While we ride the Demand Generation trend, we find that marketing teams are disregarding the significance of Lead Generation as an outdated strategy.
However, as the trends of the market evolve, it is important to utilise both demand and lead generation to ensure continued success.
The difference between lead and demand generation comes down to how you are communicating with your audience.
Demand generation raises awareness and interest in a company’s offerings, reaching out to new audiences. In contrast, lead generation converts prospects into hot leads, primed for conversion into customers.
In this blog, we take a deeper dive into common Lead Generation mistakes in the Saas industry, and how some of the trends emerging can help get your lead generation efforts back on track.
Quality vs Quantity
The first mistake often made is focusing on the quantity of leads, over the quality. While generating large quantities of leads seems productive, it can become counterproductive long-term. Focusing on low-quality leads that are classified as out of your ideal customer is a waste of resources. As a simple rule of thumb, the closer the lead is to your ideal audience (persona) the higher the lead quality is.
Next, ensure sales and marketing are both clear on what makes this ideal customer (identify what is a quality lead) Hence, the importance of a sales-qualified lead or a marketing-qualified lead. A unified definition of the qualification criteria means sales and marketing benefit from better leads, and both avoid the frustrations of wasted efforts.
One major oversight in lead generation often lies in neglecting the crucial step of pinpointing your ideal audience and buyer persona. A finely crafted buyer persona is paramount for achieving success in lead generation, ensuring both quantity and quality. Understanding your audience allows for tailored content creation, optimising your ability to attract and convert leads.
Not Following Insights and Data Trends
As a 2024 goal, aim to produce accurate reports and dashboards that show the performance of your key objectives. There is no value in focusing on data that is not contributing to your active business goals.
As an example, if an objective is to create successful LinkedIn ad campaigns, the reporting should accurately measure how these campaigns are performing. To allow clear decision-making to improve the LinkedIn ad efforts.
Therefore, it's crucial not to undervalue data and insights: Establish your KPIs and metrics, and implement an efficient system for capturing and analysing this information.
Do not be afraid to test new techniques, and learn from past mistakes through your data. If you find the majority of your content is consumed on mobile, ensure your site is built for mobile optimisation.
Ignoring the importance of SEO
The value of quality content in any lead generation approach is vital. Regardless of your size, any business can create useful, valuable content that drives results. Do this by focusing on what your ideal audience wants to learn more about by writing content based on relevant topics. It serves to entice prospects to our platform, where we can secure their contact details.
Yet, no matter how exceptional your content, it holds no value nor captures leads unless your audience discovers it. This underscores the criticality of engaging SaaS SEO services or agencies as primary drivers for content promotion. Simply put, neglecting SEO in your lead generation plan leads to failure.
In essence, SaaS SEO should form the bedrock of your entire lead generation strategy, encompassing everything from keyword research to content optimisation and alignment with buyer personas.
Focusing on Ranking, Not Click-Through Rates
Semrush's State of Content Marketing report highlights this trend best. As search pages are evolving, high-ranking pages do not necessarily mean successful content.
Prioritise directing your attention towards qualified, high-converting traffic above all else. While your ranking may ascend, your traffic might dwindle amidst the overwhelming visual clutter in search results.
To keep your lead generation efforts worthwhile, try to stay top of mind by creating memorable content. Keep in contact with your audience by hosting webinars, and events, regular informative emails (emails that prospects want to receive), and building up a community of engaged audiences.
In conclusion, mastering lead generation in the Saas industry requires a holistic approach. By prioritising quality, embracing SEO, and fostering engagement, you can elevate your strategy to new heights. As we navigate the dynamic landscape of marketing trends in 2024 and beyond, remember that success lies in adapting to change and continuously refining your approach.
