What is lead generation?

Lead generation is the process of attracting people who might buy from you and getting their permission to follow up. A lead might be a quote request, a newsletter sign-up, a demo booking or a phone call. For most businesses that sell services or higher-priced products, it is the link between marketing and sales.

Lead generation online

Online lead generation follows the same logic as the offline kind: build visibility, earn credibility and give people an easy, low-risk way to take the next step. The difference is that most of it happens on your website, so the site has to do a lot of work.

The building blocks

Traffic. People need to find you first, through search, social media, referrals or advertising. Relevant keywords on well-written pages make a big difference here; see our SEO techniques guide.

An offer worth responding to. "Contact us" is rarely enough. Useful offers include a free consultation, a checklist, a short guide, a price estimate or a trial.

A simple form. Ask only for what you need. Every extra field loses some people.

Fast follow-up. Leads cool quickly. A clear process for who replies, how fast and with what makes more difference than most marketing tactics.

Email marketing

Email is one of the most dependable lead generation tools because it reaches people who have already shown interest. A short welcome sequence for new subscribers, followed by regular useful newsletters, keeps you in mind until they are ready. Always make it clear what people are signing up for, and respect data protection rules such as GDPR in the UK and Europe.

Qualifying leads

Not every lead is a good fit. Simple questions on a form, such as budget range, timescale or location, help sales teams focus on the enquiries most likely to go ahead, without putting off genuine buyers.

Closing the loop

Marketing brings in the lead; sales closes it. Make sure both sides agree on what counts as a qualified lead, and track which sources produce real customers, not just form submissions. Over time this shows where to spend your effort.

Common mistakes

• Sending all traffic to the home page instead of a page that matches what people searched for.
• Hiding the contact options or making them hard to use on a phone.
• Buying contact lists, which damages your sender reputation and may break the law.
• Never following up after the first email.

Lead generation works best alongside good content marketing and a website that is easy to use. Our guide to website design covers the second part.