Why is it worth automating lead generation and how to do it?
Unleash the power of automation in lead generation! From SEO keyword research to cold calling and email marketing, learn where and how to automate. Learn about lesser-known lead generation tools and improve your results without a lot of work.
Marketing automation — improve your processes
Do you find it difficult to generate high-quality leads? Low conversion rates and a limited number of acquired contacts in your CRM are the nightmare of every marketer and seller. In such situations, companies often begin to experiment with new lead generation strategies or invest resources in intensifying current activities. And rightly so.
But there is one thing that you should avoid like the plague and which can make itself felt in such situations. It’s about getting stuck in a repetitive cycle of manual work. How to avoid this? By automating your activities.
While automation won’t solve all lead generation problems, it can be a key element of success in improving the efficiency of your operations. It enables you to achieve better results in less time and allows you to optimize the process of acquiring and handling leads.
No wonder it is becoming a standard regardless of the industry. According to research conducted by DemandSage , as many as 96% of marketers have used or plan to use automation tools soon. Additionally, 91% of marketers believe they play a key role in achieving business results.
In this article you will find an up-to-date dose of knowledge that will hopefully help you automate your lead generation process and streamline your work. But before we get into the topic of lead generation, let’s look at marketing automation as a whole.
Why is marketing automation important?
First keyword: performance.
While it’s theoretically possible to perform many tasks manually, why would you do it?
Performing some tasks manually is extremely time-consuming, especially when it comes to repetitive activities. This, in turn, limits our ability to plan strategically and engage in more creative work. Fortunately, nowadays computers are excellent at handling these types of tasks, freeing up our precious time for more important endeavors.
Let’s assume we need to conduct SEO keyword research. Performing this task manually would be a huge challenge. Of course, you could go through all the steps manually: analyze hundreds of keywords, check what the competition is doing and so on, but there are tools that can do all this in just a few minutes.
Second keyword: opportunities.
Another reason to use marketing automation is its greater capabilities. Some tasks are simply too complex to be done manually.
Take Google Analytics for example. Trying to manually replicate the level of analysis and interpretation of data would be a crazy idea! Automation tools offer advanced capabilities that enable you to gain deeper insight and make precise, data-driven decisions.
Third keyword: precision.
Automation also reduces the likelihood of errors at work, especially in the case of repetitive tasks. After all, computers are much more accurate than humans. With today’s refined algorithms, you can expect computers to be nearly error-free, providing consistent and accurate results.
In conclusion, marketing automation is essential because it provides efficiency, better capabilities and precision. By automating tasks, you can streamline your lead generation process, save time, and achieve better results.
Can lead generation be automated?
Of course! Almost every aspect of marketing can benefit from the use of automation tools, and lead generation is certainly no exception.
virtual assistant lead generation software acts as a tireless. Thanks to advanced algorithms and intelligent systems, it performs tedious or complex tasks quickly and accurately. Gone are the days of manually searching countless online platforms, social media profiles and industry directories to find potential customers.
With lead generation automation software, you can use advanced search algorithms to identify your target audience, segment your prospects based on specific criteria, and even analyze their behavior and preferences.
The software crawls the Internet, extracts valuable data points and compiles comprehensive lead profiles that provide actionable information for personalized marketing campaigns.
Moreover, by automating repetitive tasks such as data entry, lead nurturing and customer care, you can ensure consistent and efficient communication with your contractors while reducing the risk of human error. The software can send personalized emails, schedule follow-up calls and track interactions. All this will allow you to turn leads into customers even more effectively.
The benefits of automated lead generation software go beyond time savings and greater precision. Using its capabilities, you can effortlessly enter new markets, expand your reach and scale lead generation activities. By being able to handle larger amounts of data and complete tasks at a fast pace, you can unlock new opportunities for growth that were once only a fantasy.
Also Read: 5 ways to generate sales leads. Do you know them all?
I want to automate the lead generation process. Where to start?
Before you dive into lead generation automation, consider your goals. What specific results do you want to achieve? Generate leads in larger numbers, improve their quality, and maybe improve lead nurturing? Clearly defining your goals will guide your automation strategy.
Then take a closer look at your existing lead generation process. Automation must be introduced wisely. Identify tasks that are repetitive, time-consuming, or prone to human error. These are the areas where automation makes the most sense.
Remember, automating a process does not automatically make it better.
Once you determine which areas need improvement, look for the right tools. Compare different options to find the one that best suits your needs. Choose those that can integrate with other tools you already use
Once you get everything up and running, you need to… monitor and measure the results. This rule applies to basically every branch of marketing. Based on this, you will be able to optimize your processes and look for more efficient tools and strategies.
Five ways to generate leads that can be automated
Cold calling
You can’t automate a good customer call. But the very beginning can be handled by a voice bot . Most cold calls end quickly, with only a few potential customers showing interest. So by using a virtual agent to filter and route calls, you can effectively reach more potential customers even with a small team.
However, the limitations of such solutions must be taken into account. The bot can only say what it is programmed to say. It will also not be able to personalize the conversation. Cold calls often cause irritation, and interacting with a voice bot can make it worse. Therefore, carefully analyze the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution and decide whether it will be beneficial for you.
Regardless of what decision you make regarding the use of bots, equip yourself with a good call center platform. Although, if cold calling is the basis of your business, you have probably already taken this step.
Improving website traffic thanks to SEO
A great way to generate leads is to leverage organic traffic to your website. To achieve this, you need valuable, well-optimized content. While SEO tools like Ahrefs and Semrush don’t produce leads on their own, having a polished SEO content strategy is an important step in generating inbound leads from your website.
A solid SEO content strategy includes keyword research, analyzing the competition and your own performance, creating attractive content and optimizing it. Every part of this process can be improved with automation tools. If you have the money and resources to fully commit to SEO, we highly recommend using one of the two leading platforms — Semrush or Ahrefs.
Remember, however, that while you can partially automate content creation itself, don’t leave it solely to artificial intelligence. Let your content be valuable and original. Simply entering the command into ChatGPT and copying the resulting text is not enough.
How to convert website traffic into leads
Once you have built a good website that is visited by many people, you need to consider how to turn this traffic into specific leads. There are several ways to do this, e.g. forms, pop-ups or landing pages. What tools will help you automate this area?
First, use form builders. Platforms like Typeform and JotForm offer drag-n-drop builders that help you create a form in just a few clicks. You don’t have to write a single line of code. Additionally, JotForm integrates with various CRM systems and email marketing tools, allowing you to seamlessly send new leads to them.
Another option for converting traffic into leads is pop-ups. Considered by some to be intrusive, they are still one of the most effective methods of acquiring potential customers.
Tools like OptinMonster or Sumo allow you to create eye-catching pop-ups that appear at the right moment, e.g. when the user wants to leave the page. Such windows usually encourage you to leave your contact details in exchange for a discount on your next purchases or, for example, an e-book.
In addition to forms and pop-ups, we can use landing pages. Platforms like Unbounce and Leadpages allow you to create great landing pages with minimal effort. These tools offer templates designed specifically for effective lead generation.
By directing website traffic to these dedicated landing pages, you can increase your chances of acquiring leads by delivering a targeted and compelling offer or value proposition.
Finally, let’s discuss live chat tools. Integrating a live chat feature on your website, such as Intercom or Drift, allows you to interact with your visitors in real time. Most live chat tools offer lead capture features, allowing you to collect contact information directly during the call.
PPC marketing automation
When discussing the topic of automation of lead gen activities, it is difficult not to mention the strategy of generating leads through PPC campaigns.
Tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner, WordStream, and Semrush can automate the process of identifying the right keywords for your campaigns. These tools provide insight into search volume, competition and suggested click rates, making it easier to select the most optimal phrases. Automated bidding tools on PPC platforms can also help.
Email marketing in lead generation
Emails are a powerful tool for generating and nurturing leads. While you can’t automate the entire relationship building process via email, the potential for improvement is quite large.
First of all, it is worth (and even necessary) to use an e-mail marketing platform that will allow you to manage contacts, create and send e-mail campaigns and track their effectiveness. Popular email marketing platforms include: Mailchimp, Constant Contact and GetResponse
They offer the ability to prepare an automated email sequence or drip campaigns . These are a series of pre-written emails that are automatically sent to subscribers based on predefined triggers or actions they take.
For example, you can set up a welcome email series that triggers when someone joins your mailing list, introducing them to your brand and gradually leading them towards conversion.
Automation tools also allow you to segment your mailing list based on various criteria such as demographics, behavior or engagement level. By segmenting your list, you can send more personalized emails, which increases the chance of conversions.
Cold mailing to generate leads
Cold mailing is alive and well. The truth is that inboxes are crowded today and our potential customers receive hundreds of emails every day that they will never open. Despite this, cold emailing can still be an effective way to generate leads if approached strategically.
There are several email tools available that can help you automate the process of sending cold emails. These tools, such as Outreach.io, Mailshake, or Yesware, provide features such as email templates, mail merge, and automatic follow-up. They will save you time by automating repetitive tasks and managing email campaigns.
However, it will be crucial to personalize your emails to increase their effectiveness. Avoid sending generic, mass emails that appear impersonal. Instead, tailor your message to your specific audience.
Don’t forget to track the messages you send and follow-ups. The latter may be based on an automated sequence of messages that are sent themselves at specific intervals.
Noteworthy lead generation tools
Even if you’re just getting started with lead generation and marketing automation, you’re probably already familiar with all the big players like HubSpot, MailChimp, or Ahrefs. They are mentioned in every article on this topic. However, we would like to draw attention to lesser-known tools that we believe are worthy of attention.
CallPage
CallPage is a tool for collecting high-quality leads from your website.
It allows you to create a personalized pop-up window that is displayed to users at a moment you choose, e.g. after scrolling halfway through the page.
Our pop-up offers potential customers four convenient forms of contact: a request for an immediate call back, the option to arrange a telephone call or meeting (both online and offline), and the option to leave a message.
If you choose the first option, our automated system connects the client and the consultant in just 28 seconds.
Planning calls and meetings with CallPage is easy and reliable, and thanks to the reminder function, both your consultants and clients will not forget about the planned call. Additionally, integration with popular calendars and video conferencing software automates the organization of meetings.
To summarize, CallPage enables marketers to effectively capture and convert website leads. From strategic pop-ups to instant callbacks and hassle-free appointment scheduling, CallPage allows you to efficiently convert website traffic into paying customers.
Users’ opinions
CallPage boasts a perfect rating of 5 out of 5 on Product Hunt and a score of 4.7 out of 5 on G2. Many of our users praise CallPage for successfully increasing the number of qualified leads and providing exceptional customer support. Check out what one of them had to say:
Callpage has truly changed the way I think about phone calls. A few years ago I read about the “death of telephone calls.” In fact, in our company it is the opposite, and CallPage helped with this. The Callpage widget is customizable, so we are able to customize messages and calls to action, and people know what they are signing.
We receive many calls from people interested in our services and we are able to convert them because calling via callback increases their likelihood of purchasing.
Review source: G2 .
Price list
In addition to the free trial, CallPage offers three plans for different business sizes. The cheapest one costs only PLN 59 per month (or PLN 45 if you decide to pay for a year in advance). Our most popular option is the Professional plan, which you can purchase for just PLN 187 per month. This is much less than many companies pay to generate just one lead (according to HubSpot, the average in the B2B industry is over PLN 800)!
And how many leads can you realistically generate for this price? One of our clients generated 372 leads via CallPage in a year with only one consultant on the line!
AiTrillion
AiTrillion is a marketing platform designed specifically for e-commerce sellers.Based on the practical application of artificial intelligence, AiTrillion offers a comprehensive set of tools and functions to improve and optimize lead generation processes.
With over 11 customer communication channels seamlessly integrated with advanced analytics, AiTrillion enables e-commerce companies to efficiently connect with millions of customers in over 175 countries. This comprehensive solution eliminates the need for multiple fragmented tools and provides a centralized platform for managing various aspects of marketing and customer engagement.
Users’ opinions
AiTrillion is a platform highly rated by users. It managed to achieve a rating of 4.9 out of 5 on G2 and Capterra. She also recently received the “High Performer of Summer 2023” badge at G2.
Reviews indicate that the tool is easy to use, even for non-technical people. Its key advantage is the combination of all the most necessary marketing automation tools in one platform.
Price list
If you choose to pay for a year in advance, you’ll pay $25 per month for a month on the cheapest plan. This package gives you access to any three modules available in AiTrillion. If you want to use all the features of the platform, the professional plan costs $225 per month.
Regal.io
Regal.io is an innovative tool for making outgoing calls. The platform uses data and artificial intelligence to create more personalized communication with potential customers. Thanks to this, our consultants will not seem intrusive and the conversations will bring better results.
The platform also allows you to design customer journey paths, set up automatic messages and schedule phone calls.
The bottom line is that Regal.io provides detailed data and analysis of call performance and allows you to view the entire conversation (both text and voice) in one place. This allows you to monitor and continually improve your strategies, improving customer engagement and conversion rates.
Users’ opinions
Like AiTrillion, the Regal.io platform has a very high user rating (4.9 out of 5 on G2), although only 24 people have rated it. She also received the “High Performer” award in the summer of 2023.
Price list
The Regal doesn’t have a set price, so it’s hard to say exactly how much it might cost. If you are interested in the tool, you need to fill out the form and wait for an individual offer based on your needs.
ContactPigeon
ContactPigeon focuses on three key goals to help customers generate leads automatically. First, it allows you to collect valuable data about customer behavior and build a comprehensive, unified picture of each customer. This way you can deliver targeted and personalized experiences that increase engagement and loyalty.
Secondly, ContactPigeon allows you to trigger automated messages at key moments in the customer journey. By sending the right message at the right time, you can optimize sales conversion rates and improve customer retention, ultimately increasing profits.
Finally, ContactPigeon offers multi-channel coverage, enabling you to design engaging campaigns across various communication channels , such as e-mail, SMS, mobile phone, push notifications, website, Facebook, or Google. With all of these channels available on one platform, you can deliver a consistent message across multiple touchpoints, maximizing your reach and impact.
Users’ opinions
ContactPigeon received only one four-star and over 120 five-star reviews, giving it an incredibly high score of 4.9 on G2 and a “High Performer” badge, just like the previous two tools.
What’s even more impressive is that the platform has a perfect 5.0 score on Capterra! Users stated that “there is no downside to using ContactPigeon.” Even TrustRadius rates them 9.6/10. Hats off!
Price list
ContactPigeon is the most expensive lead generation tool on this list. After all, quality costs money, right? The standard plan costs $198 per month (billed annually). Since that’s quite a lot of money for some companies, we recommend trying out the tool first during a free trial period.
snow.io
Snov.io is an automated lead generation toolthat also helps sales teams close deals and acts as a CRM solution.
With features like email search, drip campaigns, email verifier, sales CRM, and email search extension, Snov.io enables businesses to streamline their sales processes and increase revenue. It also offers useful Chrome extensions, one of which is even LinkedIn’s lead search engine.
Users’ opinions
We’re only talking about the best here, so it’s no surprise that the last tool on our list also has very high user ratings. We found it on Product Hunt, where it was rated 4.9/5 based on 151 reviews.
Price list
In addition to the free trial, prices start at $30 for the starter package and go all the way up to $2,999 per month if you want great results without any effort (billed annually).
This most expensive plan includes comprehensive management of your campaigns by a B2B lead generation agency called Brightest Minds, ensuring the most complete automation.
Potential challenges related to lead generation automation
Lead generation automation tools are useful, but not without drawbacks. One of the main problems is the lower possibilities of personalizing communication. Computer programs follow predefined rules and algorithms, which means they may not take into account the unique needs and preferences of individuals.
You may also encounter some technical challenges. Integrating with existing systems, managing databases and ensuring smooth data flow can be a complex task. In addition, problems such as software updates, compatibility, or occasional failures may affect the overall performance of processes that have been automated.
