The 11 best lead generation tools and software
Lead generation is a vital part of a business’s marketing strategy. And though it can be conducted using a variety of different tools, their efficacy is dependent on the size of the business and the type of customers being targeted.
In this article, we’ll demonstrate what lead generation is, how exactly leads are generated, and which tools a business can employ to generate them on their behalf.
What is lead generation?
In short, lead generation refers to the various ways of connecting a business to prospective customers. Identifying and attracting them using a range of marketing channels that utilize both online and traditional sales techniques. The lead is then passed on to the sales team for follow-up and closure once it has been generated.
How can I generate leads for my business?
1. Email marketing
New customers can be generated through targeted email marketing campaigns. An email management tool will provide you with data to generate more leads besides automating the email process.
2. Social media
Social media allows businesses to reach out to a wider breadth of customers, build tighter relationships, and strengthen their brands. Each of these elements contributes to the generation of more leads.
By establishing a social media presence, a business is able to engage directly with its audience and can access valuable insights into its target market. Moreover, businesses can leverage social media to generate leads, create content to nurture leads, and leverage influencers to reach a wider audience.
3. SEO (search engine optimization)
SEO helps businesses to gain prominence in search engine results, thus driving more traffic to their website and generating more leads.
It can be used to optimize web pages, content, and images to ensure they are as visible as possible on search engine result pages. As a result, it enables businesses to target specific segments of customers through organic search, thereby improving their lead generation efficiency.
4. PPC (pay-per-click advertising)
PPC is a very effective way to generate leads quickly, as potential customers will see your ads immediately. You’ll be able to target specific audience groups based on location, interests, and demographics, allowing you to tailor your advertising campaigns to reach the right people.
As a result, you will also be able to control your budget more effectively since you are only charged when someone clicks on your advertisement. In short, you only pay for an advertisement if it works Moreover, you can track the results of your campaigns in real-time, enabling you to make adjustments to your approach accordingly and optimize them for the highest results possible.
5. Lead generation websites
A lead generation website can provide businesses with a platform for generating, capturing, and nurturing leads. The company offers a variety of tools and features that enable businesses to capture leads, including opt-in forms, webinar registration, webinars, and email campaigns.
Furthermore, lead generation websites provide businesses with valuable insights into customer behavior, allowing them to understand their target audience better and optimize their marketing efforts.
Features to look for in lead gen tools
The use of lead generation tools can greatly benefit your business. However, not all tools operate in the same way, and when choosing the right one for your organization, there are several factors to consider.
1. Learning curve
The first thing to consider is how easy the tool is to use, as you must be comfortable using the tool to generate leads efficiently. As your experience using the tool increases, you’ll be better able to perform tasks quickly and at your best.
2. Onboarding
Software should provide extensive onboarding guides, training materials, and tools to help employees navigate and support new employees to avoid hiccups.
With a successful onboarding experience, a company can get higher employee engagement in company culture, vision, mission, and values, leading to greater investment and productivity from members of the organization. An automated onboarding process also saves time for HR employees with new hire training processes.
3. Pricing tiers
Lead generation platforms are available in all shapes and sizes; as such, their prices can differ significantly. Check around for budget-friendly lead generation tools - regardless of the type. Some tools have free accounts or trials, while others offer tier-based plans.
Pricing tiers offer flexibility and scalability with different service levels and choices. They’ll allow you to save money on high-quantity lead generation tool purchases whilst also offering the flexibility to scale up or down depending on your needs.
4. The ability to analyze and sort data in depth
Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is crucial for any website's success. To prioritize leads, the CRO tool should be able to filter the data by user behavior and demographics.
In this process, data collection is arranged in a meaningful order to make it easier to understand and analyze so that you can employ marketing strategies according to prioritizing records.
5. Seamless integration with other tools
Automating various tasks will save your employees time and promote data consistency across your marketing tools, ultimately benefiting your business.
Integration refers to the ability to add a new feature to a tool or application without it resulting in errors or complications, contributing to a more efficient user experience. It helps an organization to grow faster and develop its marketing strategy, allowing for seamless updates whilst generating fewer errors.
6. Tracking options
A platform should offer audience targeting, allowing you to collect leads from your ideal customers, as opposed to a larger, inefficient lead generation strategy.
You should also be able to track all interactions potential leads have with you. With the data retrieved from this, you’ll be able to provide the most appropriate content to your user base, increasing engagement. It’ll also help you to uncover how to target more customers.
Best Lead Generation Tools in 2023
1. Niva.io
Social proof and customer testimonials are some of the most powerful tools businesses have at their disposal. Not only do they help to build credibility, but they can also influence potential customers' decision-making process.
Features
- Niva.io makes it a breeze to collect testimonials with a shareable link.
- You can import existing feedback in just a few clicks.
- Convert raw responses into one of your most impactful marketing tools.
- Embed testimonials easily on your website or other marketing channels.
- Performance tracking helps you see improvement over time.
What do we like?
- Testimonials give credibility to your business and act as social proof that you're an authority in your industry, making your lead-generation efforts more effective.
- Niva.io makes it incredibly easy to collect authentic feedback and convert it into high-impact testimonials that drive revenue.
- Instead of trying to manage testimonials yourself, Niva.io helps you to put social proof on auto-pilot, allowing you to focus on other aspects of running your business.
Website
2. OptinMonster
OptinMonster is a lead generation software that helps businesses grow their email list and convert website visitors into customers. It allows users to create and customize opt-in forms and display them on their website to capture visitors' email addresses and other information.
Pricing
- OptinMonster does not have a free plan.
- There is also no free trial available.
- OptinMonsters' plans start at $15/month.
- Pricing tiers are based on features and pageviews.
Features
- OptinMonster comes with prospecting and email marketing tools.
- A drag-and-drop builder helps you to build different opt-in-forms quickly.
- You can create lightbox popups, floating bars, fullscreen takeovers, and slide-ins.
- The tool will help to break your collection of leads into smaller lists based on their actions, providing better analysis.
- OptinMonster enables you to track the performance of your lead-generation campaigns with A/B testing.
What do we like?
- OptinMonster comes with an intuitive drag-and-drop form built for many use cases.
- It also makes it simple to adjust and test forms in real time.
- They have a 14-day money-back guarantee
Website
3. LinkedIn Sales Navigator
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a tool offered by LinkedIn that helps sales professionals connect with potential clients and grow their businesses. It provides features specifically designed for sales professionals, such as advanced search and real-time alerts, to help users find and engage with the right prospects.
Pricing
- There's no free plan for the LinkedIn Sales Navigator
- They offer a 30-day free trial to test the software.
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator's plans start at $79.99/month.
Features
- Businesses can use a search engine to find potential leads based on keywords and other factors.
- The contact management system helps you track interactions with potential and current customers.
- The market insights and analysis give you information about your target markets and how you compare to competitors.
What do we like?
- As one of the most popular lead generation tools on LinkedIn, it has a large user base and a lot of support available.
- It can be helpful to target specific people with relevant prospects.
- You will also get alerts on your saved leads and accounts. Data validation and CMR updates are also available.
Website
4. Qualaroo
Qualaroo is a survey tool that allows you to collect valuable feedback from your website’s visitors, which can assist in generating leads. If you want to improve your products according to the information based on authentic feedback from your users - this software makes for a great supplement to other lead-generation tools.
Pricing
- Qualaroo does not offer a free plan
- However, they have a 15-day free trial.
- Qualaroo comes with three pricing tiers.
- Their plans are based on features and pageviews.
Features
- It collects user feedback which helps to improve your product and marketing experience.
- You can use the data you’ve received to help generate leads with another tool.
What do we like?
- Qualaroo comes with categorized leads and points when users answer survey questions and arranges them in a designated funnel, making the data easy to observe.
- You can create custom surveys with specific targeting rules, resulting in powerful analytics.
Website
5. Hootsuite
Hootsuite is a social media management platform that offers users a variety of features for lead generation. These features include scheduling posts, tracking keywords, and monitoring social media analytics. Hootsuite is a social media-only platform that lets you observe social platforms and no other websites. As such, it might be best employed alongside other lead-generation tools.
Pricing
- Hootsuite does not have a free plan.
- However, they offer a 30-day free trial.
- Hootsuite's plans start at $49/month.
Features
- Hootsuite allows all your social media accounts to be managed in a single dashboard.
- It also comes with vital analytics about your social campaigns, allowing you to observe their performance.
- You can better target your audience with the help of conversations, trends, and brand mentions.
What do we like?
- The thing we like most about this tool is that it can handle multiple social media platforms with a single dashboard.
- You can also schedule dates for your post to be published.
- The generous free trial allows for 30 days with all its features, giving you plenty of time to see whether it is right for you.
Website
6. Quora
Quora is a Q&A platform that lets you find and follow expert users and topics to gain insights and answers from the community. You can also share your knowledge and expertise on Quora by answering questions. The website is easy to navigate and offers helpful tooltips for answering questions and sharing insights.
Pricing
- The basic service is free for all users.
- Additional features can be unlocked with Quora+ for $6.99/month.
- The Quora+ subscription has a 30-day free trial.
Features
- Insights and answers can be obtained by following expert users and topics.
- Answering questions on Quora allows you to share your expertise and knowledge.
- You can view insights on who is following your profile and what topics they are interested in.
- It is possible to export your followers as a CSV file.
What do we like?
- Quora is simple, easy, and has a massive user base with constant traffic.
- You can target specific users and drive them to your products.
- You can also provide a link in your answer, which helps connect customers instantly to your site.
Website
7. Outreach.io
Outreach.io provides many useful features for lead generation, including creating custom lead lists, tracking email opens and clicks, and sending personalized follow-ups. Additionally, Outreach.io has a reasonable price and an easy-to-use interface that can help you generate leads and grow your business.
Pricing
- Outreach.io does not offer a free plan.
- Their pricing plans start at $19/month.
- You can choose between a Lite plan and a Pro plan.
Features
- Outreach.io allows businesses to target customers based on highly-defined buyer personas.
- The tool also provides sales dialer services, task management, and tracking.
- It can generate reports on sales engagement and is driven by AI.
- Campaigns with account-based sales reports help to manage a business’s marketing strategy.
What do we like?
- Outreach.io provides plenty of data points to help with lead generation.
- The tool is highly specialized for sales outreach and does that job very well
Website
8. Mailchimp
Mailchimp allows businesses to create and send email newsletters, promotions, and other types of email content to subscribers. It is a popular email marketing and message automation platform that keeps the email lists of current and potential customers.
Pricing
- There is a free plan with limited features available.
- The paid plans start at $13/month.
- The pricing plans are based on features and email usage.
Features
- Mailchimp allows users to customize email templates.
- Subscribers can receive tailored content based on their interests.
- The software includes lead-generation tools to help businesses acquire leads and grow their mailing lists.
- It also allows users to monitor the performance of their emails.
- The templates use drag-and-drop functionality for easy editing.
What do we like?
- Mailchimp has a generous free plan and makes email marketing easy.
- They have detailed analytics so you can monitor your email campaign.
Website
9. Intercom
Intercom is a customer communication platform that allows businesses to communicate with their customers in real-time. It offers a suite of tools and features that enable businesses to engage with customers across multiple channels, including in-app messaging, email, and live chat.
Pricing
- Intercom does not offer a free plan.
- Intercom’s pricing plans start at $74/month.
- They use feature-based pricing.
Features
- Live chat allows businesses to communicate with customers in real-time and collect their information.
- Email and messaging allow businesses to send targeted messages to specific customers or groups of customers.
- Intercom can be integrated with other tools, such as CRM systems and help desk software.
- Analytics and reporting tools help your businesses understand customer behavior.
What do we like?
- Intercom offers a wide range of communication tools, everything bundled into one software
Website
10. WPForms
WPForms is a WordPress plugin that allows users to create and manage forms on their WordPress website. It offers a variety of pre-built form templates and advanced features, such as conditional logic and integrations with other tools. It is user-friendly and does not require any coding knowledge.
Pricing
- There is no free plan offered by WPForms.
- A one-year subscription to WPForms starts at $89.55.
- WPForms only offers annual plans.
Features
- Create forms using the form builder, which allows you to drag and drop fields.
- Using conditional logic, you can easily create custom forms that show or hide fields based on the user's input.
- You can send an email notification when a form has been submitted to you or another user.
- Users can send an email notification to themselves or other users when they submit a form.
- WPForms has a built-in spam protection feature.
- It is possible to integrate the WPForms plugin with a wide range of services, including Mailchimp, AWeber, and Google Sheets.
What do we like?
- You can generate surveys and charts right into your WordPress dashboard.
- The drag-and-drop builder makes creating forms for your lead generation campaigns straightforward.
Website
11. Hotjar
Hotjar is a website analytics and user feedback tool that helps businesses understand how visitors interact with their website. It offers features such as heatmaps and user polls to help businesses improve their website's user experience. Their survey feature can be great for lead generation.
Pricing
- Hotjar offers a free plan with limited features.
- Hotjar's paid plans start at $32/month.
- They use feature- and usage-based pricing models.
Features
- Hotjar enables you to create surveys to gather customer feedback or gain insight into their behavior.
- The service allows you to analyze how users interact with your website, including where they click and how long they stay on each page.
- You can use heatmaps to see the locations of user clicks on your website.
What do we like?
- The heatmaps can be used to improve your website's design and the conversion rate for your lead generation.
- Hotjar is one of the trusted and widely used tools in businesses.
Website
Frequently asked questions
What is the most effective way to generate leads?
The answer to this question varies depending on the type of Business and its target market; however, online advertising, market research, and lead generation software are the most common methods for generating leads.
How can beginners generate leads?
For beginners, we suggest using a lead-generating tool like Niva.io and Intercom. Additionally, creating a blog or similar content that is both helpful and interesting can build credibility and generate potential leads. Many people also recommend using social media platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook to connect with potential clients.
How can I attract more leads?
The most effective way to attract leads varies according to your Business and your target market, so there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. You can attract more leads using digital marketing strategies such as SEO, social media, and email marketing, creating compelling content, and offering freebies.
Summary
Which lead generation tool is right for you? Of course, basic tools like email, social media, and newsletters can all work. But sometimes, you want to maximize your efforts.
More advanced tools like retargeting ads and content syndication can help you attract and engage targeted customers. But whatever tool you select, you'll want first to figure out whether it's effective at generating leads within your business' audience. Be sure to test it.
And from the author of this article: if you have questions about lead generation in general, or want more information about it, don't hesitate to check out Niva.io – We love to hear from you!
