If you are looking to generate more business leads for a new organisation then have no fear – we have your back! These are the top 5 smartest ways to generate leads for your startup… so listen in, get clued up, and start making your small business more money!

The Best 5 Ways to Find Business Leads

Without further ado, the best five ways to find business leads are listed below.

1 – Social Media

Engaging with the customer should be one of your top priorities. If your customer feels listened to they are more likely to feel special. A customer who feels valued is likely to return.

Social media is a free way for you to engage those customers with a little digital advertising. The advertising rule of seven states that a consumer will remember your logo or brand after seven exposures. You can use social media sites to get this exposure without spending a dime. More reach means more business leads. Easy!

As an aside: make sure your own social media accounts all state that you work at your company. Your online activity in your off-hours can also be working to make you leads.

2 – Digital Advertising

Are you advertising? Did you allocate a budget for marketing in your startup business plan? If not, then why not? All businesses need to advertise and digital is the way forward. Digital marketing costs a fraction of the price of TV and radio and, if you are doing it properly, a lot of it is free. All it takes is a single viral video to find your business leads on a global scale[i]. Think about it…

3 – Use Quora

Quora is an easy way to answer a few questions, include your business in your signature, and establish yourself as an expert in your field. If users see enough of your comments they will eventually click on the link or look you up. This works particularly well for those engaged in B2B activities or for those who struggle to network. Keeping a business blog and guest blogging on other websites are other ways to get your name out there.

4 – Seek Online Tenders

In Africa – and South Africa in particular – you can seek online tenders and have the jobs sent straight to your inbox. When you choose to use an online tenders firm, they will direct any contracts of interest straight to you; then send an alert so that you never miss a beat.

Online tendering is tipped as the top way to generate business leads for startups in the coming year.

5 – Direct Interaction

As much as we all love a good automated service, you are much more likely to retain a client you have dealt with in person. This relates back to how valued the customer feels when they use your service or by your product. If the user feels impartial towards your firm – perhaps because you have too many automated replies, notifications, or support systems, then they will eventually go elsewhere.

Forming a bond with your consumer is a huge part of landing return business –whether you sell B2B or B2C. The rules of the game don’t change because you are dealing with a firm… at the end of the day; the people who run that firm are still the decision makers.