Why Lead Generation is Only One Piece of the Marketing Puzzle

Take a step back from your computer screen and think about how many emails you receive each day. Now of those emails, how many of them are trying to sell you something? Perhaps it's a new market report, or a cheap flight to Europe, or even new CRM software. How did you end up on this mailing list? Well, somewhere along the way, these companies paid good money to get your contact information.

So, no big deal right? You just delete the unwanted emails in your inbox and move on to the items that you are actually interested in. But wait a minute; if you're a marketer, you're probably wondering why your prospects are interested in some email offers and completely disregard others.

Great question! The answer, quite simply, is good branding before your first contact with the prospect. In a classic case of putting the cart before the horse, many companies today rely too heavily on ONLY acquiring leads and don't bother to properly promote their brand ahead of time.

Branding is something that is often overlooked in the marketing process, but is especially helpful for making sure the prospect is familiar with your company's products and services before they ever hear from you.

Not quite sure about the meaning of “branding”? Don’t worry! Branding is one of those marketing concepts that is a bit vague and can be confusing, even for those who have a marketing background.

According to the American Marketing Association, “a brand is a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers”. The easiest and most effective way to promote your brand is through a well-thought-out advertising campaign.

People don't buy from companies they have never heard of, so get your brand out there! Let your prospects know how great your company is BEFORE you contact them, and then sit back and watch as your new leads become new customers!