Lead Generation

What You Risk When You Focus Solely on Lead Generation.

Lead generation is a big part of marketing strategies for building materials brands. It’s where we can build relationships with potential customers, obtain contact information and, ultimately, get selected and increase sales revenue down the line. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to identify and nurture leads who are interested in your building materials products. But there are risks when there is a lot of attention put on lead generation efforts. 

> Risk #1: You lose out on being top of consumers’ minds.

When you’re focused heavily on lead generation and on those immediate sales, you might be missing opportunities for brand building and other full-funnel activities that can help set you up for long-term success. By widening your marketing strategies to include brand awareness efforts, you can create more mental availability, which helps position your brand for those future customers who aren’t in the market yet. Called the 95-5 rule, advertising to buyers who are not in the market yet helps to keep your brand top of mind for when they are ready to buy, and it helps to position your brand as a valuable resource long term for your future customers.

> Risk #2: You scare off customers by asking for too much, too soon.

Lead generation is a game of give and take. You don’t want to scare customers off by jumping in and asking for their contact info too quickly. Lead generation is very much like a courtship. It’s a process that takes time, and making that connection with your audience is worth the effort you’re putting in. Think about them and what you can do to provide value. What can you give them that’s going to help in their everyday work or lives? Providing informative, interesting content is just one way to make your audience feel open and willing to give you their information.

> Risk #3: You underestimate the end journey.

Yes, lead generation is typically thought of as a transactional process. A quick jump from a landing page to a contact form to a qualified lead. However, changes in technology and user behaviours and expectations has given brands more opportunity to nurture the lower-funnel audience. The buying cycle of a building materials product is much longer than a typical product transaction. There are more touchpoints, stakeholders and team members in the mix. As a result, customers need more time and more nurturing through content at this stage. Whether it’s educational resources, case studies or installation guides, building materials brands need to offer personalized, unique content that answers customer questions, eases their minds and makes them feel confident in taking that last step.

What can building materials brands do?

You’re in luck, as there are a few things building materials brands can do to mitigate the risk as they capture leads.

> Stop assuming they know who you are and what you do.

Your target audience may not know your brand, your products or your services. They might very well be seeing you online for the very first time. That’s why it’s important to have some strong brand-building work under your belt, so you have a sense of credibility, expertise and reputation. Especially in the building materials space, reputation is very important. Whether you’re targeting builders, architects or contractors, they want to know that the products you’re offering will perform just how they intend (and how you say they will). They need to feel secure in their purchasing decision, and having that brand credibility and expertise will help to instill trust and confidence that they’re making the right choice. 

> Involve your sales teams earlier.

Your sales teams are untapped resources. They work directly with your customers and can provide insights, ideas and key questions your customers are asking. They can identify which pain points are more prevalent and which channels are being reached most. When you’re able to have marketing and sales work together earlier, you’re able to identify what information matters most to you to improve sales down the line.

> Think about how you can continue to add value. 

Whether it’s lead generation, demand generation or anything in between – it’s important to think about how you can be a valuable resource for customers before and after purchase. Gated or not, what content can you provide that will help your customers do better and be better in their roles? Becoming that resource is so invaluable when it comes to building that reputation and credibility. Having those qualities is what will ultimately help get you selected. You want to become a go-to partner, not just a one-time solution.

> Use customer data and information to better understand your niche audiences. 

Don’t forget that the information you receive from a lead can hold incredible value. From their location to their job title, you can learn more about the challenges they face, the people they deal with and the market they’re in. All of this data can be used to strengthen your lead generation efforts, and connect with audiences on a deeper level.

Remember, lead generation is only one part of the process.

Lead generation strategies are important and exciting, but it’s important to also pay attention to the other stages of the funnel and how you can provide value at every stage of the journey. Doing this can help ensure you are set up for success, while building brand awareness along the way.