Business Insights

Many of us think new leads = more business, and as a result we’re constantly on the hunt for the new. It’s a natural impulse, but most of the time it’s wrong. We’re not saying new leads aren’t important to B2B businesses, of course, but as many as 71% of inbound leads are wasted. The most common question clients ask us is how can I generate more leads? A better question is what am I doing with my current ones? No matter how much water you pour in, a leaky bucket will quickly empty. You may like: How The Marketing Centre got thrown out of the marketing magic circle So how can you make sure you’re making the most of what you’ve got? It’s all down to process and quality control.

Let us tell you a secret. There’s an industry dedicated to finding small and medium-sized businesses a load of great, qualified leads. This may seem like a mysterious art, a flick of a wand, a few magic words and hey presto, awesome leads. The end result looks like magic. The methodology, like all illusions, is not.

Often, the most important work is the work you don’t see. Take Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt, for example. You immediately think of the gold medals, the finals, the world records, the cameras, the screaming fans, the glory. Bolt will be remembered for his showmanship on the track, his seemingly effortless victories and his speed.

Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) is simple, it’s effective in reaching potential customers, and by its very nature it’s targeted; you choose the search term you want to occupy and make sure you’re the first result for it.

“I haven’t got enough leads.” Sound familiar? You might have even uttered these infamous words yourself. Why? Because growth has slowed, you’ve hit a brick wall. But leads are not the problem or the solution to long term growth. Solid marketing is.