21 Creative Lead Generation Ideas to Try (and Why Marketers Recommend Them)

Coming up with effective lead generation ideas is difficult – and I’m the worst in the world at procrastinating on this aspect of my marketing strategy.

Sending cold emails and putting together lead generation lists can be difficult because – let’s face it – often people don’t want to take the time to talk.

What if you could achieve your lead generation goals using methods that actually create value for your prospects? And what happens when traditional lead generation methods fail due to internal or external circumstances?

I describe this lead generation utopia Is a possibility. To show you how you can make this happen for your business, I asked the experts and outlined some creative methods you can add to your lead generation strategy.

These ideas provide valuable information helps Reach out to prospects instead of simply pushing them to buy.

21 creative lead generation ideas

1. Collaborate with influencers.
2. Conduct a LinkedIn audit.
3. Schedule coffee chats.
4. Use customer reviews in your pop-ups.
5. Create valuable content.
6. Share success secrets from thought leaders.
7. Compile real-world examples with actionable insights.
8. Show what works for your company.
9. Create a practical checklist.
10. Offer insightful, downloadable case studies.
11. Create an interactive quiz or tool.
12. Personalize video content.
13. Create a valuable course.
14. Deliver gated offers with best practices.
15. Offer webinars and live demonstrations.
16. Create a recommendation ecosystem.
17. Promote brand partnerships.
18. Offer a free trial or a freemium tool.
19. Harness the SEO power of reviews.
20. Optimize your website.
21. Paid advertising.

Let’s unpack these 21 creative lead generation ideas to increase the activity of your content offers, email lists, websites, and conversion rates.

You can find more information about lead generation here All free lead generation content and resources from HubSpot in one place.

Lead generation on social media

1. Collaborate with influencers.

One of the quickest ways to gain traction and attract new leads is to collaborate with influencers in your niche.

Influencers have a special way of connecting with their audience, and when they showcase your brand, you expand your reach to a larger audience.

Pro tip: Nicole RossiMarketing Coordinator at Custom Neon, told me working with influencers is an effective lead generation idea, but the key is to create landing pages that are relevant to your campaign.

Rossi said: “Partnering with influencers has also been an incredibly successful lead generation tool for us. Influencers who share our brand values ​​work with us and together we develop giveaway campaigns or offer special discount codes to their audience. This approach allows us to reach untapped markets and generate leads through forms or landing sites created specifically for the campaign.”

Network ideas for lead generation

2. Conduct a LinkedIn audit.

If LinkedIn is your thing, you could be sitting on an untapped market – your connections.

Melissa LohrerFounder of Waverly Ave Consulting, said: “Sometimes the next best opportunity is already in front of you. Check your existing LinkedIn connections – there are likely untapped opportunities right within your network. Growth isn’t always about attracting new people, but rather about nurturing those who are already around you and using those relationships to create momentum. This is your fastest path to conversion.”

3. Schedule coffee chats.

Ultimately, acquiring a qualified lead begins with connecting on a human level. No-strings-attached networking is a great way to connect with members of your audience, build meaningful relationships, and begin a slow (but warm!) conversion.

Erin Penningsa copywriter and marketing strategist, told me that coffee chats are her favorite way to connect with your audience.

Pennings said: “In my experience, the most important lead generation strategy is building relationships with other people. It’s not about networking in the traditional sense of the word, but simply about making contacts. Typically, this isn’t a strategy that goes away quickly since human connections take time, but it’s a great way to build an effective referral network.

“I love connecting with people to arrange coffee chats, which are primarily about getting to know people – and I always ask them who I can connect them with or who would be a good recommendation for them, and they generally respond. Often I can make contacts straight away to support them, and then when I need to close contracts or do door work, I know I can ask if they know anyone I know.”

4. Use customer reviews in your pop-ups.

Do you want to build confidence and brag about your power? Consider displaying your customer reviews. Visitors lurking on your website want to know what real customers think of your product or service before they, too, take the plunge.

For this reason John KarjulaCEO of Trustmary.com, uses a customer review popup to increase conversions.

Karjula said, “The best strategy to generate leads is to use an exit intent popup that contains customer reviews and an offer or discount code. These work particularly well when someone is about to purchase or book a meeting. When they’re about to leave, it’s great to throw social proof in their face to prove that they actually need the product or service in question.”

Content marketing lead generation

5. Create valuable content (blog posts, podcasts).

Your audience wants content, be it a blog post, a podcast, or a video. That’s why I think content marketing remains one of the most effective and well-known ideas for lead generation strategies.

Roland JacobManaging Partner of BlazeKin Media, says: “The most effective lead generation idea I have come across is the strategic use of personalized content marketing. In my experience, it’s incredibly powerful to create tailored content that directly speaks to your audience’s pain points and interests. I’ve found that when we develop in-depth blog posts, engaging videos, or insightful podcasts that truly address the needs of our audience, we not only attract potential leads, but also establish ourselves as trusted authorities in our field – and that is it’s what you ultimately want.”

6. Share success secrets from thought leaders.

Would you like to create unique added value with your content? Reach out to a thought leader in your industry or even your company.

By interviewing an expert to uncover their secrets, you prove to potential clients that you are committed to providing the best advice and insights available.

Below you can see Groove’s interpretation of this approach using one interview with the foundation’s CEO, Andy Drish.

The people at Groove often interview successful founders and ask very specific questions that everyone can learn something from. Groove then shares these interviews with viewers on his blog.

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Not only is Drish’s interview full of quotes, lessons, and actionable insights for entrepreneurs, but it also includes an Ask Me Anything (AMA) with the interview topic in the comments section.

This touch helps cement Groove’s reputation as a source of expert information among its audience.

7. Compile real-world examples with actionable insights.

Finding effective examples to learn from can be equally valuable and difficult. A list of best practices, current trends, or real-world examples in your industry is a great way to direct prospects to a guide or offer where they can sign up.

The Content Marketing Institute knows this and makes it a point to share current content marketing trends in a blog post every year.

This blog post serves as a resource to inspire website visitors to be successful with their marketing strategies and ultimately search their website for guides and opt-in offers to improve their content offering.

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8. Show what works for your business.

I can’t be the only marketer who’s curious, right?

That’s why I think it’s interesting to share a transparent post that pulls back the curtain on something you’ve seen success (or failure) in. And I know your potential leads find it interesting too.

Other companies that are at a similar stage of growth – or approaching your size – can gain a lot of inspiration from transparency posts and ultimately avoid making the same mistakes.

To provide an insightful resource, consider sharing how you built your platform or a lesson you learned along the way. You can share your insights in a blog post or a downloadable guide.

Don’t forget to include a final call-to-action to encourage readers to join your email list.

9. Create a practical checklist.

Who doesn’t have a running to-do list that sometimes gets a little too long? If you’re planning an upcoming webinar, rest assured there’s one much that goes in there.

HubSpot created one Practical webinar checklist which marketers can download and use to ensure they don’t miss any important steps in their webinar production.

Pro tip: HubSpot is using the gated offer to demonstrate its brand’s expertise on the topic and encourage downloads of checklists.

10. Offer insightful, downloadable case studies.

One of the best ways to attract new leads and generate interest in your products or services is to show how valuable your brand is to your customers. Case studies help convey your message while also acting as a lead magnet.

Krissy Seldaa digital marketing specialist at Array Marketing Agency, is a big fan of case studies. Selda told me, “From experience, publishing case studies is the most powerful lead generation tactic because it shows how your company consistently meets customer expectations.

“By demonstrating the value of your products or services, case studies allow potential customers to imagine themselves benefiting from your success. When customers see tangible results from companies or individuals similar to them, they are more inclined to engage with your product or service. This makes it one of the most effective content marketing tools for lead generation.”

11. Create an interactive quiz or tool.

Consider offering your website visitors a quiz as a creative way to learn more about them and get their contact information.

The goal is to “negotiate” the result of the quiz in return for a new clue, which can be very effective if done correctly.

Cassandra GucwaFounder of Menerva Digital, says tools and quizzes are “a great way to offer something of value to your potential audience and collect their emails or information.” Examples of free tools would be a cost calculator, a savings calculator, or a Tool that checks how secure your email address is.”

Another similar method is to offer an interactive tool, such as: HubSpot Website Grader. Website Grader is a free online tool that allows visitors to rate their websites based on key metrics and discover opportunities for improvement.

To use the tool, visitors must provide their email address. This gives HubSpot new leads who are interested in improving their web presence.

Video marketing lead generation

12. Personalize video content.

91% of companies Use videos as a marketing tool. And for good reason: it’s a great way to connect with qualified leads and convert them into paying customers.

Whether you use short or long videos, the key to lead generation in video marketing is personalizing your content.

For Mike VannelliCreative Director of Envy Creative, video personalization starts with understanding your audience’s unique perspectives.

Vannelli told me, “One of my favorite lead generation tactics is using personalized video content. We create tailored video messages based on specific pain points or challenges a potential customer is facing. It’s not just about sending out a general advertisement – it’s about showing that we understand their individual needs.

“These personalized videos are then embedded in emails or used as landing page content. Adding a clickable call-to-action at the end, e.g. Something like scheduling a demo or downloading a valuable resource increases engagement like nothing else. The human touch combined with targeted messaging has consistently helped us achieve better conversion rates.”

Email marketing lead generation

13. Create a valuable course or guide.

A well-developed course or guide is like having access to a real course – for free. For busy marketers, this type of offering can prove incredibly valuable.

Pro tip: This approach usually works well for deep topics. You can create an email course, host a course on your platform, or create a downloadable guide for visitors to read. HubSpot offers a lot free courses and downloadable guides like Introduction to lead generation.

These courses and guides help people with different content consumption styles get the same valuable information found on the blog and help HubSpot generate new leads to engage with via email.

14. Deliver gated offers with best practices.

When exploring a marketing tactic in a blog post or eBook, I find it helpful to know what others are doing to find success with the same method.

Compiling these best practices into a list is extremely useful for a marketer looking to gain a foothold in a particular area.

For example, HubSpot offers a comprehensive list of SEO best practices from a variety of experts aimed at helping their target audience achieve a higher return on investment from content marketing.

The eBook provides value to readers trying to crack a complicated marketing strategy—and in exchange for their contact information, they get insider tips from a variety of expert sources.

Event-based lead generation

15. Offer webinars and live demonstrations.

If you’re looking for another lead generation idea, consider hosting seminars or live events. Webinars and live events are perfect opportunities to engage with your audience while giving them useful information and new skills (and selling your products and services!).

Cache MerrillFounder of Zibtek, told me: “Webinars are an excellent tool to showcase your expertise and build trust.” We try to cover the “right” topics that are relevant to our work. Finally, we expect that we will end up with a very good number of conversions where the audience is eager for a closer interaction request for a consultation or a demo.”

Referral and partnership lead generation

16. Create a recommendation ecosystem.

Lead generation doesn’t have to be a sole proprietorship. I mentioned working with influencers as an example of making conversions a team sport.

However, influencers aren’t the only people you can recruit for your lead generation efforts. Instead, ask your network for recommendations.

Lohrer calls this “creating a recommendation ecosystem.”

Lohrer explained it to me this way: “Choose your top three customers and tell them that you are looking for more like them.” Ask for an introduction to their colleagues or for advice on where to find similarly high-quality customers. Better yet, ask them to introduce you to someone you’d like to meet to make it easier for them.

Additionally, working with complementary service providers – those who work with the same client base in different ways – or those who influence your clients (thinking consultants or coaches) – can help create a steady, reciprocal stream of referrals.”

17. Promote brand partnerships.

Like influencer partnerships, connecting with other brands is a great way to expand into other markets and connect with a larger audience. You want to make sure the brands you engage with are relevant to your niche. The more relevant the niche, the more likely their audience is to match yours.

Roland JacobManaging Partner of BlazeKin Media, agrees that brand partnerships are an effective form of lead generation.

Jakob told me, “At BlazeKin Media, I connected YouTubers with major brands like Coca-Cola, Sephora, and more, generating high-quality leads by expanding reach and increasing credibility. The key is to ensure these collaborations deliver real value to brands, creators and audiences and result in engaged prospects who are more likely to convert into loyal customers.”

Freemium and test-based lead generation

18. Offer a free trial or freemium product.

Is there anyone else who hates a free trial or product? I’m pretty sure that’s not the case. Everyone loves free. This is why offering a free trial or freemium product works so well as a lead generation tactic.

Yevheniy TymoshenkoChief Marketing Officer at Skylum, knows that free trials lead to qualified leads, which is why a free trial paired with personalized marketing are her favorite lead generation ideas.

Tymoshenko told me, “Once a user signs up for a free trial, we use personalized marketing to ultimately convert them.”

Free trials of a brand’s services help make a potential customer’s first step. If the free trial helps them and provides great value, they are more likely to purchase the full product and become a customer.

Another similar strategy is to offer a freemium product, similar to what HubSpot offers HubSpot CRM free forever. By offering part of your product or service line for free, you give users a taste of your brand and build trust and awareness among your user base.

Tymoshenko also integrates freemium products into Skylum’s marketing activities.

He said: “We have also tested providing limited free access to certain new features of our products… This is a good way to generate qualified leads that would ultimately buy your product.” And if for some reason this doesn’t happen, “We can offer individual discounts to some users.”

SEO Lead generation

19. Leverage the SEO power of customer reviews.

Review platforms generally have a strong presence in organic search, making them a great opportunity to expand your brand’s presence and get noticed by the right people.

Encouraging users to leave reviews on a third-party platform with strong SEO – like Yelp or Google – increases your chances of being found in search by qualified prospects without paying a dime.

Google is aware of the independent role of these sites in finding what you are looking for and seems to favor review sites in search engine results.

Imagine your company on this list. There is a high probability that your product will be included in what McKinsey calls the “first consideration group” that leads to the “moment of purchase” during the consumer decision journey.

You also outmaneuver your competitors when searching for high-value keywords. This is crucial considering that many B2B searches start with a generic keyword phrase.

20. Optimize your website.

Here’s a hot tip for lead generation: Don’t overlook your website. By ensuring your website is optimized and search engine ready, you can quickly turn it into a lead generation machine.

Colton De VosMarketing and Communications Specialist at Resolute Technology Solutions, told me that if your website is generating a lot of traffic but converting few leads, you should consider making changes to your website to encourage conversions.

De Vos said: “Invest the time to optimize your website content and design to convince visitors to take the plunge and contact your company.” Make it easy for prospects to get in touch. Give them lots of easy options to engage and make it easier for them to research your company. Showcase trust factors such as reviews, case studies, and the value your company has brought to others.”

Pro tip: Consider connecting your Marketing software on your website to make it easier for leads to contact you.

Paid lead generation

21. Paid advertising.

My last lead generation idea I want to share is paid advertising. Think of paid ads as billboards in the online space. A great billboard attracts attention and encourages the potential customer to take action.

Paid online advertising does the same thing. Additionally, with the right landing page and forms, you can easily convert visitors into leads.

Sophie MusumeciCEO and Founder of Real Entrepreneur Women, uses paid advertising as part of her lead generation efforts. But she told me that it needs a well thought out strategy to make it work well and convert leads.

Musumeci said: “I am a fan of strategic paid advertising. It increases your reach, but it’s important that the ads are targeted, clear and focused on the results your audience wants.”

You can run paid ads on almost any social media platform, including setting up ads on Facebook and Pinterest. You can also set up ads on Google and other search engines.

Pro tip: Wherever you spend your marketing budget, take the time to understand your audience and where they hang out online. This can help you determine the best placements for your ads.

Effective lead generation ideas for you

I have found that developing an effective lead generation strategy is an art and a science. For me, the best strategy combines several lead generation ideas, such as maintaining connections with my network and offering quality content.

However, you may find that paid advertising or working with brands and influencers works better for your niche.

Whatever lead generation strategy you experiment with next, make sure the content is useful to your audience so they keep coming back to your website.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in February 2017 and has been updated for completeness.