How Do You Generate High-Quality Leads?

In the quest for high-quality leads, we've gathered proven strategies from CEOs, founders, and other industry experts. From leveraging trust on LinkedIn to strategically placing CTAs in top-of-funnel content, explore the eighteen diverse and effective lead-generation tactics shared by these professionals.

Leverage Trust and Differentiation on LinkedIn

Trust and differentiation are everything in a noisy market: Trust means I have friends, and they are a mouthpiece for me and my work. Differentiation means I know what I bring to the table—who I serve best, and why they should choose me. LinkedIn posts mean you get practice at articulating both and often. Those practiced at sharing insights on LinkedIn two to three times weekly will have a strong pipeline for their business or consultancy.

Julie Morris, Thought Leadership Trainer, DIY Influence

Engage and Connect on LinkedIn

Find your target audience on LinkedIn. Find the ones who are actively posting. Engage with them on LinkedIn, then send custom connection requests. Start real, meaningful conversations and offer to help. It's the new-school take on an old-school relationship-building model. It works like a charm, especially for high-LTV businesses with longer sales cycles. Try sending voice notes and video messages to ensure high response rates.

Mandy McEwen, Founder/CEO, Mod Girl Marketing

Collaborate for Lead-Magnet Swaps

One strategy that's been working to generate high-quality leads is a lead-magnet swap. Think of it as strategic teamwork. You collaborate with a colleague who isn't a competitor but one that shares a similar audience.

Here is how you do it: You work with a friend and agree to email both your lists with the other's downloadable product, anything from an eBook to a webinar to a YouTube series. You will be connected to a brand-new audience that is ready to engage because they trust your swap partner. It not only boosts your visibility but also builds incredible credibility, and the leads are high-quality and more likely to convert. It's like getting a warm introduction to a room full of potential fans.

Beth Nydick, Media Specialist, Beth Nydick Media

Utilize PPC for Niche Academic Leads

We're incredibly fortunate in that our target market often finds us, but PPC works well for us with academic search terms on Google and on academic forums, journals, relevant social platforms, and more. Anywhere students and researchers hang out offers loads of viable leads for us. Whenever you're selling a niche product, it's both easier and harder to generate high-quality leads—the audience is smaller, but they tend to be more qualified from the start and open to conversion.

Derek Pankaew, Founder, Listening.com

Create Valuable Content That Educates

One proven strategy for generating high-quality leads in the custom software development industry is creating valuable, informative content that addresses the primary concerns of potential buyers. High-quality content that focuses on critical topics such as costs, timelines, and strategies for success can significantly attract and engage prospective clients.

To begin with, detailed articles and guides that break down the costs associated with custom software development provide transparency and build trust. These resources should cover various aspects, including development phases, technology stacks, and potential hidden expenses. By offering real-life case studies that include actual cost figures and explain how investments are allocated, companies can demonstrate their expertise and reliability in order to generate demand.

Content that outlines typical project timelines is also of high value. Potential clients often worry about how long a project will take and what factors might cause delays. Providing clear, realistic timelines with examples from past projects helps set expectations and reassures clients about the process. Visual aids like Gantt charts and project roadmaps can further enhance understanding and engagement.

Strategic insights are another key area. Sharing best practices and successful strategies for custom software development helps position a company as a thought leader. Interviews with industry experts and internal stakeholders discussing effective strategies and common pitfalls can add depth and credibility to the content.

To maximize reach, this content should be optimized for search engines to attract organic traffic. Using keywords ensures the content reaches a broader audience. Additionally, distributing the content across various platforms—blogs, social media, email newsletters, and industry forums—can amplify its impact.

For example, a comprehensive guide titled "Understanding the Costs and Timelines of Custom Software Development" could include detailed cost analysis, real-world case studies, and expert insights, providing potential clients with the valuable information they seek. This approach not only educates prospective clients but also builds trust and positions the company as a trusted resource, ultimately leading to qualified leads who are more likely to convert into clients.

Ari Lew, CEO, Asymm

Leverage Personal Network for Leads

Maximizing Your Own Network! Many overlook or have an inaccurate value perception of their own network. Leveraging people you know to source high-quality leads can be the most effective and efficient approach to yield results. Share with old classmates, family, friends, and your community your value offering, and ask if they can introduce you to three (3) people who would be ideal clients or customers.

Loren McCray, Chief Brand Marketing Officer, Mc2

Generate Leads with User-Generated Content

One strategy that has consistently proven effective in generating high-quality leads is leveraging UGC. In our sector, where aesthetic appeal is most important, UGC not only presents our products in their natural environments but also creates genuine connections and trust with prospective clients.

We actively encourage our customers to use social media to share their stories and the inventive ways they use their neon signs; we then highlight these posts on our own channels. This improves our content and serves as an authentic product recommendation—much more persuasive than traditional advertising. Every stunning image we post or compliment from a happy customer shows off the quality of our products, which draws in a lot of prospective customers who can understand the practical uses for what we have to offer.

Utilizing UGC as creative content, we further augment this strategy with targeted social media advertising. These advertisements seek to draw in comparable customers who have expressed an interest in décor and individuality—all essential components of our line of work. By connecting with prospective clients who are probably considering our products, this strategy will help us increase the caliber of leads we produce.

Our marketing initiatives have benefited from using UGC as the foundation for sponsored and organic advertising since it has increased lead quality, strengthened customer loyalty, and built brand trust.

Jake Munday, CEO/ Cofounder, Custom Neon

Targeted Content Marketing Campaigns

Speaking from the vantage point of a digital marketing agency, one strategy that consistently proves effective for generating high-quality leads is the implementation of targeted content marketing campaigns. These campaigns revolve around creating and distributing valuable, relevant content to attract, engage, and ultimately convert potential leads. By crafting content that resonates with the target audience's needs, pain points, and interests, digital marketing agencies can establish themselves as industry experts and trustworthy sources of information.

Content marketing allows agencies to showcase their expertise through blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, infographics, podcasts, videos, and more. By offering valuable insights, solutions, and thought leadership within whatever unique niche you're engaged with, agencies can capture the attention of prospects who are actively seeking information or solutions related to their own industry and flock towards you as their agency and resource of record. This strategy not only helps in lead generation but also nurtures leads throughout the buyer's journey.

Christopher Hislop, Director of Content, Raka

Local Networking and Genuine Solutions

As the owner of a marketing agency that works with both local and national clients, we've found that the simplest strategies can be the most effective.

We've attended local Chamber of Commerce meetings and community events, and we don't just talk about ourselves but show a genuine interest in others. Once we understand their problems, we provide what we genuinely believe is the best solution for them, which is often not something we offer.

However, when their solution aligns with our expertise, such as SEO, it's a slam dunk. Being genuine and honest has opened doors to opportunities with businesses we might never have come into contact with.

Munir Alsafi, Co-Founder, VixelStudio

Showcase Expertise Through Thought Leadership

My answer will likely echo what most visibility gurus state over and over again: It's two words—Thought Leadership. You can be the very best at something, but if the world doesn't know who you are and what you do, you will remain the world's best-kept secret. Share your ideas. Provide avenues for leads to capture a fraction of your knowledge. The more thought leadership that you put into the atmosphere, the more returns you will see.

I would recommend developing a plan to showcase your subject-matter expertise. Then, put the plan into action. Most individuals make the plans but fail at execution. If you stick to it, your leads will find you.

Dr. Erkeda DeRouen, CEO, Digital Risk Compliance Solutions LLC

Product-Led SEO with Helpful Content

One strategy that's really helped us generate high-quality leads has been taking a product-led approach to SEO. Instead of just focusing on keywords and rankings, we prioritize creating genuinely helpful content that relates to the problems our products solve. It's like creating a mini-library of resources, tutorials, and guides for our industry that not only answer common questions and provide strategic guidance but also showcase the real-world applications of our products.

This way, we're not just attracting visitors; we're getting in front of the right kind of visitors—those who are already interested in what we offer and are more likely to convert.

Integrating natural CTAs (calls to action) throughout the content has made this strategy even more effective. Rather than hard selling or throwing a CTA in at the end of content, we try to weave prompts in that feel like a natural step. For example, after a how-to guide, we might suggest checking out a demo of the tool we discussed or downloading a related e-book for more in-depth information. This approach keeps the experience engaging for the reader while building trust and providing them value upfront. This, in turn, leads to higher-quality leads who are already warmed up to what we have to offer.

Ben Donovan, Founder, Brand Builder University

Local SEO for High-Quality Agency Leads

Working with local and small businesses, the most impactful form of lead generation has been local SEO. Getting a Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) ranking for multiple keywords in our service area has produced the best results and the highest quality leads for our agency.

We sell SEO services, so it's a really simple sell when a client finds us on Google. A simple question of, "How did you find us?" starts that conversation. Afterward, we can point out how they found us on Google and explain how we're in the most competitive space for ranking on Google, being that we're up against other marketers who are supposed to be just as good as we are. Yet, here we are, out-ranking everyone. Typically, they don't request a case study when the light bulb turns on for them, and they're ready to start service immediately.

Eric Plotts, Owner, Blue Lake Web Design

Podcasting to Warm Up Potential Leads

Starting a podcast is the best hack we've used to catalyze our network, leads, and connections. Everyone wants to share their story and have it seem official. From podcast episodes to YouTube clips to TikToks and LinkedIn articles, publicity centered around yourself always feels good.

We've used the podcast to catapult our content creation game, centered around a person we want in our network as a potential lead. After spending 30-45 minutes with us talking about their story, our story, and our shared goals, rapport builds pretty darn quickly.

It is truly the most advantageous way to turn a cold lead into not just a warm one, but a hot one!

Sam Panitch, Co-Founder and COO, Elevation Nation

Innovative Virtual Events and Content Marketing

One strategy that has proven effective for generating high-quality leads in the fintech industry is through innovative content marketing and collaborative virtual events. We blend creative thinking with data-driven strategies to craft engaging campaigns. Our "Blueprints for Business" webinar series, featuring interactive collaboration with industry experts, and themed virtual events like the "Love at First Demo" speed-dating-style Valentine's Day party, have significantly boosted engagement and brand awareness for our instant payment platform.

These events, promoted through targeted email marketing, social media teasers, and industry influencer collaborations, are a little different than the average webinar. The positive response and active participation from event attendees highlight the effectiveness of our approach and help Forwardly become known as a trusted resource within our target market.

We also maximize the content generated during the webinars, generating lead magnets and helping us select popular topics for secondary in-depth webinars. This event and content strategy helps us tap into broader audiences and drives higher-quality leads our way.

Jane Ingram, Director of Operations and Marketing, Forwardly

Participate in Trade Shows and Industry Events

I believe that the most effective strategy for generating high-quality leads in our industry is to actively participate in relevant trade shows and industry events. These events provide us with invaluable opportunities to showcase our latest technologies, demonstrate our products in action, and engage directly with potential clients who are actively seeking solutions in our field. By establishing a strong presence at these events, we not only enhance brand visibility but also have meaningful interactions with decision-makers and key stakeholders from companies looking to invest in cutting-edge equipment like ours. This face-to-face engagement often leads to the cultivation of genuine leads that have a high likelihood of converting into valuable business partnerships.

Cameron Lee, CEO & Tech Expert, ACCURL

Drive Leads with Targeted Lead-Gen Ads

Launch lead-gen ads > Target your ideal audience and drive people to your landing page. Offer a freebie, masterclass, or webinar that solves a big pain point for your audience in exchange for their email address. Then, nurture your leads with emails and add a call to action, e.g., 'Book a Call,' if you have a high-ticket offer, or 'Buy my product' if you have something to sell for under $500.

Alexa Kowalczyk, Ad expert (Meta) and CRO for fashion, beauty, & lifestyle e-commerce brands, Digital Sparkks

Wow Customers to Gain Referrals

Deliver for current customers! Over the years, we have seen that nothing generates more qualified leads than the endorsement of happy customers. When we can show up fresh, instead of frazzled, to really wow our customers, they become advocates for the transformation we provide. When a referral comes from a current customer, and they often do under this model, we know they have already been 'sold' on our value by the person who sent them.

Samantha Lane, Time Management Consultant & Keynote Speaker, Origami Day