All too often in the digital world if business owners can’t see the direct path from a digital marketing message to sales thy are quick to say that their strategy is not bringing them any leads. However, 9 times out of 10 this is simply untrue.

A lead is not a sale. As the name suggests, a lead may lead to a sale, but it is just a stepping stone in the process. It is your sales teams’ job to nurture these leads in order to close the deal. Still, leads are powerful metrics in evaluating your digital marketing strategy’s effectiveness. Let’s take a look at what exactly counts as a digital marketing lead:

• Form Inquiries:

  The most obvious and direct leads from digital marketing are any that are received through the forms on your website. To track exactly how these leads came to your site, be sure to set up goals for the thank you pages in Google Analytics. This will allow you to determine which channels have the best conversion rates.

• Direct Messages on Social Media:

  Social media is not often thought of as a lead generating source, but often companies receive questions via direct messages that eventually turn into sales. This could be someone asking a restaurant if they have a space for large parties or it could be a man looking for advice from a jeweler on how to find out what style of engagement ring his girlfriend would want without giving away a surprise proposal. Either type of inquiry has the potential to become a sale and thus you should be diligent about checking and responding to messages on social media.

• Some Social Media Comments:

  Even something as simple as a comment on a social post can be considered a lead in some instances. For example, if your boutique shares a picture of an outfit on Instagram and a follower response asking how much the bag is or if you carry the shoes in a size 8, then it is obvious that they are considering taking the next step and making the purchase.

• Phone Calls:

  If someone calls your store to ask about something they saw on social media or on your website after finding you via a Google Search, they should be considered a digital marketing lead. However, in order to measure these leads, you’ll need to have your staff ask your customers where they heard about you and record their answers. It’s a little extra work, but it’s worth it to be able to qualify each lead.

• Visits to Your Store:

  Any time someone comes to your business specifically because of something they saw on social media, in an eblast from your company or on your site after performing a Google Search, they should be seen as a digital marketing lead. Again, the trouble here is getting a record of how they found you!

There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to digital marketing leads, and though it may involve a little more digging, including the above sources is essential when evaluating your strategy. If you want to make it a little easier on yourself and your staff, consider these tactics.