For any small business, generating solid leads is imperative—at least if you want to stay in business. You need leads to get clients. You need leads for viable sales. There is no way around this. Lead generation thus has to be one of your primary marketing and advertising goals.

But which lead generation tools should you use? Which course should you take in terms of gathering relevant leads? Many business owners don’t really know where to begin when it comes to lead generation. 

This is where a full-service marketing agency really can be a huge benefit to any company. They understand which lead generation tools to utilize and when precisely to utilize those tools. Keep reading to find out more…

Lead Generation Tools for Service Industries

Depending on your business type, there are going to be a few different options for you as far as which lead generation tools you might employ. The problem is, they all tend to serve different functions. They perform differently. And the results that they get are different in some respects.

This is why understanding how to create a solid lead generation campaign is so important for any business. And this is why more and more small businesses and service industry-based businesses are in fact looking to employ the expertise of marketing agencies. This enables a company to best take advantage of the lead generation tools that are available.

You might think about it this way… If your car needs work, you are likely going to take that car to an experienced auto mechanic. Trying to fix the vehicle yourself could actually be catastrophic and end up costing you more money in the long run. This is because a mechanic has the right tools at their disposal and what’s more, they understand exactly how to utilize those tools. Same can be said of a marketing agency.

When it comes to lead generation, they have a plethora of tools at their disposal. And of course, they know what tools are going to work best for your company given your industry and business type. You would only trust your car to a mechanic, the same logic should be applied to your marketing and advertising efforts.

Lead Generation Tools You Should Be Aware Of

Now, just because you end up working with a marketing agency, doesn’t mean you don’t need to know something about what they are doing. When it comes to lead generation, there are a variety of avenues and channels they can utilize to try and get you more business. Below are a few of the key lead generation tools that can be quite helpful to any business.

• Search engine marketing. SEM is what happens when businesses pay for their advertisements to appear in search engine queries. So, for example, Google Ads would be considered search engine marketing. And depending on your Google Ads strategy, your business may come up at the top of the search engine rankings – of course, this is an advertisement form. But it has proven incredibly helpful and profitable for many businesses.

• Network and referral marketing. Being able to connect with companies similar to yours or partner with companies within your network is incredibly important when it comes to business and lead generation. BNI for example, Business Network International, is perhaps the world’s largest referral networking organization. And it’s not just about becoming a part of BNI, it is also about understanding how to operate within the context of BNI. This is how you effectively grow your organization.

• Trade shows. Various service industries do quite well participating in trade shows. Trade shows can help you generate leads, and they can also help you to increase your brand awareness. You want to make sure that you put your best foot forward for any trade show or home show that you get involved with. This means having the right marketing materials, having all your visuals aligned, and understanding what your message needs to be—these are imperative to the success of your trade show experience.

• TV and radio ads. There is still definitely something to be said for more old-school marketing techniques. TV and radio ads are among these. Without question, they can get results when done correctly. Keep in mind, a TV ad or radio ad can cost a bit of money. So you want to make sure going in that you’re maximizing your ad time. This is where a marketing agency can be a huge benefit as they understand exactly what to do.

• Design magazines. For certain home related businesses such as interior designers, design magazines can make a big difference in terms of lead generation. Architectural Digest for example or House Beautiful, can be great venues for showcasing your work and thus getting consumers to take a second look at your organization.  Every industry has a magazine that can be advertised in.

• Social media marketing. If you’re not on social media, you are losing out…big time. Platforms and apps such as Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn are all hugely valuable to service-based businesses. The key is consistency. Having a marketing and social media campaign in place isn’t enough; you have to be consistent with that campaign.

• Podcasts. Podcasts are certainly all the rage now. There are thousands of podcasts available. Having a podcast and targeting it to the right audience can be a highly effective lead generation tool. It’s about understanding how to create and launch a dynamic podcast.

• Unlike SEM, with SEO strategies you’re not paying to go to the top of the search engine rankings. You are getting there organically. This can be done through website content, blogs, articles, you name it. It takes someone familiar with effective SEO strategies to make it meaningful.

• Discount Magazines. Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of discount magazines such as com. People want quality balanced with affordability which is why certain types of discount magazines are so popular when it comes to finding a company to work with. Again though, it’s about understanding how to create the perfect ad, one that will actually generate leads.

Finding a Full-Service Marketing Agency

The decision of whether or not to hire a full-service marketing agency for your advertising needs should be a no-brainer. Once you’ve decided to do so, the question is which agency do you hire? 

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to evaluating marketing agencies. For one, is the agency a fit for your business type? Meaning, do they have experience with home-service based companies? Do they understand your industry? Or will there be a steep learning curve that they have to follow? Ideally, you will find a marketing agency that knows your business and can consequently help your business.

Some other factors to consider as you evaluate marketing agencies:

• Do they have ample experience in marketing — in all types of marketing.

• Client referrals. Are they willing to give you the names and contact information of past clients? And what do those clients have to say about working with this particular firm?

• Is it a one size fits all approach to marketing? Or, will they take the time to get to know your specific company and your specific needs and custom tailor a marketing and advertising plan for you?

There are a ton of factors that you could use to evaluate various marketing agencies. What it will ultimately come down to is your comfort level with that company. 

Having a shared vision and a common goal is so important. 

If you are ready to get started on increasing your lead generation techniques, click on the Blue “Request a Consultation” button on the upper right hand side of your screen.