Failure is a familiar topic and feeling for many people, especially entrepreneurs. With roughly 90% of startups failing within their first 5 years, this number can become overwhelming for any entrepreneur who still falls within that time frame.

Even for the experienced business owner, there’s no such thing as safe. The fear of plateauing and falling off is very real. As consumer tastes and needs change like the wind, so must the method in which businesses communicate with their consumers and address their needs.

That’s where leads come in. From the 10% of business owners who make it out of the 5-year infantile period, one key aspect that they have gotten right is sales and lead generation. Whether a company works in B2B or B2C, generating a constant stream of leads that keeps their appointment calendars full is what helps business owners stay in the black.

We’re not talking just any leads. We’re talking about quality leads. These are leads that have genuine interest in your business, leave legitimate contact information, and are ready to buy or do business. These leads are hard to come by, but they do exist.

Recommended Strategies for Generating Leads

Utilize Database Marketing
Databases are compiled for a reason, and it’s not so they can just collect dust in the system. Just as appointment scheduling software is used to simplify your life and streamline business, databases are created to streamline your data collection process and assemble all prospects into one useful service. Many business owners underestimate the usefulness of database systems, when in fact many of your potential leads are stored here. Using a quality database can help increase sales by as much as 20–25 percent.

Create Strong Call-to-Actions
A strong call-to-action helps to eliminate the need for drawn out sales processes that can become common, especially in B2B sales environments. Shifting the language from “Learn More!” to “Download our Free Information Pamphlet” gives consumers a chance to interact with your business in a more meaningful way. If you’re directing people just to your website, the amount of information for them to absorb can become too much. Instead, shift their focus in a stronger, more meaningful way. Those people who choose to take that step in following your call-to-action are more likely a quality lead.

Be Social
It’s easy to pay for leads, but that does not always come with the best return on investment. If your business is on social media – which it should be at this point- then you have an untapped resource of leads at your fingertips. LinkedIn is a business-focused site that was developed for reasons such as lead generation. Twitter and the number of social media tools available on the market can quickly analyze your audience and show you the best times and targets to reach.

Additionally, commenting on blogs and forums is another great way to generate leads. Don’t spam posts. Simply interact in forums or answer questions from your business profiles that are related to your industry, product, or service. This is an organic link that can direct people to your site.

Once you’ve mastered the art of generating quality leads, you have to remember to keep them engaged. Directly engaging with your potential leads should be a main priority and the easiest way to keep your appointment scheduling software filling up your calendars. While there is no secret formula to generating leads, there are proven methods that work.

For more information on optimizing your business for online appointment scheduling and more, be sure to check out how Bookeo can help you.