Maximizing Leads with Article Marketing

One of the main reasons to engage in article marketing is to increase visitors to your website. However, just increasing visitors does not necessarily mean that this will help your bottom line.

Your article must not only get readers to continue to your site, it must also prepare those visitors for what they will then encounter there. If your site is selling a product or service, and those visitors were not expecting a sales pitch when they arrives on your site, then chances are that they will leave your site without performing a purchase.

So how do you maximize lead generation from your articles?

The first step is to prepare the reader. This is called pre-selling. Pre-selling is how you make your visitors trust you. Pre-selling is establishing yourself as an expert in the eyes of your visitors. Pre-selling makes them think you are their friend, and not just another salesperson.

Most people do not look for products or services on the Internet. They are looking for information. So this is exactly what you give them - for free - before you ask anything of them. This will make them start to like you. And if that information is helpful to them, then they will start to trust you. Only then can you start to successfully recommend products or services to purchase. Engaging in salesmanship before they trust you will only make them close the door faster.

What kind of free information can you give to your readers?

At the end of your marketed article, in the resource box for example, let readers know that by continuing to your website, they will be able to get more free information. Once they are on your site, have them sign up (i.e. collect their email address), by offering more free information.

There are a number of freebies or enticements that you can offer up to your readers to increase trust. Here are a few examples of what you can give away:

• Free ebook giving more good detailed information
• Previews of specific chapters of a book  or CD you are selling
• Special report concerning subject matter they are interested in
• Free consultation
• Video information resources

There are many ways to increase the trust of your visitor by giving them something for free. You don’t have to use all of these give away formats. It can actually be better to focus on just one at a time (otherwise you may spread your promotional time and budget too thin).

Call to Action

Make sure you encourage the readers of your articles to continue to your site by asking them them to do so. Include sentences like this for example:

• continue to my website to receive more free information
• if you want to know more please visit my website to download a free ebook
• get more free resource by visiting  , , ,

It seems very simple, but many writers fail to put a call to action in the articles.

So in conclusion, to maximize lead generation with your article marketing articles, make sure you tell them that by continuing to your website, they can receive more free information. Make sure that this information is pertinent and high quality.

Article marketing to generate leads is a consistent, long term way to keep highly qualified leads coming to your site. When you add effective email follow ups and strive to build confidence in you and your opportunity, you too will see what so many successful entrepreneurs know, article marketing works.