B2C businesses are going to boom. However, without the right attention, generating leads can prove challenging in a saturated marketplace. While people are online in huge numbers, resources to distribute goods and services have been handicapped by the pandemic. This seems likely to continue until we have an international solution, be that living with the virus or developing a vaccine.
So how do you generate leads without spending a huge amount of money on marketing? The following tools are free or provide you with tiered pricing options, and they help you get the traffic you need to ensure your B2C operation has the opportunity to thrive in these changing times.
What are lead generation tools?
Effective all-in-one lead generation tools are a rare find, particularly B2C tools; most marketers use a combination of several resources to meet their goals. These tools primarily are apps or software that help automate everything from content creation to website design to social media management to SEO.
How is lead generation for B2C businesses unique?
In contrast with B2B marketing, B2C campaigns tend to have shorter sales cycles, so lead generation requires a faster and more direct approach. B2C lead generation is less about establishing relationships and more about experiential and persuasive techniques.
Marketers often tap into B2C customers during their “buying phase,” so lead generation content for B2C often includes promotions, unique offers, and personal messaging. B2C lead generation initiatives also cater to a broader audience.
So what tools are available to you?
1. Hootsuite
Hootsuite’s Free version is “perfect for individuals who want to start managing multiple networks, schedule content, and engage with their audience—all in one place,” according to their website. This software helps manage and analyse your social media channels. There are other paid tools, but the free offer includes managing 3 social profiles in one place from a choice of channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, LinkedIn, and Youtube.
Other features include tracking follower growth, scheduling up to 30 posts in advance, and social media courses, as well as a variety of app integrations and 2 RSS feed integrations. The scheduling tool allows you to schedule posts to, respond, and monitor the profiles through one platform; parameters can be set on the date and time as well.
2. WordPress
A functional, aesthetically pleasing, and interactive website is crucial to a lead generation strategy. WordPress functions as a publishing platform and low or no-cost CMS that can be adapted to B2C businesses.
A search engine-friendly architecture can assess your site’s SEO performance and suggest improvements, while a wide range of supported plug-ins and integrations allow for impressive customization. The platform provides more than 30,000 free plugins for your use, many of which are free.
There is a huge selection of themes to choose from and even specific elements like site pop-ups and landing pages – both of which are important for capturing leads – can be tailored to your needs. WordPress covers SEO optimization, content management, and mobile compatibility, making it an adaptable tool.
3. Wistia
Research shows that video marketers get 66{21dc2fe1b43c4cf57a2e25a56b286f09fbb32a45ddf34dcf04be366972dd7b06} more qualified leads per year and achieve a 54{21dc2fe1b43c4cf57a2e25a56b286f09fbb32a45ddf34dcf04be366972dd7b06} increase in brand awareness as compared with those sites without videos. Wistia, a free video-making tool, is a great example of how you can boost your video content without paying for expensive or convoluted software. It offers a fully customizable player – including multi-platform embedding in email, social media, and your company site – user invitations and permissions, integrations, and video tracking and analytics.
The free version offers users a limit of 3 videos, which are watermarked, but have customizable thumbnails, interactive elements such as clickable CTAs, and a professional, ad-free player. This is an easy platform to manage your videos from if you are just learning how to make the addition to your content.
4. Klaviyo
Email is often affiliated with the nurturing portion of a marketing campaign, but it can actually be present through all stages of the funnel – including lead generation. Klaviyo is an eCommerce-oriented email management software that comes with 250 contacts and 500 emails for free.
Included in the free package is targeted automation based on real-time reporting, promotional campaign and newsletter creation, pop-ups and forms, customized templates, and relevant integrations. Additionally, segments from Klaviyo can be used to target your Facebook Ad campaigns. A simple drag-and-drop design makes the process fast and easy.
5. Wix Free
Wix Free, like WordPress, offers a package of features in its “advanced design platform.” These include access to page templates, an image and icon gallery, mobile optimization, and access to the Wix App Market, where you can choose add-on apps to enhance your site. Free Wix users also have unlimited access to support materials through the Help Center.
Wix apps have more limited customizability then WordPress, but they are internally tested for a higher “quality guarantee.” Wix is generally the less customizable of the two tools, but it is easier to use for beginners or those who do not know code.
6. HubSpot Free
HubSpot is primarily targeted towards B2B companies, but its free-tiered software is an option for B2C marketers on a budget. The free CRM software has useful features like contact management, an integrated lead management system with call and meeting scheduling and email sequencing, a library of email templates, and a variety of integrations including Eventbrite and Shopify.
HubSpot Marketing Free also offers lead flows (aka pop-up forms) and analytics, while Sales Free includes an email sequencing tool. And if these products don’t suit your needs, the platform can still be used as a leading marketing educational resource, with client stories and blog posts devoted to the B2C marketing sphere.
7. Google AdWords Keyword Planner
Your written content matters, and so does your word choice – which is why keyword analytics and SEO are so important for B2C lead generation. The Google AdWords Keyword Planner tool is a free-to-use feature within Google AdWords for building strong keyword lists.
By using the tool, you can search for keyword and ad group ideas, see how a list of keywords might perform by examining historical trends, combine keyword lists to create new ones, and receive click/cost performance forecasts to help plan the PPC component of your campaign. Filter geographically and by comprehensive criteria like suggested bid, average monthly searches, and competition for the keyword.
Conclusion
There are a number of free tools that can be adapted to your needs, and the above are but a few of the better known and high-performing tools that can underscore your B2C marketing goals. Many of them offer tiered pricing options for advanced features that you might discover are useful as your business develops.
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