at the tap of a button.