Digital agencies excel at helping their clients grow, but some struggle to apply the same strategies to their own business. The irony is that many firms fail to use their expertise inward, often relying on methods they would never recommend to their clients.
So, how can digital agencies crack the code for generating their own leads?
We caught up with Kim Barrett, founder of Your Social Voice, to learn how his tested methods are helping agencies generate high-quality leads with less effort and better results.
Let’s breeze through some of his most important tips!
| Listen to the full podcast episode: Generating leads for your digital agency with Kim Barrett |
The fundamentals of the lead generation process
Without a steady flow of potential clients, even the most skilled businesses risk stagnation. But what exactly does lead generation mean in the context of a digital agency?
The idea is to identify, attract, and convert prospects into paying clients using strategies that align with your agency’s expertise. It’s all about having a well-thought-out pipeline:
In his opinion, too many agencies rely on referrals or word-of-mouth to sustain their business — while these are valuable, they are highly unpredictable. On the other hand, a strong lead generation strategy creates consistency. In a nutshell, this means taking three steps:
- Understanding the target audience: Focus on a specific niche and figure out your ideal client’s pain points and business goals.
- Creating an irresistible offer: Whether it’s a free resource, a low-cost product, or a high-value service, your offer needs to address a specific problem and provide immediate value.
- Building a scalable system: Use a whole range of online tools (Facebook ads, webinars, campaign automation, landing pages, etc.) to consistently attract and nurture leads.
It all starts with these fundamentals because they help agencies create a repeatable and reliable process for filling their sales pipelines. However, we need to make it more specific by digging deeper into the lead generation tactics.
Tested lead generation tactics for digital agencies
Generating leads isn’t about casting a wide net. On the contrary, the point is to use the right tactics to attract the right people. Below are a few proven solutions to help you consistently attract high-value leads.
1. Top-level content is a must
The Internet is flooded with content, but that doesn’t matter — it’s still one of the most effective ways to improve visibility and generate leads. According to a report, more than three-quarters of marketers use content for lead generation purposes.
Content can take many forms: videos, blog posts, social media posts, case studies, guides, podcasts, images, infographics, and so on. However, that doesn’t mean you should go all out and randomly create all sorts of it.
The trick is to identify content formats that work for your audience in particular. For instance, Content Snare helps clients improve their marketing efforts with practical tips and free resources such as market research questionnaires or onboarding checklists. You should do the same thing — find formats and topics that matter most to your target clients.
After that, follow these steps:
- Create in-depth content that educates and solves real problems without fluff
- Optimize your content for engine searches
- Promote your content on social networks and industry-specific forums
Don’t forget that every piece of content must include a call-to-action that invites prospects to take the next step. For instance, encourage potential clients to schedule a consultation or download a more detailed resource.
2. Design effective lead magnets
Lead magnets offer practical tools in exchange for clients’ contact information. The key is to create a useful asset that solves a problem or provides immediate value. An effective lead magnet is:
- Specific: It solves a clearly defined problem or answers a pressing question.
- Actionable: It provides immediate value that the recipient can make use of right away.
- Targeted: It’s tailored to the specific audience your agency wants to attract.
- Easy to access: It can be delivered instantly through downloadable PDF files, free access to webinars, and similar tools.
Take MyWebAudit as an example here. This firm offers a range of free audit templates covering areas like SEO, user experience, ROI, and page speed. That way, MyWebAudit proves its expertise while potential clients can quickly figure out what they’d get from the agency.
Source: MyWebAudit
3. Create an effective sales funnel
An effective sales funnel guarantees a steady flow of qualified leads and positions your agency for scalable growth. It’s a structured process that begins with creating awareness through targeted content and continues by engaging prospects with extra resources.
Kim Barrett explains it like this:
“If I want to have consistent clients come in, I have to use what I’m doing. I have to fulfill and build a pipeline, and I'm going to get to the right type of people.”
For instance, Kim’s webinar funnel on how to get 55 leads a day through social media is a good example of this strategy in action. His team attracted leads with targeted ads, engaged them with easy-to-use webinar content, and eventually converted some of them through follow-up calls.
The point is to provide a frictionless flow from one touchpoint to another, creating a sales funnel that prospects are glad to go all the way through.
4. Run Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns
Facebook and Instagram ads are amazing lead generation tools because they enable precise targeting.
These platforms allow you to reach specific audiences based on interests, behaviors, and demographics, making it simple to connect with ideal clients.
Here’s how Kim Barrett puts it:
“You’ve just got to figure out and get into the mindset of these users and say: Cool, if it’s who I want, what do they watch, what do they read?”
Once you’re aware of what your prospects watch or follow, it’s easier to design offers that address specific pain points.
5. Build professional credibility
Professional credibility is the foundation of trust for digital agencies, and that is essential for attracting and retaining clients. Now, you can build credibility in several ways.
For one, publish testimonials highlighting client success stories. Video testimonials are particularly impactful as they add a personal touch and prove authenticity by showing real people. Kim Barrett’s agency shows us how to create effective testimonials with results-driven narratives:
Source: Your Social Voice
Secondly, list your firm in reputable agency directories to boost visibility. These platforms help potential clients discover your services and allow you to show important details like case studies or portfolio examples.
In addition, direct client reviews are worth investing in for agencies with Google Business and Yelp profiles:
In this case, you need to encourage satisfied clients to leave detailed reviews on these platforms and describe the specific ways your services added value to their business.
Copywriting as the secret to better conversions
This could’ve easily ended up on the abovementioned list of lead generation tactics, but we wanted to add extra recognition to copywriting. Great copy is what captures attention and inspires action. In the words of Kim Barrett:
“The biggest key that I think businesses miss — and a lot of people don’t put as much emphasis on it — is copywriting. It’s the headline, the hook, the big idea.”
Copywriting is all about storytelling and persuasion: If you do it right, you can dramatically improve click-through rates, conversions, and overall ROI.
Take well-planned action to improve your lead generation game
The key to effective lead generation lies in offering real value upfront. By demonstrating the results you can deliver before a client invests, you’ll establish credibility and make your services irresistible. Or, as Kim Barrett wisely points out:
“If you can show them how they can get results in advance before they even give you money, they’ll think: If this happens and I haven’t paid you yet, imagine what happens when I do.”
