5 Lead Generation Tactics for eCommerce Startups

Every business needs a lead generation strategy in place, no matter what industry they are in. Lead generation for eCommerce is defined as attracting interested people to encourage them to turn into leads, and then – into customers. Once a prospect has shown interest in your products or services and has eventually taken action, then you can rest assured that your eCommerce lead generation strategies have paid off.

However, trends in businesses change over time, and your lead generation for an eCommerce business should be able to adapt. This is essential for eCommerce startups trying to determine which strategies work best for their company. Below, we will discuss a couple of lead generation tactics for eCommerce startups that have proven themselves successful.

The Buyer’s Journey: Tactic # 1

Marketers should consider having different lead generation tactics for each stage of the buyer’s journey. Implementing a CRM solution will help you track your leads’ journey at every single stage. It will also help you group leads and prepare targeted campaigns for each segment.

There are three stages when it comes to the buyer’s journey:

1. Top of the Funnel – This is the earliest stage of the customer’s journey. Your prospects are not informed about your products and services just yet, so you need to make them aware of what you offer. To attract possible leads in this stage, marketers should pay attention to bringing awareness to the brand. Some of the best types of content to put out for this purpose are informative blog posts, guides, ebooks, infographics, quizzes, videos, and webinars.
2. Middle of the Funnel – Now that the potential client has identified their problems, they are looking for solutions. They might start searching online for them, and this is where your persuasion tactics should come in. These people will look at different options and compare each one. Consider putting out helpful content such as testimonials and reviews, free trials, product demos, and cost comparison infographics to maximize your chances of being chosen.
3. Bottom of the Funnel – This is the third and last stage, and your potential customer is now ready to purchase. It’s time to help them make an informed decision by reaching out through direct sales and promotion. Consider starting email campaigns, PPC advertising, or selling directly over the phone.

Paying attention to cold audiences is also a must when it comes to attracting leads for your eCommerce startup. These individuals are the ones that have never heard of your brand but might turn into potential buyers eventually. Educate your cold leads by showing them informative content such as how-to videos and product demos to turn them into warm leads and convert them into customers.

Make Good Use of PPC Campaigns: Tactic # 2

Pay-per-click or PPC advertisements are an online advertising campaign wherein marketers pay every time an online user clicks on their ad. The most common PPC campaigns are paid search ads, which appear when customers search for similar items online. These types of campaigns usually appear on search engines such as Google and Yahoo.

Running a PPC ad is a great way to reach a massive audience that can help with eCommerce lead generation. Marketing executives can choose where they want their ads to appear based on the keywords that they are using. Bids can also be set so you can control how much you’d like to pay for a specific ad. Using paid search intelligence software can help you fine-tune your strategies for the best results.

Take this example from Audi:

Once people search for “Audi”, “cars”, or other keywords that the brand is affiliated with, these types of ads will show. However, the company also has to target specific search intents related to their products and services to reach the right audience. PPC campaigns are a great way to increase brand awareness and target the right people for a higher chance of turning cold leads into buying customers.

Produce Excellent Content: Tactic # 3

No one would want to read a lackluster article, and if people aren’t paying attention to the content you publish, then chances are your lead generation tactics will go to waste. Your content should be related to your customer’s interests and pain points.

Shopify, for example, creates stellar content that is valuable to its target market. This is one of the main reasons they have grown to become a massive eCommerce company – simply because they give the audience what they want. Here are other ways to grab your audience’s attention through content:

1. Come up with different types of content such as email newsletters, blog posts, infographics, videos, and webinars.
2. Put out shorter types of content for easier viewing.
3. Distribute interactive content.
4. Share your brand’s story.
5. Use cause-based content.

Once you have decided what type of content you want to distribute, you should decide on a powerful call-to-action to include. CTAs should be compelling enough to grab your customers’ attention and entice them to make that final decision. Here are a couple of tips you can follow when working on your CTA:

1. Use sidebar CTAs.
2. Make it subtle.
3. Add simple buttons.
4. Use banner, pop-up, and sidebar calls-to-action.
5. Add social proof through a testimonial or review.

Offer Promos and Discounts: Tactic # 4

Everybody loves getting a bang for their buck through promos and discounts. Now that you have your clients’ attention and are on your site, it’s time to work on eCommerce lead generation by giving them incentives. It doesn’t have to be grand, too, as it can come in the form of free shipping, coupons, and price slashes.

Take this example from the Black Friday website:

The website shows the original price of the item and the discounted price to encourage customers to act fast. Aside from that, they also offer coupons that can be used upon check out for an additional discount. This gives a sense of urgency to the buyers, which massively helps increase lead generation for eCommerce startups.

Partner With Guest Bloggers and Influencers: Tactic # 5

Working with bloggers and influencers can increase your lead generation tactics, as these people already have a big following. They can help you reach your target audience through social media posts and write-ups.

Look at this example from Mashable and Garmin:

Though Garmin is already a huge and established brand, they still work with influencers and bloggers to promote their new products. Reviews such as this one can help encourage potential buyers to check the product out, which raises brand awareness and interest in the item. Here are other ways to boost your eCommerce lead generation tactics through influencer programs:

1. Find an influencer who focuses on the same niche as your business. Your target market must completely align so your money and effort won’t be wasted.
2. Build a relationship with the influencer/blogger. Introduce your products and give them a rundown of the campaign.
3. Give them a brief description of the projects that you have in mind.
4. Offer discounts to your customers through the influencer program. This way, they would be inclined to visit your website or check your products or services.

Conclusion

With hundreds of competitors online, it can be challenging to establish your eCommerce startup. However, with the right steps and proper execution of these tactics mentioned above, your leads will surely grow in no time. Understand your target market, employ retargeting campaigns, and follow up on your leads to ensure your sales.